While we were in Germany enjoying a long time behind the wheel of 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQEOur handlers were appreciative in a short drive about 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB like the first taste of the battery-powered compact SUV that will go on sale in the United States later this year. While the EQE is cutting edge in every way — cutting edge aerodynamics, intergalactic sensor array, sci-fi Hyperscreen, discrete silence — the EQB is brighter, lighter, easier to use and drive. More interesting cars.
That brightness is literally. The gas-powered GLB’s upright, roller-skating styling is unchanged from the electric version, and the tall windows let more light into the cabin and provide a much better view out than we’ve experienced. through EQE’s compressed greenhouse.
Exterior changes from GLB to EQB are minimal. The only way to tell if this is an all-electric model is from the front by the black grille with full-width LED light bars and at the rear by the full-width LED bar that connects the taillights. EQB will also offer exclusive rose gold exterior color and wheel choices, along with blue decorative accents, depending on the option packages selected.
There are some hidden aerodynamic tweaks. The air flowing through the front bumper is recalculated to the active lower shutters, the front and rear hatches have been reshaped, there is a completely sealed and ribbed liner, and the wheel design is redesigned. change. These efforts have lowered the drag coefficient from the GLB 250 4Matic’s 0.31 clock to 0.28.
The EQB interior maintains the GLB’s passenger space, and it also offers a pint-sized third row of seats as an option. The cargo room, however, is reduced. The EQB offers up to 5 cubic feet of luggage space depending on the second and third row arrangements.
Compared to EQE, this set of technologies is greatly scaled back. The 10.3-inch digital cluster and 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen are all interactive screens; A head-up display is an option. Once on the road, the EQB is mostly analog and muted. There is nothing to do here but drive.
Mercedes lists curb weight for the EQB 350 4Matic we drove as 4795 pounds, making it 1000 pounds heavier than its petrol-powered counterpart. That low spread of weight in the chassis acts like a mass damper, overcoming dexterity on rough roads around town as well as resisting rolling over twisty roads.
However, the EQB is 400 pounds lighter than the EQE 350 4Matic. And the EQB 350 4Matic makes the same 288 horsepower as the EQE 350 and its 384 pound-feet of torque just a little less, so these 400-pound shortages make them feel lacking when accelerating or entering crab. (A 225-horsepower and 288 pound-feet EQB 300 4Matic will also be offered.) we lamented in the GLB 250 4Maticwith the result that the crossover darting through the twisty streets outside Stuttgart feels like AMG GLB 35.
With a 66.5 kWh battery, the range figure WLTP Europe tested is 260 miles. Our EPA-rated numbers will be lower, although we don’t expect EQB to end too far from Audi Q4 E-tron and Volkswagen ID.4– the competitor that Mercedes-Benz is targeting. Connecting to a DC fast charger at the pack’s maximum charge rate of 100 kW will take the battery from 10 percent to 80 percent in 32 minutes, according to Mercedes.
EQB welcomes drivers into the world of electronic fuel-powered powertrains without the risk of digital overload, making it a stepping stone to EQE in more ways than just platform, price and specify the model. Both EVs are beautiful for different reasons. EQE wants to be all you need and all you can imagine needed for the foreseeable electric future, but its learning curve is long. By contrast, the EQB is a familiar city car that is comfortable, practical, and also has a bit of electric boogaloo along the funky rear two-lane roads. For anyone who finds the GLB appealing, there’s nothing here not to dislike.
This content is created and maintained by third parties and is imported into this site to help users provide their email addresses. You can find more information about this and the like at piano.io
