Mercedes-Benz EQA Review & Prices

The Mercedes EQA is a small-ish electric SUV, and an alternative to the likes of the BMW iX1 and Audi Q4 e-tron. You’re actually spoilt for choice for similar cars around the £50k price tag, with the likes of the Volkswagen ID4, Tesla Model Y and Skoda Enyaq all offering combinations of value, practicality and range.

The EQA is based on the combustion-engined Mercedes GLA, and compared with that car it's a bit like meeting an android version of yourself. It looks really familiar, but it goes about things in a quieter and more efficient way. You can’t imagine the EQA having a laugh or telling rude jokes; it’s like a really sensible version of you.

So how do you tell the difference between the two? Well the main difference can be found up front. With no hot engine under the bonnet to cool, Mercedes has removed the grille and replaced it with some shiny plastic. There is a small air intake lower down to help cool the batteries, just like on the bigger EQC, and the bumper was tweaked in early 2024 with a new design as part of a mid-life update.

Mercedes EQA: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 260-346 miles
Efficiency: 3.3-4.3 miles per kWh
Battery size: 67kWh / 71kWh
Max charge speed: 100kW
Charge time AC: 9hrs 15mins, 10-100%, 7kW / 10hrs, 10-100%, 7kW
Charge time DC: 32mins, 10-80%, 100kW / 35mins, 10-80%, 100kW
Charge port location: Right rear
Power outputs: 190hp / 228hp / 292hp

It’s a bit trickier to tell the Mercedes EQA from the GLA when you look at it from the side, with this electric car having the same smooth, pebble-like shape as its petrol-powered stablemate. The EQA does come with some unique alloy wheels though, kicking off at 18 inches and rising to 20 inches. They’ve also been designed to cut through the air more efficiently than the GLA’s rims, helping to eke out a few more miles from a charge.

The designers have been busy at the back, too. You get some new brake lights and a full-width light bar like at the front. And, because this takes up a lot of space on the bootlid, Mercedes had to move the number plate down onto the bumper instead.

The EQA’s interior is basically the same as the GLA’s. It has the same simple layout and an almost identical dual-screen infotainment system as standard. This means you get two 10.0-inch displays that look great.

There’s also the ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice command feature, which tries its best to understand commands spoken in plain English. This system isn’t as good as BMW’s personal assistant, though.

Sat-nav comes as standard, and it’ll let you program routes according to where the fastest charging points are located, and how much charge you want to have in reserve when you arrive.

There are four trim levels to choose from: Sport Executive, AMG Line Executive, AMG Line Premium and AMG Line Premium Plus. They have similar names and similar specifications, with even the base models getting most of the standard kit, short of augmented reality sat-nav, an upgraded sound system and wireless phone charging.

You also have three battery and motor combinations to choose from. The EQA 250+ has the largest battery and front-wheel drive, and the result is the longest range in the line-up at up to 346 miles. The EQA 300 gets dual motors and a smaller battery, resulting in more power but a lower 266-mile range figure.

You can get adaptive suspension on top-spec models, which lets you choose soft, comfortable settings, or firm everything up to make the EQA feel sportier to drive. It works well, dealing with road scars and speed bumps, but it’s not the most comfortable electric car you can buy. A Hyundai Ioniq 5 is more cosseting.

Like the look of the Mercedes EQA? Take a look at the new Mercedes EQA and used Mercedes EQA cars currently listed for sale on Carwow. You can also browse other used Mercedes cars from our network of trusted dealers. And if you need to sell your current car first, Carwow can help with that, too.

The Mercedes EQA is quite pricey, even by electric SUV standards. It starts at just under £50,000 for lower-spec, higher range versions and rises to about £60,000 for more powerful, high-spec trims.

If practicality is important to you then there are definitely better options, though most don’t quite have the Mercedes’ badge appeal. Top-spec versions of the Skoda Enyaq are similarly priced to entry EQAs, but the boot is much bigger.

If you’re more concerned about range, the Ford Mustang Mach-e is a good shout. It’s priced around the same as the EQA, but its long-range model can go up to 372 miles between charges.

The BMW iX1 is the most obvious alternative to the EQA, and it has a slightly lower starting price and a larger boot, as well as similar range. The Volvo XC40 Recharge is a close comparison as well, offering sleek styling and a larger boot for a lower price.

