2023 Mercedes-EQ EQE Review: Smaller Size, Same Issues Verdict: The larger EQS Sedan is all modern, controversial design and amazing capabilities, but in a shorter, less expensive package.
The whole idea of ”one sausage, three sizes” came from the German luxury car strategy of the past decades. The general practice was to create a single design and simply scale it larger and smaller to fit the three main size classes: full size, medium size and compact. Over the years, German automakers have begun to move away from it, proliferating models and variants that blended lines between segments, but it seems that with the introduction of the Mercedes-Benz line of electric cars marketed under the Mercedes-EQ banner, this strategy is making a comeback. Watch this, the new 2023 Mercedes-EQ EQE. It’s the all-electric E-Class equivalent to the all-electric S-Class equivalent that the company sells as the EQS Sedan. But is it really just EQS-lite? Shorter, narrower and less expensive? Yes, in fact it is.
2023 Mercedes-EQ EQE Review: Smaller Size, Same Issues
I’ve seen you somewhere before
The overall shape of the EQE is virtually identical to the larger EQS sedan. The EQE looks simply like a seven-eighths scale EQS sedan, from the sweeping arch line, which runs from the front wheels, over the roof and into the short trunk, to the cabin aesthetic that pushes the wheels out into corners to create more room in the cabin. The car’s aerodynamics almost certainly dictate the look – the EQS sedan was already very slippery, as was the smaller EQE. It has to be aerodynamically efficient to help extend the car’s range, as traction can drain battery power at higher speeds. So it looks like it should be – whether it looks good or not depends on what you think of the car’s design. But one advantage of the “one sausage, many sizes” idea is that if you like the look of one model in the assortment, you will probably like the look of the rest. Unfortunately, the opposite also applies to people who are not fans of the look.
While the shape may be great for aerodynamics, it doesn’t do anything good for the interior’s layout, exterior visibility and cabin space. The same design and packaging deficiencies that made the EQS an imperfect offering in the smaller EQE returned here. The first is about the dashboard design — when sitting in the EQE, you experience an absolute slope of the dashboard, especially if you choose a model with a 56-inch Hyperscreen that stretches a piece of glass edge-to-edge, covering three separate panels. My test car had a smaller 12.8-inch OLED touch screen, which is less imposing but difficult to navigate at a glance. For people who expect to sit back and run everything intuitively, well, that’s not going to happen; Using a modern Mercedes-Benz has a learning curve attached to it and will take many exposures before it becomes easy or routine.
2023 Mercedes-EQ EQE Review: Smaller Size, Same Issues
This swoopy design also affects the rear view, as the EQE’s rear window is a lighted slit. Seeing anything behind the car on the road is a challenge, as you only get the bottom half of anything behind you in the rearview mirror. Front sight is also affected by a super-long dash, but the side view isn’t too bad.
Seat comfort is good, with plenty of adjustability in the front chairs. With that said, the comfort of the rear seat is once again compromised by the lowered roofline. Legroom is enough, but the lower back seat cushions are a bit high due to the battery pack, which causes passengers’ heads to turn toward the headliner. Getting in and out of the back seat is also kind of a contortion, as you’ll need to crouch down to get around that roof line as well. Suffice to say, the overall cabin packaging shows compromises made, ones that simply don’t show up on a lot of competing cars.
2023 Mercedes-EQ EQE Review: Smaller Size, Same Issues
Familiar on the road too
So she has the same internal deficiencies as her bigger EQS, but does she drive like her big brother too? Yes, it really is. There are three trims available: the 350 Plus with a single motor on the rear axle; 350 4Matic, which features a motor on each front and rear axle and therefore has four-wheel drive; and the 500 4Matic, which increases power and torque from the 350 dual-motor version. My test car was a 350 4Matic, producing 288 horsepower and 564 pound-feet of torque. And like the larger EQS, the beauty of this powertrain is that it’s adjustable to suit your moods and needs: quiet driving around town, everyday driving or a steady mindset if you’re looking for speed and excitement. The use of standard rear-wheel steering, which can adjust the angle of the rear wheels up to 10 degrees, makes this car surprisingly agile too, just like the larger EQS. The EQE winds its way through narrow urban confines and winding mountain roads with ease and comfort. It’s remarkably well done technology that really adds to the unique EQE driving experience.
The steering feel is on the neutral side, however, and numb, but that’s fine because this isn’t meant to be a sports sedan, given its massive weight. It’s at home more of a competent luxury cruiser, soaking up bumps and gliding down smooth asphalt in near silence, without any drones of tires or engines, or even the wind slithering out of the windows. Elegance and poise are more important today than kindness and noise. You won’t be disappointed if you drive it as a luxury car instead of a sports sedan. Only the brakes disappoint, which shares the same dead, unplugged pedal feel as the EQS. The brakes seem to develop a mind of their own if you choose a more aggressive power-recovery setting, such as the larger EQS. When you lift the throttle, they are actually operating the pedal themselves, which means the brake pedal isn’t always in the position you think it is. That’s still just as worrisome in the EQE as it is in the EQS and is the main reason I don’t like the ‘one-pedal’ style that Mercedes-Benz offers in these models.
2023 Mercedes-EQ EQE Review: Smaller Size, Same Issues
Coming Soon: Pricing, Scope
We’re still lacking a few details about the EQE, though it’s heading to US showrooms in the next few months. We don’t yet have any estimates for the EQE range and the 90.6 lithium-ion battery pack, but Mercedes reports that it can go 410 miles on a charge in the European cycle, although the US cycle is likely much lower because the EPA’s testing methodology varies. for the European formula. It’s a pretty big battery pack, so numbers closer to 300 miles are out of the question. We also don’t have any pricing for the car yet, but since it’s supposed to rival things like the Tesla Model S and Lucid Air, you can pretty well imagine it likely starting in the $70,000-$80,000 range.
The EQE should provide an interesting contender to those models and might actually attract someone who is tired of looking at the Model S in their driveway, which has not changed much visually since its introduction a decade ago. The EQE doesn’t look as sporty as this Model S, and its interior doesn’t look well-arranged, but it delivers far More fancy trimmings, some neat and useful technology, and a new face for showing off valet parking at your favorite restaurants and clubs. The novelty alone should gain some fans, but in all honesty, we’re looking forward to an SUV version of this promised vehicle for next year, which we hope will help resolve some of the packaging issues that seem to be affecting the EQ lineup of sedans.
