Say hello to…
…the Mercedes EQA, an all-electric small family SUV. The front-wheel drive EQA 250 tested here has a useable battery capacity of 66.5kWh and a claimed range of just more than 300 miles. The EQA is also available as a 300 4Matic and a 350 4Matic with 228hp and 292hp respectively. 4Matic also denotes these versions are all-wheel drive. The EQA is available in three trim levels:
- Sport
- AMG Line
- AMG Line Premium
Equipment as standard on the Sport trim level includes cruise control, drive modes, adaptive high-beam assist, powered boot, LED headlights, auto-dimming mirrors, heated & folding door mirrors, auto wipers, 18-inch alloys, heated front seats, climate control, lane keeping, speed limiter, satnav, infotainment screen and smart phone integration.
AMG Line adds an AMG body kit, AMG floor mats, sports seats, aluminium trim and artificial leather upholstery.
AMG Line Premium adds powered panoramic roof, 19-inch alloys, uprated stereo and wireless phone charging.
Is The Mercedes EQA Suitable For My Fleet
A range of 300 miles in an electric small family SUV should be a big win for fleet and business customers. Take in a 100kW max charge speed and a quality interior and this point is reinforced. However, in cold weather (mostly just below freezing) the range drops off significantly. Call it a worse-case scenario, but over a week of (mostly local) driving we averaged 1.9 miles per kWh which for a 66.5 kWh useable battery, that equates to just 126 miles. Warmer weather should see a far greater range.
The only other area the EQA loses fleet suitability points is for the small boot. At 340 litres, that’s some way off other cars in the class.
Leasing A Mercedes EQA
Intelligent Car Leasing quotes £680 a month for an EQA 250 AMG Line on a 3+36 contract covering 10,000 miles a year. Maintenance costs are very competitive at £53 a month, according to Gensen Reports. And due to the low benefit-in-kind tax band the Class 1A NIC figure is less than £10 a month.
Driving A Mercedes EQA
Looking similar to the GLA, the EQA SUV isn’t a car that would turn many heads. However, get in and drive the EQA and you’re left with a much higher impression of Mercedes’ least expensive battery electric car than you’d initially expect.
The interior design is seriously impressive. The styling, similar to that in the A-class, with twin digital screens creates a fantastic first impression. What’s more that feeling lasts. The materials used in the cabin are genuinely premium and the speed of response to the inputs on the infotainment system back this up. The system is relatively easy to understand and find the functions you use regularly.
Driving the EQA is also similarly simple, which makes it really appealing as an everyday car.
Like almost all electric cars there are drive modes. These make a noticeable difference to the character of the car, with Sport offering a decent amount of extra punch to the performance over Comfort mode, and Eco really eases off on power.
Mercedes doesn’t offer true one-pedal driving through brake energy regeneration in the EQA, but you can have a usefully high level of regen that means you’ll only have to use the brake pedal to bring the car to a final stop at walking pace. There’s also no obvious sign the car has transitioned from regeneration to physical braking too.
The ride and handling are also spot on for a car that’s going to have to do a bit of everything. Comfort levels are good, helped by supportive seats, and the suspension is quiet over bumps too. Want to drive a bit quicker and the EQA does better than expected too.
Overall the EQA is a really appealing package and assuming the real-world range improves in warmer weather it’s one that makes a lot of sense in the fleet market.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The Mercedes EQA
An easy to use and likeable electric car although cold-weather range isn’t great.
Mercedes EQA
- Model: EQA 250 AMG Line
- Power: 188hp
- Torque: 375Nm
- Max speed: 100mph
- 0-62mph: 8.9s
- Official range: 303 miles
- Test range: 126 miles *
- CO2 emissions: 0g/km
- BIK tax band 2022/23: 2%
* ambient temperature at 0degC
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