2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB
About the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB
Last updated Jun 07, 2024The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB is at dealers now, and has become Australia’s most affordable electric vehicle with seven seats.
The range opens at $87,800 before on-road costs for the base, front-wheel drive EQB 250. Only this variant can be had with an optional third row of seating, pushing the price to $90,700 before on-roads.
That puts it roughly $25,000 above the most affordable version of the seven-seat GLB it’s based on, and around $12,000 higher than the related, two-row EQA.
The EQB comes in a choice of single-motor, front-wheel drive 250 guise, with an electric motor producing 140kW of power and 385Nm of torque, or dual-motor all-wheel drive 350 guise with 215kW and 520Nm.
Range is 371km on the stricter WLTP cycle for the 250 and 360km in the 350.
| Fuel Efficiency | N/A |
|---|---|
| ANCAP Rating | Not tested |
| Warranty | 5 years |
Price & Specs
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EQB Range Guide
Standard equipment on the EQB 250 includes:
- Keyless entry and start
- Hands-free power tailgate
- Semi-autonomous parking assist
- Adaptive suspension
- LED headlights
- Adaptive high-beam
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Tyre pressure monitoring
- Progressive Exterior package with chrome and aluminium trim
- 19-inch alloy wheels
- Rear privacy glass
- 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- Satellite navigation
- DAB+ digital radio
- Wireless phone charger
- 64-colour adjustable ambient lighting
- Dual-zone climate control
- Leather-wrapped steering wheel
- Artico upholstery
- Heated, power-adjustable front seats
The EQB 350 adds:
- Panoramic sunroof
- AMG exterior styling kit with additional chrome, rear apron diffuser
- 20-inch alloy wheels
- Front sports seats
- Artico seats with Dinamica microfibre inserts and red stitching
- Nappa leather-wrapped, flat-bottom steering wheel
- Illuminated door sills
- Backlit spiral-look trim elements
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Interior
You’d have to be a proper Mercedes-Benz trainspotter to notice any major differences between the EQB and its petrol-powered GLB sibling.
It’s a polished, high-tech space behind the wheel, although it lacks the futuristic, almost otherworldly feeling present in new EVs from the likes of Kia and Hyundai.
Our testers were all fitted with the AMG package, which brings comfortable and supportive sports seats with more bolstering than the standard units, and microsuede inserts for a sportier feel than faux leather alone. We spent a long time behind the wheel and hopped out feeling fresh.
Rear seat space is one of the major calling cards of the EQB on paper, and it delivers in practice. The boxy profile frees up an impressive amount of headroom, and with the 40/20/40 folding bench slid to its rearmost position you’ll be able to slot a full-sized adult behind a full-sized driver.
Exterior
Explaining how the EQB fits into the sprawling Mercedes-Benz range is a bit tricky. Under the skin it’s built on an elongated version of the chassis underpinning the A-Class, but it’s a whopping 221mm longer than the EQA SUV.
It’s barely smaller than the more expensive EQC electric SUV, which led Mercedes-Benz’s electric charge in Australia. Although it’s built on small car bones, this is a chunky SUV
Along with boot space, the bigger body on the EQB opens the door for a seven-seat option.
This is designed to appeal to families who need a reasonably sized car with big boot most of the time, but also demand the flexibility a pop-up third row offers.
Given you can’t yet buy a seven-seat Tesla Model Y in Australia, let alone a pure-electric version of segment stalwarts such as the Nissan X-Trail, the EQB is quite a unique beast.
As you’d expect of a Mercedes-Benz it’s a polished, practical package – even if it doesn’t move the game on when it comes to range or performance.
EQB Photo Gallery
EQB Colours
Polar White and Night Black are the standard exterior colours, with the following optional:
- Denim Blue metallic
- Rosé Gold metallic
- Digital White metallic
- Iridium Silver metallic
- Mountain Grey metallic
- Cosmos Black metallic
- Manufaktur Mountain Grey Magno
The EQB 250 and EQB 350 comes standard with black interiors, though a Macchiato Beige/black interior is optional on the EQB 250, while Edition 1 models come with a Neva Grey and Cyber Cut blue interior.
Spiral-look interior trim elements are standard, with open-pore wood tri moptional
Cost of Ownership
While Mercedes-Benz hasn’t released service pricing yet, the related EQA can be had with three-, four- and five-year service plans costing $1600, $2200 and $2650, respectively.
How it Drives
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB 250 features a front-mounted electric motor producing 140kW of power and 385Nm of torque, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 9.2 seconds.
The EQB 350 4MATIC features an electric motor at both the front and rear, with total outputs of 215kW and 520Nm. It’s all-wheel drive, and has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.2 seconds.
The EQB features a 66.5kWh lithium-ion battery, which weighs 469kg.
EQB Safety Rating
The Mercedes-Benz EQB has a five-star rating from ANCAP with a 2019 date stamp, though this applies only to the EQB 250. The EQB 350 is unrated.
It received an adult occupant protection score of 95 per cent, a child occupant protection score of 91 per cent, a vulnerable road user protection score of 78 per cent, and a safety assist score of 74 per cent.
