A Familiar Face in a New Electric Suit
The EQA doesn’t scream for attention. It’s elegant, understated, and unmistakably Mercedes. The front grille is closed, the lighting strip runs from side to side both front and back, and the proportions are pure GLA DNA, but smoother. At 4.46 meters long and 1.83 wide, it slots into the compact SUV class comfortably, but its electric ambitions are written into its structure, not just its surface.
Even the drive into the Oderwald hinted at what the EQA is about. Quiet, capable, and impressively refined, it handles village roads and early morning B, roads with the same poise I’ve come to expect from internal combustion Benzes. But there’s a catch, you don’t feel the electricness as much as you’d think. That’s both praise and criticism.
Because while the EQA doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, it also doesn’t challenge the EV status quo. It blends in, perhaps too much.
On the Road: Quiet Confidence and Smooth Delivery
My first full test route began in Goslar and ran up the wooded climbs near Wolfshagen, through Seesen, and along the edges of the Oderwald’s ridgelines. It’s not a brutal circuit, but it includes everything: hairpins, rough tarmac, motorway stretches, and city density.
The EQA 250 may only push 190 horses, but it never felt underpowered. The 385 Nm of torque is available immediately, and that’s the real party trick. From 0 to 60 km/h it launches with the quiet thrust of an elevator in a five, star hotel, elegant, brisk, and never urgent.
I especially appreciated the mid, range punch. 60 to 100 km/h happens in just over four seconds, making overtaking on short straights a non, issue. It’s not a performance EV, but it never left me wishing for more.
Three drive modes (Eco, Comfort, Sport) allow for mild personality changes. Sport tightens everything, delivering sharper throttle response and steering feel, although steering remains on the light side even then. Eco mode is great for longer journeys and range, conscious driving, though it does dull the experience, especially when navigating the tighter, undulating backroads near Osterwieck.
But more than anything, what struck me is how quiet and composed it is. The EQA filters out most of the wind and road noise, even on rougher asphalt. Suspension is tuned towards comfort but doesn’t roll excessively. You won’t mistake it for an AMG, but as an everyday companion, it’s hard to fault.
Charging Through the Woods
Fast, charging infrastructure in the region isn’t exactly abundant, so I had to plan routes with some caution. Thankfully, Mercedes’ built, in navigation with intelligent charging planning is genuinely one of the better systems I’ve used.
Using the Mercedes Me Charge system, I found a 100 kW DC charger near Bad Harzburg. Plugged in at 19%, and 27 minutes later, I was back at 81%. Slightly better than the advertised 30, minute claim. And at a regular AC station in Wolfenbüttel, a full overnight charge to 100% took around seven hours at 11 kW.
Energy consumption during my trip settled at around 19.9 kWh/100 km, better than the ADAC’s 21.6 kWh average. Granted, I kept things balanced, not too aggressive, not too passive, and avoided the autobahn madness.
Recuperation via the steering wheel paddles is fantastic. You can coast gently or dial up the regen to the point of one, pedal driving. It’s intuitive, responsive, and I found myself using it constantly on the descents through the northern edge of the Oderwald. The system even adapts based on traffic, road curvature, and speed limits. No joke, it feels like the car’s reading the road better than some humans I know.
Cabin Life: Tech, Heavy, Space, Light
Climbing into the EQA feels familiar if you’ve driven a recent Mercedes. The dual 10.25, inch screens stretch out in a unified slab, floating above the minimalist dash. The MBUX system is slick, powerful, and occasionally infuriating. Touch, sensitive steering wheel controls are fiddly. Voice control works… most of the time. But navigating menus while driving required more attention than I’d like to admit. Sometimes simpler is better.
There’s no lack of standard equipment: ambient lighting, powered tailgate, LED headlights, lane and brake assist, dual, zone climate control, it’s all here, and it all works well.
Up front, the seating is excellent, even for taller drivers like me (I’m 1.88 meters). In the back, space is decent for two adults, but headroom gets tight beyond 1.85 meters due to the sloped roofline. Legroom’s surprisingly generous, though.
The boot is a mixed bag. With seats up, 340 liters is passable but not generous. Fold them down, and you get 1,320 liters, which is decent but shy of what some competitors offer. The high loading edge (around 70 cm) makes lifting bikes or crates a bit clumsy. I managed to fit my 29” hardtail MTB inside, front wheel off, but it’s a tighter squeeze than in an ID.4 or a Model Y.
Living With It: From School Runs to Mountain Roads
Over three days, the EQA became a sort of silent companion. In traffic, it’s a dream. In towns, it glides. On hills, it holds its own. The only gripe is its weight, you do feel all 2,045 kg of it when pushing through tighter curves or during harder braking. Speaking of which, braking performance is fine, but the pedal feel is spongy. Something you adapt to, not love.
On the final morning, just before heading back out of the forest, I parked under a canopy of beech trees near the old watchtower above Hornburg. The EQA looked quietly proud, perched against a background of rustic greens and centuries, old stone. It’s not a shouty car, and maybe that’s the point. It’s electric, it’s premium, but it doesn’t try to convert you through noise. It persuades through consistency.
Conclusion: Electric Without the Drama
The Mercedes EQA 250 won’t stir your soul like a Taycan or go the distance like a Model Y Long Range, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a compact luxury SUV with enough range, enough space, and enough refinement to make it a real contender for everyday electric driving.
Yes, it’s pricey. Yes, it’s not a segment, leader in efficiency. But Mercedes has clearly aimed for a calm, comfortable EV experience here, and they’ve largely nailed it. It’s an electric GLA in spirit and execution, and if that’s what you want, you won’t be disappointed.
In the Oderwald, it didn’t just survive, it proved it can be a reliable electric partner, whether you’re weaving through valleys or just heading to work on a Monday morning.
How far can the EQA actually go on a charge?
Real, world testing showed around 350 km per charge in mixed driving. You can get up to 400 km if you drive conservatively, especially in urban areas.
Is it possible to mount a roof rack on the EQA?
Unfortunately, the EQA doesn’t come with roof rails or an official roof rack option. You’ll need to use a hitch, mounted bike rack instead.
Can EQA handle gravel and light off, road use?
Yes, within reason. The EQA has moderate ground clearance and is fine for gravel forest tracks and light trailhead approaches. Just avoid deeper ruts or soft ground.
