Mercedes-Benz EQB Review: A Practical Electric SUV With 7 Seats

Unlike the EQC, the EQB is boxier and looks like a true-blue SUV while also having the vibe of a 'baby GLS'.

Mercedes-Benz EQB

Source : Somnath Chatterjee

New Delhi: The EQB electric SUV tries to be many things including being a compact luxury SUV on one hand along with also being an electric car which has 7 seats. It currently has no rivals since there is no other electric SUV which can seat 7 passengers at its expected price point or anywhere else. Even worldwide, 7-seater EVs are rare. Hence, the EQB would be a more practical alternative than the EQC which is already sold here.

Unlike the EQC, the EQB is boxier and looks like a true-blue SUV while also having the vibe of a 'baby GLS'. It is compact but has an upright stance with a raised roofline. Compared to the GLB which also would be sold here, the EQB looks more radical while having some EV-like touches like a black panel grille while the continuous LED strip also looks nice. The Rose Gold colour is also particularly striking.

Inside, it is the typical Mercedes look, and we are not complaining about the dashboard or air vents that look similar to the other Merc SUVs. I will not mention bits like quality since you expect that at this price and the interior is also looking expensive like you would want it to be. Some bits that stand out are the Rose Gold vents inside which add some glamour. There are twin 10.25-inch screens and there are enough physical buttons, unlike the EQS which has one giant touchscreen. The backlit interior also looks stunning at night and Mercedes knows how to do ambient lighting better than anyone else.

There are features like powered seats, twin sunroofs, an  MBUX system with connected car tech, a 10-speaker audio system, Blind-spot assist, park assist and more. The clever seat kinetics feature which adjusts the seat in minute ways is also there.

Despite its compact footprint, the EQB is fairly spacious inside along with how Mercedes has squeezed in seven seats too. The rear seats in the second row are practical with good space and excellent headroom. Three passengers can easily sit here while one can also adjust the seat in terms of the backrest as well. The third row is strictly for kids but one can adjust it for more room the third row is mostly for kids and teenagers while being folded, and the useful 465l boot capacity can be used.

The EQB shines brightest in terms of driving through with a twin motor layout and a 66.5kWh battery pack. The total power output is 225bhp and 390Nm while 0-100 km/h is 8 seconds. You can easily and comfortably reach its modest top speed but the key is how effortless the EQB feels to drive. An EV has fast acceleration but in the EQB, the shock has been made smoother with a comfort-oriented driving experience. That said, choose the sportier modes among the 4 ones available and it will be very quick indeed in terms of covering the ground. It also feels stable and confident at those speeds. It has a linear power delivery and feels tuned to be an easy-to-drive SUV.

The EQB is a heavy SUV but feels light and compact to drive chaotic traffic. What I like is that the suspension is soft and not tuned to be harsh, this is after a family luxury SUV. The biggest highlight is the fact that despite being an EV, this is an SUV which you can take on road trips as even though the battery pack sits on the floor, the ground clearance on offer is much better than the EQC. This is amongst the most useful EVs out there right now in terms of ground clearance.

The EQB 300 on sale here, has an official range of 423km while the real-world range will hover around 300-350km. There are regenerative modes also as expected and with the drive modes set to eco, you can bring out the best range.

AC charging will mean around 6 hours and 25 minutes and Mercedes will give an AC wall box charger too.

In short, the EQB 300 is the ideal EV luxury SUV for India with its good ground clearance, decent range, compact size yet spacious cabin, and pleasing driving manners. We expect a price tag of around Rs 80 lakhs, which makes it a unique product proposition with no rivals. As a luxury SUV, the EQB does make for a good choice if an EV suits your requirements.

What We Like — Quality, Design, Space, Performance, Ground Clearance, 7 Seats

What We Do Not Like — Range Could Have Been Better