Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV review

Here’s the interesting thing. When the EQE SUV first arrived it was priced from £90,560. Since then some £15,000 appears to have been lopped off the base price. This has aligned it better with rivals, but we still don’t think it offers tremendous value for money.

Certainly not when you look at the residuals for these cars. Don’t be tempted to buy one outright unless you love it so much it is going to be your forever car. On the used markets these premium EQ Mercs have taken a big hit. Admittedly not as much as the saloons, but you can pick one up, less than a year old with under 5,000 miles, for less than £60k.

The EQE SUV line-up starts at £75,495 for the (not very) base-spec AMG Line with the 350 powertrain. From there the names get longer and you can add about £12,000 to the bottom line. The 500 starts at £90,560, the AMG 53 at £114,995. 

What are the equipment levels like?

The entry-level AMG Line gets a solid kit list as standard: no Hyperscreen here, but you do get a decent sized 12.8-inch infotainment display. This car comes on 20in wheels for a more comfortable ride (sadly we don't get the 19s available in Germany), as well as LED lights all round, a powered tailgate, keyless go, fancy sound system and three-zone climate control.

The AMG Line Premium Plus upgrades to 21in wheels, a panoramic sunroof, even fancier sound system and integrated dashcam. The Premium Plus car kicks things up a notch with 22in wheels, rear steering, extra sound insulation, high-tech MBUX software, head-up display and the gigantic Hyperscreen set-up. The Business Class EQE SUV is essentially on par with the Premium Plus model, but gets swankier seats (including what Mercedes calls 'luxury head restraints') and the smaller 21s.

What’s the best spec?

We reckon you want the entry-level 350+ in AMG Line trim, because it offers you the most range (376 miles claimed, you’ll get 280), more than enough performance, and plenty of kit as standard. Of course, if you want the giant Hyperscreen, you’ll need to step up to Premium Plus or Business Class spec, but suffer a range, comfort and noise penalty for your troubles. It ain't worth it.