First Drive: New Mercedes EQA 250+ SUV is Range Mitigator

Mercedes-Benz, India’s biggest luxury car maker, is betting big on EVs, with the Pune-based brand all geared up to go all-electric by the end of the decade.

It introduced the electric vehicle range in India back in 2020 under the EQ sub-brand and the first car to be launched was the luxury EQC, now discontinued, followed by EQS, EQE, and the 7-seater EQB.

Now the German automaker has launched its most affordable all-electric EQA 250+ to woo the successful youth with deep-pockets and the professionals. This EV competes against the likes of the BMW iX1, Volvo C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge.

The EQA 250+ is Mercedes’ entry-level luxury electric SUV to hit the Indian market with some tall claims to grab attention. We took the imported SUV for a test drive on a highway in picturesque Jaipur, Rajasthan to check out what it promises.

The EQA 250+ comes with a warranty of 3 years. It gets a battery warranty of 8 years / 1,60,000 km warranty.

The Exterior

The EQA, based on the GLA SUV, looks fairly similar to it but the design is impressive. It features reworked LED headlamps and tail-lamps, chrome plated 3D star studded front grille with a light bar above it connecting the headlamps, redesigned front and rear bumpers, new tailgate with a light bar connecting the tail-lamps and the eye-catching new 19-inch alloy wheels. Other features include silver roof rails, panoramic sunroof and black body cladding.

With a ground clearance of about 137mm (laden), which feels sufficient, is more than adequate to tackle the unusually large speed breakers and bumps on our roads. As expected of the Mercedes brand, the fit and finish is super.

The Interior

As you step inside, you notice the impressive dashboard and the overall design looks modern and contemporary, typical of Mercedes cars. It has got a twin-screen layout with a customizable 10.25-inch instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen.

The A/C vents have turbine blades that are finished in rose gold. The cabin is impressive overall. The EQA comes with the latest flat bottom design steering wheel sporting a three spoke design, premium leather wrapping. You get manual adjustment for height and reach for the steering.

The EV provides a two-zone climate control unit along with a wireless mobile charge dock, 5-USB C charge ports. The front seats come finished in leather with unique inserts on them that are made out of recycled Pet bottles. Both the front seats get full electric adjustment while you also get lumber support and under thigh support.

The rear seats come with three adjustable headrests along with a folding arm rest with integrated can holders in it. The seats offer sufficient leg, knee and head room along with some good shoulder room for three adults. The floor area is slightly raised as the EQA’s battery pack is fitted under the floor taking some space. The rear passengers get reading lights, USB C ports to extend the comfort and convenience.

The EQA 250+ has a boot space of 350 litres with the rear seats up. The 60:40 split rear seats can be folded down to increase cargo space. The boot lid gets electric opening/closing and also can be operated by gesture control.

The EQA’s safety features include 7 airbags, TPMS, PRE-SAFE speed limit assist, adaptive high beam assist, active lane keeping assist, active blind spot assist, forward collision warning with active brake control, 360-degree camera, acoustic presence reminder and ISOFIX child seat anchors among others.

The EQA has been given a 5-star crash-test rating by Euro NCAP.

The Drive Experience

The EQA 250+ is powered by the 70.5 kWh battery pack that powers the single motor unit, generating 188 BHP and 385 Nm of torque. As you press the brake and press the engine start/stop button, the car comes to life. And once you step on the accelerator, the car moves forward gently without any jerks from gearshifts and no sound from the engine, giving you a super refined experience.

Driving this SUV in the city traffic is fun. It provides enough power to keep up with the traffic and to overtake whenever necessary. On the highway, the EQA 250+ provides great performance. However, you will not find it very exciting, especially if you have driven the dual motor Volvo XC40 Recharge. Mercedes claims a 0-100 km/h acceleration within 8.6 seconds. The top speed is claimed to be 160 km/h.

Significantly, the EQA 250+ can easily cruise at triple-digit speeds on the highway and it is quite easy to overtake a slower car on the highway whenever you need to. But if you drive harder, the range will surely drop. That is why when you are on a longer drive, you will notice many EVs stick to the middle lane, driving comfortably at 80-100 km/h, which to my mind is the best cruising speed for a host of EVs in India.

Mercedes has equipped the EQA 250+ with four driving modes - Comfort (default), Eco, Sport and Individual. These modes alter the throttle response. The Comfort mode is the default mode which is in between the middle of Eco and Sport modes. It works well in town and on the highway and offers a good balance between range and performance. In Eco mode, the throttle response is lazier. This mode provides the smoothest ride, especially in the city with heavy traffic. But this is not suitable on the highway where you might need to overtake a car quickly. In Sport mode, it's the opposite. Even with a light dab of the throttle, the motor responds. This mode helps you overtake vehicles easily on the highways. Individual mode gives the option to customize your driving experience to your requirements.

Though the Mercedes EQA 250+ has a WLTP-certified range of 560 km per charge, and I did not test the car for the promised range, it should give easily a range of over 450 km. With over 1,000 charging stations, apart from more than 150 from Mercedes itself and many charging stations coming up everywhere, it should mitigate our range anxiety. With disc brakes at the front and rear, the braking performance of EQA is pretty strong and the car comes to a halt without any fuss. Mercedes has equipped the EQA with Active Brake Assist.

Should I buy one?

Even though the Mercedes EQA 250 + is priced a bit high at Rs 66 lakh, many are likely to be drawn to the impressive range and the typically special Mercedes feeling that the SUV provides in the cabin with the ambience and plenty of features. It makes you feel rich.