The Mercedes EQA is nippy and easy to drive in town, but it feels a bit pedestrian out of it and it’s not as comfortable as you might think

In town

Electric cars usually spend a lot of time in town, so they have to excel there. Thankfully the Mercedes EQA performs very well in the urban jungle.

The lofty driving position gives a great view of not only the other traffic but also both front corners of the car, which makes manoeuvring much easier.

The car itself is also very quiet, which makes for a very relaxing experience. The performance it puts out is a bit more tame than you may expect from an EV, but in reality it’s going to be brisk enough for most.

That’s the ‘go’ covered, so what about the ’stop’? Well, the brakes are strong, but they can be quite grabby, making smooth progress frustrating. You can also adjust the level of regeneration from the electric motor, and in its strongest setting it slows the car pretty abruptly when you ease off the accelerator. In effect, you can drive the car just using the right-hand pedal, with no need to touch the brakes in most scenarios, although it won’t bring you to a complete stop like a Tesla Model Y will.

The standard Mercedes EQA gets regular comfort suspension, but higher-specification models get adaptive suspension, which lets you choose between comfort and sporty settings. It works well in its softer mode, dealing with speed humps and potholes with ease but it’s not enough to justify the extra cost alone.

The standard suspension is best described as adequate in town. It’s comfortable enough most of the time, however it’s quite firm and big bumps can send a thud through the cabin. A BMW iX1 does a better job of handling broken city streets.

On the motorway

The EQA feels at home on the motorway. The premium look and feel of the interior is complemented by how quiet and refined it is when cruising at higher speeds. Whereas the car can become unsettled at lower speeds, it’s much better when cruising on the motorway.

The EQA is a fairly relaxing car to drive over long distances. Thanks to the lack of engine, road and wind noise, as well as the fact the motors don’t quite have the punchy acceleration you get from most EVs, it’s easy to get into a smooth flow and enjoy the miles between chargers.

In the long range model, 300 miles should be achievable in mixed driving, meaning longer road trips won't require too much pre-planning for charging stops.

On a twisty road

The Mercedes EQA is less at home on a country road. The light steering that’s helpful around town becomes a nuisance in corners, with very little feedback from the front wheels meaning you won’t have much confidence to carry speed.

There’s quite a bit of body roll to contend with, too. You can pop it in Sport if you have the adjustable suspension and that improves things a bit, but the EQA is never particularly fun to hustle along a country road. If this is your preference, the BMW iX1 would be a much better choice.

The suspension doesn’t handle bumpy, undulating roads that well either, with the car feeling a bit unsettled as it bobbles its way down the road. The Audi Q4 e-tron is a more comfortable car for countryside commuting.

There’s plenty of space in the front of the EQA, however those in the rear will be cramped and the boot space is poor

There's plenty of space up front in the EQA, so the two occupants will have no reason to complain. There’s also decent in-car storage, with space under the centre console and in front of that, there are a pair of cupholders and yet more storage. You’ll also find a USB-C slot and a 12V socket.

The glovebox isn’t huge but it does come with an extra shelf inside to keep your handbooks tucked away. Meanwhile, the front door bins are big enough to take a couple of water bottles each. There are large door bins in the back doors too.

It’s easy enough for the driver to get comfortable, with the electrically adjustable seats having a decent range of movement and a steering wheel that adjusts for reach and rake. It means it’s easy to sit in a high, commanding position that gives a great view of the road ahead.

Space in the back seats

Moving backwards, your first impression is likely to be that there’s just as much room in the back as there is in the GLA, but it’s all a very clever illusion.

You see, the batteries sit partially beneath the rear seats, which has meant the seats themselves have had to be lowered to preserve headroom. The downside of this is that you end up sitting with your backside not that much higher than your heels, almost in a squatting position. Not that comfortable at all.

Also, the standard GLA’s rear seats can be slid backwards and forwards to prioritise rear legroom or boot space as needed, and the backrest reclines too, but none of this is available in the EQA. Pity.

Still, at least backseat passengers have a couple of USB-C ports to keep their phones topped up, and there are a couple of useful cupholders hidden in the centre armrest as well.

There are two ISOFIX anchor points on the outside seats and fitting a rear-facing child seat is easy as you shouldn’t have to move the front chair forward to fit it.

Boot space

Boot space has taken a hit with the presence of the batteries beneath the boot floor. For comparison, the standard GLA has 435 litres of boot space when measured to the parcel shelf, but the EQA has just 340 litres, and there’s no clever under-floor storage.

