Auto Express

Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 2023 First Drive Review: Easy to Do

LISBON, Portugal – The narrow strips of sidewalk along the Portuguese coast are impressive, but they’re not really refreshing Mercedes-Benz Which EQE SUV favors. These winding roads draw your attention to the EQE’s somewhat stiff steering and weak handling, and at no time do you feel compelled to switch to Dynamic and throw the EQE into a corner. .

But you know, it’s okay. Because once you get back to the city, EQE completely redeems itself. The optional 10-degree tilting rear-axle steering system virtually shortens the wheelbase, making this mid-size SUV easy to navigate through tight European alleys. An available augmented reality navigation overlay ensures you never miss a turn, and once you’ve reached your destination, the standard 360-degree camera system makes parallel parking a snap.

Quiet, luxurious and easy to drive; in 95% of EQE SUV’s use cases, it’s a peach. The A-pillars are a bit stout, but the upright seating position gives you sweeping views of the outside world, and the SUV doesn’t have an uncomfortably high roof. balance And sedan EQS. There’s seating for five, with supportive seats upholstered in genuine leather or MB-Tex synthetic upholstery, and a standard panoramic sunroof that lets in plenty of light – until nighttime, then. 64 color ambient light will steal the performance.

You can get an EQE SUV with Mercedes‘ The super-screen infotainment system (lower right), but the standard dual-screen setup (lower left) is still feature-rich. There’s a configurable and informative 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, and the 12.8-inch central display has a streamlined menu structure and can run both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. wireless. To be honest, I prefer the setup without Super Screen and I’m not alone here auto blog. There’s enough digital real estate to satisfy tech enthusiasts, and if you specify an EQE SUV with hole-in-the-wall wood trim, the overall look and feel of the dashboard is actually quite nice. Overall, the EQE has the same level of great fit and finish you’d expect from a Mercedes-Benz, but this cabin is also packed with functionality. The center console has a deep storage compartment and there’s a small storage space underneath, with a pair of USB-C ports.

Three versions of the EQE will be available when the SUV goes on sale this spring, all powered by a 90.6 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion. battery pack. The EQ 350+ has a single motor attached to the rear axle, making 288 horsepower and 417 pound-feet of torque, enough to propel this 5,300-pound hog to 60 mph in 6, 3 seconds comfortably. The 4Matic all-wheel drive system adds a second electric motor to the front axle, bringing total output to 288 hp and 564 lb-ft. But since the front-drive comes with a 335-pound penalty, the more powerful EQE 350 4Matic is just a tenth of a second faster to 60 mph.

Unlike the EQE Sedan, the EQE SUV’s all-wheel drive system is a no-cost option. And while it may seem like the natural way to go, with the added power and traction that 4Matic offers, there’s still a penalty area to consider. Mercedes-Benz says the rear-wheel drive EQE 350+ can travel 279 miles per full charge, while the EQE 350 4Matic reduces that range to 253 miles. In an effort to be more efficient, the 4Matic relies only on the rear-wheel drive engine under light loads in normal operation, so it’s not an all-time-on AWD system. Really, unless you live somewhere where bad weather resistance is a must, you can probably stick with 350+.

You definitely won’t feel the difference between the EQE 350+ and the EQE 350 4Matic when behind the wheel. These SUVs drive similarly, with a slightly stiff steering feel – even with the optional air suspension – and gentle but precise steering. Three levels of regeneration brake are provided and you can switch through them via the gearshift paddles. But take note: the EQE SUV has the same stupid adaptive braking system as other EQE and EQS models, where the strong regenerative stopping force will actually move the pedal’s position to simulate how much pressure the foot is exerting. you often influence. I’ve been using this a lot now and I just can’t get used to it. Worse yet, when your foot is exposed for more braking force, the pedal feel will be inconsistent. The whole thing just feels weird.

If you want more power, Mercedes also produces an EQE 500 SUV, fitted as standard with 4Matic all-wheel drive. Here, the e-motors are tuned to produce a total of 402 hp and 633 lb-ft of torque, reducing the EQE 350 4Matic’s zero-to-60 time to 4.7 seconds. Driving range doesn’t make a huge impact, fortunately, with the EQE 500 rated at 269 miles.

While faster, the EQE 500 is no more enjoyable to drive than the 350 models. Yes, the increase in passing power is good, but this is not an SUV that feels even a little bit sportier. The main reason to choose the EQE 500 instead is that it comes with a longer list of bells and whistles, including 20-inch wheels instead of the base 19-inch wheels and AMG Line of exterior styling. However, while driver-assist technologies like blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assist are available on every EQE, adaptive cruise control costs more, even on the EQE 500. Search Mercedes’ Level 3 Drive Pilot tech anytime soon, either.

At $79,050, including $1,150 for destination, the EQE 350+ and EQE 350 4Matic cost much less than their main competitors, BMW iX. However, the iX there’s more power, a larger driving range, and a significantly more interesting interior design – even if the exterior styling is, um, polarizing. Upgrading to the EQE 500 costs $90,650, putting it $10,000 less than the base MSRP of the larger one EQS 450+SUV. All EQE models are divided into Premium, Exclusive, and Peak categories, with the most expensive EQE 500 4Matic going up to $96,600.

Later this year, Mercedes will introduce an AMG variant of the EQE SUV, with a capacity of 677 horsepower, operating roll Stability and unique air suspension tuning. Would that make it a more enjoyable steering wheel? Maybe. But given the level of comfort and serenity of the EQE SUV, I’m not sure that really matters.



Source by [author_name]

news7h

News7h: Update the world's latest breaking news online of the day, breaking news, politics, society today, international mainstream news .Updated news 24/7: Entertainment, Sports...at the World everyday world. Hot news, images, video clips that are updated quickly and reliably

Related Articles

Back to top button