Mercedes-Benz EQA 2021 Review

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 has launched in Australia in two variants – a basic model priced at $76,800 plus on-road costs and a more upmarket version, the Edition 1, priced at $84,100 plus ORCs.

While the latter provides some nice extra features for the difference in price, it’s really the base model that will have buyers smacking their lips.

As standard, the entry-level EQA 250 comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry/starting, gesture-controlled power tailgate, dual-zone climate control with pre-conditioning, electric front seat adjustment (with heating), a leather-bound sports steering wheel and the company’s vaunted MBUX infotainment system.

In the EQA 250, the MBUX system runs through a 10.25-inch touch-screen and features voice control, digital radio, satellite navigation and advanced smartphone integration including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. There’s also wireless charging for those smartphones.

The Edition 1 variant comes with 20-inch AMG alloys, AMG exterior cues, upgraded interior detailing and leather upholstery.

Option packs comprise an AMG Line sports package for $2925, a Vision Package for $2900, and an MBUX Innovations package for $2500.

The EQA models come with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, with the battery covered for eight years or 160,000km.

The service intervals are 12 months or 25,000km apart, and a service plan is available, asking $2200 for five years, $1800 for four years or $1300 for three years.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 is yet to be assessed by Euro NCAP, let alone the local equivalent, ANCAP. Nor has the GLA-Class been assessed by either body since the introduction of the second-generation model last year.

However, the EQA 250 comes with nine airbags as standard, and enough driver assist technology to help avoid a crash altogether.

This suite of features includes a ‘Driver Assistance Package’, traffic sign recognition, ‘Parking Assist Parktronic’ (automated parking) and a reversing camera.

Elements of the Driver Assistance Package comprise active cruise control with stop-and-go, route-based speed adaptation, blind spot monitoring and assist systems for steering and lane keeping.

Mercedes-Benz also says the EQA was engineered with specific protective elements added compared to the GLA, particularly where the battery and other components that carry electrical current are concerned.

The fact that the EQA is heavier, too, meant revising the front and rear structures that absorb energy in the event of a crash.

The output from the single asynchronous electric motor under the bonnet of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 is more than adequate to push the small SUV up to speed in concert with owners’ expectations.

Developing 140kW/375Nm, the EQA 250 is a little down on power and torque compared with a couple of cheaper rivals from Asia – the Hyundai Kona Electric being a case in point – but most drivers won’t really pick the difference on the road.

In fairness, there’s not such a wide gulf in power and torque anyway – about 10kW and 20Nm. And if power is an issue, there’s an EQA 350 model on its way with a 215kW/500Nm twin-motor powertrain and 4MATIC four-wheel drive system.

Where the EQA 250’s powertrain does fall a little behind is in its efficiency. The claimed energy consumption, according to Australia’s Green Vehicle Guide, is 16.2kWh, but the figure posted by the trip computer did climb to 26kWh at one stage, after a mild flogging, before falling back to 20kWh for the final stage of the drive program.

For owners, that 20kWh figure means the EQA 250 should cover a little over three hours of driving from the one charge for the 66.5kWh battery. That would equate to a 330km journey at open-road speeds.

If, however, the EQA owner spends more time running around town at speeds consistently below 80km/h, an energy consumption figure of 18kWh is possible and would add an extra half hour of driving or 40km to the range.

It’s by no means a bad result; it’s just a long way from the 480km official (ADR) figure.

We note that the Nissan LEAF e+ recently tested did no better than 20kWh on test, albeit in a different scenario.

As is the norm for EVs, the EQA 250 is very quiet inside. Under load the powertrain does emit a light whine, which could be due to the car’s straight-cut reduction gear between the motor and the differential. Most of the time drivers and passengers will barely notice this, if at all.

The EQA can be recharged using AC or DC units, up to 11kW from an AC wallbox or up to 100kW from a DC fast-charger. Benz will provide a three-year Chargefox subscription with the purchase of the EQA 250 for unlimited charging during the subscription period.

According to the manufacturer, the time required to recharge from 10 to 80 per cent of battery capacity is half an hour from a DC charging station at 100kW, four hours from a 22kW public destination charger and essentially a full day at home from a standard 10-Amp outlet.

Riding slightly higher than the A-Class and CLA passenger cars that share its platform, the hip point on the 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 will suit older drivers and passengers.

The driver’s seat is well shaped and offers adjustable lumbar support, which is definitely a boon for longer-distance touring. From behind the wheel, the relationship to pedals and wheel is quite good.

Both the driver and the front passenger will appreciate the sophistication of the MBUX infotainment system, and there’s plenty of storage nooks for odds and ends.

For buyers new to the Mercedes-Benz marque, MBUX and the touchpads on the steering wheel spokes may take some adjustment, but once the controls become familiar they provide effortless control of the car’s environment and straight-forward retrieval of navigational guidance or information concerning the car’s operating status.

But as undeniably comfortable and commanding as the EQA 250 is for front seat passengers, it remains a little challenging to access the rear seat.

Once the occupants are ensconced back there, there’s decent headroom for adults – even with the optional sunroof fitted in the case of the test vehicle – and the rear seat legroom is adequate too. Without the sunroof, headroom is about 44mm better.

Mostly, in any case, the rear seat of the EQA 250 is more appropriate for smaller passengers – children perhaps, or adults under 175cm tall.

The boot measures 340 litres in volume, and the triple-split folding rear seat can be quickly lowered for added luggage-carrying capacity.

On the road, the EQA 250 impresses with its composure in bends and over bumpy sections of tar. While it does ride a little firmer in its Dynamic mode, it’s not a calibration that will be unsettling for passengers, and in that mode it’s quite agile and fun for the driver to fling the Mercedes around.

Set the suspension to Comfort and the ride becomes demonstrably softer, but not underdamped. It’s a very broad range of settings that should satisfy driver and passengers alike, depending on the occasion.

There’s something about the 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 that promises it will catch on in a big way.

It’s more conventional in terms of its driver interface than the Tesla Model 3 – and likely better packaged for a couple of empty nesters.

While it’s not as affordable as the Nissan LEAF e+, Hyundai Kona Electric or the Kia Niro EV, the EQA compensates for the difference in pricing with its cabin ambience and its fit and finish alone.

There are questions to be answered in terms of the resale value, but it’s difficult to conceive that the EQA would depreciate faster than any of the other cars mentioned above, with the possible exception of the very popular Model 3.

In short, expect sales of the EQA 250 to take off liked a scolded cat – or some other fast-moving simile.

This is the electric SUV that many Australians have been hanging out for: one with a prestige badge and a volume-selling price tag.

How much does the 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 cost?
Price: $76,800 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Asynchronous electric motor
Output: 140kW/375Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 66.5Wh lithium-ion
Range: 480km (ADR)
Energy consumption: 16.2kWh/100km (ADR)
Safety rating: Not tested

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