The highway from Jaipur to Kota is a good road. Dark clouds hung low as we set to point the nose of the new Mercedes-Benz EQA 250+ southwards. It took a bit of time to cross the city limits and a little beyond the rains came down in sheets. Riding in the passenger seat waiting for my turn at the wheel it was easy to feel post-lunch snoozy.
The rain was drumming out a regular rhythm on the panoramic sunroof while the rain-sensing wipers were galvanised into frantic but futile action trying to keep the windscreen clear of water. Resistance was futile and succumb I did for a while to the commands of the lords of slumber. One does tend to feel rather more comfortable and cocooned in this SUV than expected from a vehicle of its size.
Mercedes-Benz India hosted a bunch of motoring writers and videographers in Jaipur last week in the run up to the launch of the EQA 250+. This is its smallest battery electric vehicle (BEV) yet in the country and the version we were driving had some updates compared to the 2021 version. This SUV is built on a modified version of the GLA platform and, expectedly, is lots similar to it apart from the powertrain.
THE EXTERIORS
It looks kind of familiar, but with the shiny black faux grille adorned with lots and lots of three-pointed stars and the Merc logo getting pride of place in the centre. The daytime running lights are neat and so are the body-width LED lights that have become quite common nowadays. There is an overall smoothness to the kind of rounded shape largely devoid of edges. We also liked the fact that it uses chrome very discreetly to highlight things but avoids splashing it all over. And, contrary to the GLA, there is, naturally, no tailpipe.
The dimensions are similar to those of mid-range five-seater SUVs in the Indian market, but overall styling is in line with those of other Mercedes-Benz BEVs
Interestingly, the 10-spoke alloys wheels have partial blacked-out covers built into the design to not let them disturb the airflow around the cars too much and increase drag. These little bits and pieces matter in EVs to increase the range on a single charge and this kind of attention to detail abounds in the new EQA.
THE INTERIORS
Moving to the inside there is that assuring thunk as the door closes. Quality befitting its segment is in evident all over. And adding a sense of luxury are the air conditioner vents finished partly in rose gold. On paper the idea looks blingier than it does in metal. That colour scheme continues to the seats with the upholstery material that Mercedes-Benz said is made from recycled pet bottles. The digital screens have been placed neatly and the driving position gives a good view out all around and makes placing the car on the road fairly easy.
We like the fact that Mercedes-Benz has been sensible with moving functions to the infotainment screen and left the controls for things that one needs to use to hard buttons, like the drive mode selection (Sport, Comfort, Eco and Individual), audio volume, air conditioner controls, camera activation as well as a bunch of controls on the steering wheel like those for the phone controls and audio volume, cruise control and a control for the infotainment as well.
There are a couple of reflections of the fact that this is an adapted platform from an ICE vehicle. So the battery takes up space under the floor and raises it a bit for the rear passengers and takes up some space in the boot as well. There is no spare tyre, but the EQA comes equipped with a puncture repair kit. That’s one more nod to the need to keep weight down to increase range on a charge.
The 710W Burmester surround sound system is worth the mention as it dishes up a well-rounded sound that doesn’t hurt the ears even if one turns up the volume.
The passenger compartment feels quite light and airy with decent glass areas, particularly if one takes the panoramic sunroof into consideration
ON THE ROAD
As it does around Rajasthan and other parts in North India, it rained like mad for some time and then stopped leaving the roads washed and clean but wet. It was time to drive and we did. This vehicle weighs in at a shade over two tonnes. So, on paper, it might look like the 188hp going to the front wheels from the single electric motor might not be able to haul it quickly enough. But that is not the case. The 385Nm of torque available from the moment the motor is switched on makes it quite effortlessly brisk. The century comes up in a shade under nine seconds. Merc has limited its top speed to 160kmph, it said, but we did not get there. The brake energy recuperation works at four levels and is very effective in making negotiating traffic a fairly stress-free as there is no gear to shift and driving with a light foot makes using the brakes unnecessary most of the time. In fact, we took it out earlier in the day as well and drove through some pretty heavy Jaipur traffic and down a narrow street and it was all quite easy. The Live Traffic View function is quite handy and shows what’s around on the screen.
On the highway, one tends to reduce the regen level, but, given the kind of traffic we face, we left it at a higher level and given the engine braking traction was very good too and the EQA felt totally planted even when required to do some weaving through gaps between trucks. There was no hesitation (the power delivery was very linear), or signs of stepping out of line even on the wet road. And stopping was very sure-footed. That did wonders for our confidence and one did get tempted to push it a bit. Sport mode ups the eagerness to respond and Eco tries to keep things clean. On the whole the drive was a pretty good experience. We did not test the real-world range but expect it to be less than the WLTP certified 560km.
Unlike many other SUVs, the EQA doesn’t have a ‘frunk’, or luggage carrying space under the bonnet. This is the space where the single motor plus other controllers for the electrical system reside
THE CALL
The EQA seemed to be a well-rounded vehicle. It rode well, handled well, was easy to drive and, predictably, quiet in the passenger compartment. On long-haul drives, the rear seat would possibly be more comfortable for children or not very tall persons. Mercedes has also taken steps to take the resale anxiety out of the purchase decision. Not only is it giving a warranty on the battery for eight years but also giving an assurance to buy back the vehicle at two-thirds of its purchase price after four years. Put all of it together, and this looks like a pretty convincing package.
THE EQA250+ IN NUMBERS
What: Five-seater luxury electric SUV
LxBxH (mm): 4,463 x 2,020 x 1,624
Wheelbase: 2,729mm
Kerb weight: 2,055kg
Peak power: 188hp(140kW)
Peak torque: 385Nm
Top speed: 160kmph
Driving range: 560km (WLTP)
Boot space: 340-1,320 litres
Price: ₹66 lakh(ex showroom, all-India)
