Tested: 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE350 4Matic Is Less Than Compelling

From the November 2022 issue of Car and Driver.

For most of our lifetimes, Mercedes-Benz has defined the luxury car. Its vehicles were elegant, straightforward, well-mannered, technologically sophisticated, and drenched in history. The company seems to be moving luxury in a different direction with its battery-powered EQ models.

These changes are immediately apparent in the new EQE. The electrically powered E-class equivalent has a body shape and details devoted to minimizing aero dynamic drag, admirably achieving a coefficient nearing 0.20. However, the editorial eye finds little to savor in the dumpling-like form, which droops at both ends and would be impossible to identify as a Benz without the large three-pointed star decorating its prow.

Inside, the EQE hews closer to recent Mercedes designs with fine detailing, lovely wood, and plush leather, though we could do without the optional bordello lighting—thankfully, it can be turned off.

Logical controls, however, have been lost to the new MBUX infotainment system. It took us several days to figure out how to dim the instrument lighting, whose control is buried in a menu labeled System—a category typically containing software and firmware versions—rather than in the menu labeled Lighting, where it intuitively belongs. Even the voice-activated “Hey Mercedes” feature and the owner’s manual provided no help. Moreover, the mass of tiny controls on the steering-wheel spokes reminded us of a modern Formula 1 yoke and require more dexterity than they should.

That said, the interior is stretch-out comfortable, front and rear, mostly because the EQE is bigger than the E-class sedan—2.3 inches longer, 2.5 inches wider, and 1.7 inches taller, with 7.1 more inches in the wheelbase. Of course, some of this additional volume is devoted to the 90.6-kWh battery under the floor.

Amazingly tranquil on most road surfaces, with pitch, roll, and vertical jolts well constrained, this smooth-riding electric sedan subdues even the usual bangs from potholes and pavement joints. It’s also supremely hushed inside. The sounds of the electric powertrain are muted, wind noise seems completely absent, and road resonance is minimal. We measured a sound level of 66 decibels at 70 mph—three decibels quieter than the E450 we tested last year—but the cabin feels even more peaceful than those numbers suggest.

On the other hand, the 5488-pound EQE is not the most agile. It easily handles some hard cornering well enough, with minimal roll, but maximum grip from the squishy Bridgestone Turanza T005 summer rubber is only 0.86 g, and stopping from 70 mph takes 178 feet. The tires are clearly optimized for ride, silence, and fuel economy rather than grip.

This is appropriate because the EQE’s controls do not encourage spirited driving. The steering is accurate and precise, but synthetic in feel. In Sport mode, effort increased, but not feedback. And the brake pedal is particularly odd because it depresses on its own when you lift off the accelerator and regenerative braking commences. When you do press the pedal, there’s virtually no travel; the modulation is all from pressure.

Michael Simari|Car and Driver

The accelerator works nicely, the EQE responding with the delightful immediacy and smoothness that typifies electric powertrains. With 288 horsepower and a massive 564 pound-feet of torque, it moves smartly around town. The car reaches 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and covers the quarter-mile in 13.9 seconds at 97 mph. But the faster you go, the less sprightly the EQE is. Its 9.8-second time from 60 to 100 mph is little better than the old four-cylinder E300’s. Pull out to pass on a 55-mph two-lane road, and the EQE feels a lot less ambitious.

The EPA has yet to release its range estimate, but we’re expecting it to be 300 miles. Starting at $79,050, the EQE350 4Matic isn’t cheap. In time, a less expensive single-motor, rear-drive version will be offered, as well as a 402-hp EQE500 and a 617-hp AMG EQE53.

As an electric luxury sedan, the EQE is comfortable, quiet, and refined. But it’s a shame Mercedes has dispensed with so many of its other traditional qualities in the quest for zero tailpipe emissions.

Specifications

Specifications

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE350+ 4Matic

Vehicle Type: front- and mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door sedan

PRICE

Base/As Tested: $78,950/$94,390
Options: Pinnacle trim, $3050; Neva Grey/Sable Brown nappa-leather upholstery, $2990; Winter package (heated rear seats, steering wheel, windshield, and windshield-washer system), $1500; 10-degree rear-axle steering, $1300; Driver Assistance package (adaptive cruise control, lane-change assist, blind-spot monitoring, emergency-stop assist, steering assist, Pre-Safe side impact, extended automatic restart), $1250; digital LED headlamps, $1100; Acoustic Comfort package, $1100; 20-inch AMG wheels, $850; ventilated front seats, $450; energizing air control with HEPA filter, $450; emergency-use 110-volt charging cable, $250

POWERTRAIN

Motors: permanent-magnet synchronous AC

Combined Power: 288 hp

Combined Torque: 564 lb-ft

Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 90.6 kWh

Onboard Charger: 9.6 kW

Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 170 kW

Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive/direct-drive

CHASSIS

Suspension, F/R: multilink/multilink

Brakes, F/R: 15.4-in vented disc/14.9-in vented disc

Tires: Bridgestone Turanza T005 B-Silent

255/40R-20 101Y Extra Load MO-S

DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 122.8 in

Length: 196.6 in

Width: 76.2 in

Height: 59.5 in

Passenger Volume: 104 ft3

Cargo Volume: 15 ft3

Curb Weight: 5488 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS

60 mph: 5.3 sec

1/4-Mile: 13.9 sec @ 97 mph

100 mph: 15.0 sec

130 mph: 29.8 sec

Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.

Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 5.3 sec

Top Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.3 sec

Top Gear, 50–70 mph: 3.5 sec

Top Speed (gov ltd): 130 mph

Braking, 70–0 mph: 178 ft

Braking, 100–0 mph: 358 ft

Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.86 g

C/D FUEL ECONOMY AND CHARGING

Observed: 85 MPGe

75-mph Highway Driving: 67 MPGe

75-mph Highway Range: 260 mi

EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)

Combined/City/Highway: 97/95/100 MPGe

Range: 300 mi

C/D TESTING EXPLAINED

This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.