Standard safety equipment includes:
- Autonomous emergency braking
- Active Steering Assist
- Lane-keep assist
- Blind-spot assist
- Surround-view camera
- Adaptive cruise control with active speed limiter
- Safe exit warning
- Traffic sign recognition
- Nine airbags
EQB Options
A third row of seating is optional on the EQB 250 only. This costs $2900.
The Edition 1 package costs $9100 on the EQB 250 and $3900 on the EQB 350. It includes:
- AMG exterior package
- 20-inch matte copper alloy wheels
- Electric Art Line interior trim package
- Neva Grey leather upholstery with blue stitching elements
- Illuminated door sills
- Backlit spiral-look trim elements
- Nappa leather-wrapped flat-bottom sports steering wheel
The optional Vision Package (EQB 250 five-seat only) adds:
- Panoramic sunroof
- Burmester surround sound system
- Premium Package
The MBUX Innovation Package (EQB 250 and EQB 350) adds:
- Head-up display
- MBUX Interior Assistant
- Augmented reality navigation
- MBUX High
EQB Warranty
The Mercedes-Benz EQB is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.
Servicing is required every 12 months or 25,000km, whichever comes first.
EQB Infotainment
By now, we’re familiar with the dual-screen MBUX infotainment system. It can be controlled with a touchpad, steering wheel controls, or ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice inputs.
Both screens are pin-sharp, with impressively quick responses and deep, vivid colours. In the age of smartphones with ultra-high-resolution screens and lightning refresh rates, they feel like an extension of the tech we’re already using in the best way possible.
Once you’re attuned to how the menus work it’s not hard to jump around, although the fact Apple CarPlay is wired-only and sits in a tiny window is disappointing. Newer iterations of MBUX allow it to work full-screen.
There’s a range of electric-only readouts, but this feels very much like any other Mercedes-Benz on the technology front. That extends to the digital instrument binnacle, which offers the right blend of information and at-a-glance readability.
From the flashy backlit trim on AMG Line models to the trio of turbine-style air vents dominating the dash, this is an attractive interior. It does feel a bit cheap in spots, though.
EQB Boot Space
Boot space in the seven-seat model is a claimed 110L with the rearmost seats in place (130L loaded to the roof), 670L to the roof with the second row in place, and 1620L to the roof with both rows folded flat.
The five-seater has 675L of space to the roof with the rear seats in place, expanding to 1710L with them folded flat.
Mercedes-Benz says the loading lip is 50mm higher than in the EQA. That should make it easier to load heavy items and slide them straight in.
The boot itself is broad and flat, and the upright tailgate means you’ll actually be able to load in boxy items in a way you can’t in more style-oriented alternatives.
EQB Dimensions
The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB measures 4684mm long, 1834mm wide (2020mm including the mirrors) and 1667mm tall, on a 2829mm wheelbase.
Kerb weight is 2059kg in the five-seat EQB 250, 2109kg in the seven-seat model, and 2153kg in the EQB 350.
All EQB models have an 11.7m turning circle and a drag coefficient of 0.28.
Depending on the variant, the 2023 MERCEDES-BENZ EQB measures as below.
| Variant | Series | Style | Length (mm) | Width (mm) | Height (mm) | Wheelbase (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 | X243 MY23.5 | 4D WAGON | 4684 | 1834 | 1695 | 2829 |
| 250 | X243 MY24 | 4D WAGON | 4684 | 1834 | 1695 | 2829 |
| 250+ | X243 MY24.5 | 4D WAGON | 4684 | 1834 | 1695 | 2829 |
| 350 4MATIC | X243 MY23.5 | 4D WAGON | 4684 | 1834 | 1698 | 2829 |
| 250 EDITION 1 | X243 MY23.5 | 4D WAGON | 4684 | 1834 | 1695 | 2829 |
| 350 4MATIC | X243 MY24 | 4D WAGON | 4684 | 1834 | 1698 | 2829 |
| 350 4MATIC EDITION 1 | X243 MY23.5 | 4D WAGON | 4684 | 1834 | 1698 | 2829 |
EQB Market Fit
The Mercedes-Benz EQB is categorised as a Small SUV
Should you buy the EQB
Tight supply means every EQB to hit Australia for the foreseeable future is likely to be snapped up, but even without our market’s slightly skewed EV market there’s a niche for it here.
Although it doesn’t have the same surefooted, punchy feel as the more expensive EQB 350 4MATIC, the entry-level EQB 250 shapes as the smart pick for families looking for a spacious, premium electric SUV.
The seven-seat option is a proper point of difference at the moment, and adds a degree of flexibility not even larger cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 can match – don’t be fooled by the compact exterior dimensions, the EQB is a genuinely usable 5+2 SUV.
As for the 350? It’s priced very close to the bigger BMW iX3 if it’s a spacious five-seat EV you want, while the Genesis GV60 is a more dynamic option if it’s performance you’re after.
It’s very nice, but it feels a bit lost in a way the more practical 250 doesn’t.
Frequently Asked Questions
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