Compare that with other alternatives, and the Tesla Model Y is the pick of the bunch with a whopping 854 litres of boot space, followed closely by the Enyaq’s 585 litres. The Q4 e-tron offers 520 litres, then it’s a bit of a drop to the iX1 at 490 litres and the Mustang Mach-e at 402 litres. The Tesla and the Ford both have handy storage under the bonnet as well, something the Mercedes doesn’t get. Whichever way you look at it, the EQA just isn’t very practical.

The news isn’t all bad though, because you can still fit five carry-on cases in there, and there’s no lip to lug things over.

Fold down the rear seats in a standard GLA and you’re left with 1,430 litres of space, but the EQA cuts this to 1,320 litres. Still, at least the rear seats lie flat, and there’s no step in the boot floor.

The Mercedes EQA’s cabin is just as stylish as that in the GLA, but the touch-sensitive steering wheel controls are fiddly and it’s not as well-built as some alternatives

Before you get put off entirely by the practicality, the Mercedes EQA does claw back some points with its interior design. There’s no denying that it’s a lovely place to sit, with a sweeping, multi-layered dash layout.

The fit and finish is also very good. It feels like a genuinely premium product thanks to some posh materials, which helps justify the lofty price tag. While it does feel solid, a few details like the plastic steering wheel stalks and slightly flimsy climate control buttons do let the side down. The BMW iX1 raises the quality bar a notch higher.

The twin-screen infotainment system uses a pair of 10.0-inch screens with the latest MBUX operating software. It’s perhaps beaten only by BMW’s system, but it’s easily one of the best in the business, with slick menu design, clear graphics and an intuitive layout. You also have the choice of voice control or touchscreen operating, both of which work well. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also come as standard. Mid-spec cars get wireless phone charging as well.

There are a couple of negatives to speak of, the main one being the touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel. They’re really fiddly to use on the move, and it’s too easy to accidentally brush them when manoeuvring. Mercedes has also done away with the central trackpad control, meaning you’re now limited to using it as a touchscreen or using the voice commands.

If range is key, you’ll want to go for the entry-level EQA 250+ because of its bigger battery and less power-hungry single motor setup. This version will do up to 346 miles on a charge from a 70kWh battery, making it about as efficient as a BMW iX1. The 190hp output will suffice for most as well.

Stepping up to the EQA 300 gets you an extra motor powering the rear wheels, giving it all-wheel drive and 228hp. The most powerful version is the 350 with 292hp, and both of these models will get 266 miles on a charge.

Charging from a 7kW home wall charger will take around 11 hours from 10-100% if you have the larger battery, falling to 10 hours with the smaller pack. All models can charge at up to 100kW from a DC fast charger, meaning you can go from 10-80% in just over half an hour. That’s around the same as the BMW iX1 and Audi Q4 e-tron, however a Tesla Model Y is slightly quicker.

Because the EQA is a zero-emission vehicle there’s no vehicle excise duty to pay, although this will change from 2025, and it’s also excluded from the premium that adds extra cost for cars costing more than £40,000. The benefit-in-kind rate will be 2% until the 2025/26 financial year, when it goes up to 3%.

You can rest easy knowing the Mercedes EQA comes with loads of clever safety tech. You get all the basic stuff, such as automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping alert, as standard but there’s also a system that’ll spot pedestrians in the road. It can warn you if it spots someone on the pavement who looks like they’re about to step onto a zebra crossing, and will alert you if you’re about to open your car door into pedestrians or cyclists.

Not only did the Mercedes EQA score five stars out of five in Euro NCAP safety testing, its individual section scores were excellent. In adult occupant protection it got a massive 97%, while child occupant protection was rated 90%. Its 81% and 75% scores for vulnerable road users and safety assist systems are also comfortably above what you typically see.

There have been no major issues recorded by owners in the few years the EQA has been on sale, and it probably helps that Mercedes based its electric model on the existing GLA, with many tried and tested parts. Electric vehicles also have fewer moving parts than combustion-engined cars, which means there's less to go wrong – in theory.

For added peace of mind, all new Mercedes models come with a three-year manufacturer warranty to cover you if anything goes wrong. That’s the same cover as you get from BMW, however the Kia EV6 gets a whopping seven-year warranty. The Mercedes' battery is also covered by an eight-year or 100,000 mile warranty..