The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is the 4x4-style sister car to the Mercedes-Benz EQE saloon.
A rival for the BMW iX, Jaguar I-Pace, upcoming Polestar 3 and Tesla Model 3, the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV arrives in 2023 as a premium battery-powered model.
Offered in regular Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV guise as well as the high-performance Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV, the new electric SUV sits below the EQS SUV in the German company’s ever-growing range of electric cars.
New Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV price and release date
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV will command higher prices than the Mercedes-Benz EQE saloon, which costs from around £75,000. Expect prices starting at roughly £90,000, with many versions carrying six-figure price tags.
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV will begin production at the firm’s Alabama car factory in the United States later this year. It means a UK release date in summer 2023 is expected.
New Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV: exterior and interior
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV closely follows the ultra-aerodynamic exterior style of the German premium brand’s other Mercedes-EQ pure electric cars. It has short overhangs, with large wheels sized from 19 inches to 22 inches, positioned flush with the body.
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has a distinctive black panel front unit, mirroring other Mercedes-EQ models. This can optionally be livened up with a Mercedes-Benz 3D star pattern. The headlights have distinctive daytime LED running lights, plus a light bar in-between.
To reinforce the rugged SUV look the wheelarch claddings are black, rather than body-coloured, as are the side sill panels. The side window line raises as it moves rearwards, to emphasise the bulging rear wheelarches. The car’s rear end has a clean appearance and, yes, another full-width LED light bar. Oddly though, retractable door handles are an option, rather than standard-fit.
The sweeping roofline, flat windscreen and highly-detailed underbody help the new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV boast a drag factor (Cd) from just 0.25: an exceptionally good figure for a large SUV. Mercedes-Benz says fine-tuning the shape has also helped reduce perceived wind noise.
Compared to the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, high-performance Mercedes-AMG EQS SUV versions have a distinctive Panamerica-style front grille, chunkier bumpers, alternative alloy wheel designs and other visual tweaks.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has dimensions measuring 4,863mm long, 1,940mm wide and 1,686mm tall. This makes it more compact than the Mercedes-Benz EQE saloon, thanks to a wheelbase that’s a notable 90mm shorter.
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is a five-seater, with the firm insisting it has a ‘very generous’ amount of interior space. There’s more than a metre of headroom both front and rear, with the subjective sense of space improved by ample elbow room.
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has a 520-litre boot as standard, and the rear seats split 40/20/40. The rear-seat backrest can also be angled more steeply, creating 580 litres of space. With the rear seat folded flat, the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has a 1,675-litre boot.
Inside, the highlight of the new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is its high-quality, luxurious and appealing dashboard. It’s the same design as used in the Mercedes-Benz EQE saloon, adapted to the taller and more open-plan interior here. The upper vent band blends into the doors and the whole interior is enhanced with ambient lighting.
It’s a digital-first design, based around a large OLED central touchscreen and an additional 12.3-inch digital driver’s display. A striking extra-cost option is the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV’s Hyperscreen setup, which uses a brilliant 17.7-inch central screen and two 12.3-inch displays, one for the driver and one for the passenger. The whole setup is enclosed in glass for a seamless appearance.
The Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV gets the same cabin architecture but with detail changes, including Alcantara headlining and red highlights throughout. There's also different performance displays in the infotainment.
New Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV: engines and gearboxes
There are three core new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV models; the EQE 350+, the EQE 350 4Matic and the EQE 500 4Matic. Both Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 350 models have 288PS of power, with the 4Matic delivering four-wheel drive. The Mercedes-EQE SUV 500 4Matic produces 402PS. Performance figures have not yet been disclosed.
All models share a 90.6kWh lithium ion battery. The EQE 350+ has the longest range, being capable of up to 366 miles. Even the EQE 500 4Matic can travel almost 340 miles between charges. All new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUVs can use speedy 170kW DC rapid charging, giving around 135 miles of range in just 15 minutes.
The Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV is offered in two guises: the 476PS EQE 43 4Matic and the EQE 53 4matic+. With the optional AMG Dynamic Plus Package, the latter offers up to 687PS. The EQE 43 4Matic will do 0-62mph in 4.3 seconds, while the EQE 53 4Matic+ rockets from 0-62mph in just 3.5 seconds.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has high-end, multi-link suspension. It’s also available with optional Airmatic air suspension, with ADS+ continuously variable damping. Four-wheel-drive 4Matic models have an off-road mode and the Airmatic suspension can be raised by up to 30mm.
Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV 4Matic four-wheel-drive models can tow an impressive 1,800kg (the standard model is capped at 750kg). A smart and useful option is rear axle steering, which can turn the rear wheels at an angle of up to 10 degrees. It reduces the turning circle of the Mercedes-AMG EQE SUV from 12.3 metres to 10.5 metres.
Find a used Mercedes-Benz GLE for sale
If you can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV – or aren’t yet ready to go fully electric – why not take a look at the current Mercedes-Benz GLE? It’s offered in both regular guise and the more rakish Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe.
The current Mercedes-Benz GLE was introduced in 2019, with the GLE Coupe following a year later. There’s a wide range of engines, with the GLE 350 proving particularly popular – and there’s also a plug-in hybrid GLE 350e petrol and GLE 350de diesel. With a large 31.2kWh battery, they are capable of up to 60 miles on pure electric power before the engine kicks in.
We saw a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE 300d 4Matic AMG Line Premium, with less than 30,000 miles on the clock, on sale for £45,995. This sparking black model was fully manufacturer-approved, too.
Looking for more new car news?
Exciting new cars recently covered here at heycar include all you need to know about the forthcoming new Volvo EX90 electric SUV, a preview of the new Renault 4 EV, plus the full lowdown on the thrilling new BMW M2. Read our new car news round-up to get the latest on all upcoming cars for 2023 and beyond.
The new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV will be able to travel for up to 366 miles on a full battery. That compares with up to 380 miles for the latest BMW iX xDrive50.
The Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has Eco Assist, which delivers situation-optimised energy recuperation. This includes automatically using recuperative deceleration as much as possible.
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV has a head pump as standard. This helps boost the efficiency of the climate control system, and also means the cabin can be heated almost immediately after starting on a cold winter day.
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