Mercedes-Benz EQB350 4Matic review: A spacious and cushy all-electric seven-seater SUV

Mercedes-Benz EQB350 4Matic review: A spacious and cushy all-electric seven-seater SUV

Mercedes-Benz’s pivot to electricity has been aggressive. The company’s EQ line of electric cars now covers many categories of cars which is a good thing, because if you are ready to make the switch to electricity and have a big family, you’ll find that there aren’t many EVs with seven seats. Fortunately, Mercedes has one and it’s called the EQB.

The TLDR version:

Range issues aside, this is a highly refined and competent seven-seater electric SUV.

If the EQB looks familiar it’s because it’s really just a GLB with its internal combustion engine removed and two electric motors and batteries put in its place. It isn’t a ground-up design like the EQS and EQE are.

There are upsides and downsides to this. The upside, for Mercedes at least, is that they can bring a seven-seater SUV to market faster than it would have had had they designed one from the ground up. The other upside is that this car feels thoroughly conventional and anyone who has ever driven a fairly modern Mercedes will feel right at home straight away. The downside, of course, is that the EQB is compromised in some ways. The batteries add substantial weight and they impinge on cabin and boot space.

Even so, the EQB still presents loads of space to its owners. There’s plenty of storage and the boot will easily swallow large items with the third row of seats folded down (495L with the third row of seats folded and 1,710L with the second and third row of seats folded). That third row of seats is genuinely usable even if it’s best suited for kids, young teens, or really agile adults. Here's a really quick look in and around the car:-

@hwztech A quick look at the Mercedes EQB 350 4Matic. #hwzsg #mercedes #mercedessg #eqb350 #electriccar #motoring #automotive #carsoftiktok ♬ Lazy Sunday - Official Sound Studio

The cabin will be familiar to anyone who has gotten into a fairly modern Mercedes. The cockpit is dominated by twin large digital displays and the interior is awash with customisable lighting. There’s no denying it looks swanky – particularly when it gets dark – but I always worry that this generation of Mercedes interiors won’t age well. One sign that the EQB is using an older generation of MBUX is that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto require a cable to work.

The model I'm driving is the range-topping EQB350 4Matic AMG Line, and like any electric vehicle with all-wheel drive and copious amounts of power, it feels rapid. Claimed power output is 288hp and 520nm of torque, which is no small amount, but  the way it picks up its skirt and just goes whenever you prod the throttle is most remarkable – especially considering that it weighs well over two tons.

Unsurprisingly, it is the batteries that have contributed most to the EQB’s weight gain. Fortunately, this extra weight is mostly well concealed – torquey electric motors help – but it rears its ugly when you start driving exuberantly. Even with the adaptive dampers set to their sporty setting, the car is not keen to turn and the dampers take more time to settle when you are trying to hustle the EQB quickly down a road. Also, presumably because of the regenerative braking, the brake pedal feel is unnervingly vague and inconsistent. Bringing the car to a stop from moderate to high speeds can, at times, be disconcerting.

But the EQB wasn’t designed to be driven like that. When driven sensibly and calmly, it rewards you with a composed and plush ride. Road and wind noise is well suppressed and because electric motors hardly make any sound, the EQB rides silently, which allows owners to enjoy the rather good hi-fi system. 

The way I see it, there are two issues with this car. The first is price. At S$362,888, this is a pricey car. In fact, the entire EQB lineup is pretty dear because even the entry-level EQB250 starts at S$315,888. Is it any wonder then that most people still buy the petrol-powered equivalent? The least expensive GLB – the GLB180 – starts at a far more reasonable S$242,888. It’s not as quick nor does it ride as quietly, but it still seats seven comfortably and has the desirable three-pointed star on its bonnet.

The other issue is range. The claimed battery capacity is 66.5Wh which is decent for its class, but throughout my weekend and nearly 250km with it, I averaged a power consumption figure of 22.2kWh/100km. If you do the math, that’s barely 300km even if you drive it until it’s completely out of juice. If you don’t have unfettered access to a charger and are not feeling particularly confident about our charging infrastructure, you could spend a lot of time driving around with a nasty case of range anxiety.

But this issue of range anxiety could be said for many other EVs – not just the EQB – and it probably speaks more about the state of our charging network than the cars themselves. Ultimately, this is a highly refined, comfortable, luxurious, and spacious electric seven-seater SUV. And if the price to pay is more frequent trips to the charging stations, then so be it.

Pricing and availability

The Mercedes-Benz EQB 350 4Matic AMG Line is available now and is priced at S$362,888 inclusive COE.