Mercedes-Benz EQC 4x4² review

This is where the EQC 4x4² really scores - because it’s actually very good to drive. It’s a bit of a high-rise go-kart on the road, and apart from some intrusion whine from the gearing in the axles and rumble from the tyres, there’s still that calmness that comes with an EV drivetrain. Now, the standard EQC does an excellent job of isolation, using the front motor for efficiency and the rear for performance as well as various double-bubble rubber isolations of moving parts, and the Squared only loses out in the obvious additions. It’s got plenty of grip, way more body control than it should have given the ride height and is actually an absolute doddle to drive, as long as you don’t want to squeeze through too many tight gateways where the wheelarch flares become something of an invisible liability. Mind you, where you expect the car to be lumbering… it just isn’t. It even has a genuinely surprising turning circle thanks to a four-link axle - a bit of a surprise all-round.

It’s also pretty imperious off-road. Obviously an electric vehicle is perfect for anything away from tarmac (range anxiety aside)  - instant torque that can be metered out in the tiniest of digital increments, silent and confident. You can hear when wheels slip, and use the car’s extraordinary creeping ability to very gently work your way through obstacles. Manipulation of the car’s electronics give you limited slip effects, and the precise nature of the delivery means that you don’t spin wheels or chew up trails. It’s low-impact on byways. We took the car on a mini-adventure on one of the highest unpaved roads in Europe, and on everything from shale to snow to mud, it crept its way forward without flinching. Admittedly it sacrifices axle articulation for some of that on-road ability, but with the faux-limited-slip diff effects and generous clearances afforded by the hubs, you just get used to dangling a wheel or two and keep moving forward. It doesn’t get stuck. And yes, I did try.