Mercedes-BenzEQB 350

　　

2024 Mercedes-Benz EQB Review

byChristian WardlawCorrespondent

　　Christian Wardlaw has worked in the automotive industry since 1994. He has written nearly 10,000 car-related articles and tested and reviewed more than 2,000 vehicles over the course of his career. Chris is a correspondent at zzdcar and was the first editor-in-chief of zzdcar.com in the 1990s. He has also contributed to Autotrader, CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, NADAguides, New York Daily News Autos and WardsAuto. His mom claims that his first word was “car,” and Chris believes that Miata is always the answer.

　　, rating written byChristian WardlawDirector, Vehicle Testing

　　Jonathan Elfalan has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. As a director of vehicle testing at zzdcar, Jonathan has tested and reviewed thousands of cars and written thousands of car-related articles over the course of his career. Jonathan got his start testing cars for Road & Track magazine as a newly minted mechanical engineer grad from University of California, Irvine, and has also contributed to Motor Trend and the Associated Press. He likes to say he learned to drive a manual transmission in a rear-wheel-drive mid-engine vehicle but often omits it was his family's 1991 Toyota Previa minivan.

　　Think an electric Mercedes-Benz SUV is out of your financial reach? Consider the 2024 EQB. This is the least expensive EV that Mercedes currently sells. It also has some appealing qualities such as a surprisingly spacious, stylish and quiet interior with a small third-row seat suitable for children. We also like its impressive digital instrumentation and infotainment displays that give the EQB a fully modern look. However, Mercedes bases the EQB on the gas-powered GLB, so this small electric SUV is something of a compromise. Its driving range is below average, for example, and despite an appealing base price, we don't find it offers much value or driving enjoyment.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

Mercedes-Benz EQB EV Insights

Trim:EQB EQB 250+

　　EQB 250+ 4dr SUV (electric DD) - $52,750 MSRPEQB 300 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) (Most Popular) - $56,900 MSRPEQB 350 4dr SUV AWD (electric DD) - $60,550 MSRP

　　

Range

　　EPA Estimated Range not available

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors | OpenStreetMap

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　8 yrs or 100,000 milesThe federal government requires that EV batteries be warrantied for a minimum of eight years or 100,000 miles. The EV battery warranty includes replacement if your battery capacity drops below a certain percentage of the original capacity.

　　

Charging at Home

　　No charging time information available

　　SAE ComboStandard port for most electric models. Supports Level 1, Level 2, and DC Fast charging.

　　Plug Type

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　No rebates available in 58067

　　Complimentary Charging Offer

　　Restrictions: This program is a charging agreement between Mercedes-Benz USA and Electrify America. Customers who purchase or lease a new Mercedes-EQ model will receive 2 years of complimentary 30-minute DC fast charging on the Electrify America network. Complimentary charging expires 2 years from the initial activation. To take advantage of this benefit, customers must be registered with Mercedes me Charge. Offer is non-transferable and only valid to first owners or lessees. See your participating dealer for details.

　　

Cost to Drive

　　Not Available

　　EQB

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　SUV Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　

Am I Ready for an EV?

　　EV ownership works best if you can charge (240V) at home or at work This typically means a 240V home installation, but you could also have a similar setup at your office or other places your car is already parked for several hours each day. Don't expect a regular household outlet (120V) to suffice unless you've got a plug-in hybrid, in which case overnight charging at home is feasible.

　　If you can’t charge at home, charging at a charging station could take at least 10x longer than at a gas station With public charging infrastructure still in its infancy, the user experience can be maddeningly inconsistent. Tesla owners tend to rave about the reliability and speed of the company's proprietary Supercharger stations, but rival DC fast options have thus far been plagued by technical issues and overcrowding. It's an evolving landscape and our best advice is to do your research on the available options for the EV you want to buy.

　　Adding a 240V home charging system could cost up to $1,600 or more If your existing electrical service can handle the additional demands of EV charging, you may be able to add Level 2 charging at home for less than a grand, including installation. But your costs will multiply if you need to upgrade your electrical panel or add a dedicated circuit.

　　

zzdcar spotlight: All the changes for 2024

Since the EQB went on sale in 2022, Mercedes has put the electric SUV on a steady improvement program. Last year, the single-motor front-wheel-drive EQB 250+ version arrived with more range and a lower price but slower acceleration. Now, the 2024 EQB gets a styling update that gives it more of a resemblance to the larger EQE SUV. Inside, a next-generation version of Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) debuts. This is the infotainment interface that allows you to control many of the EQB's functions, even by voice commands. Mercedes says the 2024 EQB also comes with what it calls Plug & Charge technology that makes it easier to connect to a compatible public charging station for no-hassle recharging.

　　

Competitors to consider

If the EQB isn't your cup of tea, there are appealing alternatives. Although they lack the same kind of brand cachet, non-luxury EVs such as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Tesla Model Y boast superior performance and range. We also recommend checking out the Genesis GV60. It's pretty much the luxury version of the Ioniq 5 and oozes style inside and out. Another option is the Volvo XC40 Recharge. It gets drivetrain improvements for 2024, making it even more appealing. Before buying any of these EVs, read our Expert Rating of the Mercedes-Benz EQB.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Please note that this EQB rating is based on a prior year and may change slightly once we test the EQB's updated touchscreen and technology features for 2024.

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Average

　　7.4

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

7.5/10

　　How does the EQB drive? We tested the EQB 350, which has dual electric motors and all-wheel drive. Acceleration around town feels more than adequate. But as luxury EVs go, its as-tested 0-60 mph sprint of 5.7 seconds is merely average. We don't like that you always have to press the brake pedal to bring the EQB to a complete stop. The brake pedal is touchy, too, making it hard to consistently stop smoothly. In many EVs these days you can simply use the electric motors to coast to a quick and smooth stop in what's known as one-pedal driving.

　　The EQB's low-slung battery weight gives it a more hunkered-down feeling than its boxy proportions would indicate, so it feels sportier to drive than it looks and is a bit more athletic than its gasoline-powered counterpart, the Mercedes GLB. But again, when compared against its EV contemporaries, it simply fails to stand out.

　　

Comfort

7.5/10

　　How comfortable is the EQB? The EQB 350 is surprisingly thin on standard comfort features. The synthetic leather seats provided decent levels of cushion and support, but they lack perforation, which could mean they'll be hot in the summer months. The second-row seats aren't as nicely cushioned, but they can slide fore and aft and recline a bit for better comfort. Our test car didn't have the optional third row, but based on the Mercedes GLB's third row, we'd expect comfort to be marginal in those seats.

　　Ride quality is nothing exceptional for the luxury class, but it's also nothing to complain about either, which is something we can't say for any Tesla Model Y. The most standout quality of the EQB is its quiet cabin. It's objectively quieter than the Audi Q4 e-tron and free of squeaks that seem to creep up in the Tesla Model Y.

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