The Mercedes-Benz EQA SUV is currently one of Australia’s top-selling electric vehicles (EVs) and the German automaker now appears to be gearing up to give it an update.
Photographers captured this facelifted Mercedes-Benz EQA prototype testing ahead of a potential debut in 2023.
This follows the same photographers capturing a prototype of the related GLA in updated form a few days earlier.
There’s only a small amount of camouflage on the grille of the spied EQA prototype, suggesting the facelift will only include minor changes.
The grille on the current EQA is largely a glossy black hexagonal slab that’s broken up by two horizontal lines and a dinner plate-size Mercedes-Benz badge.
A new set of alloy wheel designs may be included with the update. The EQA is currently available with a choice of 19- and 20-inch alloy wheels.
We’re yet to see the interior in the updated EQA so it remains to be seen if there will be any changes to the infotainment system.
Currently, the EQA has a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system which runs the MBUX operating system.
It’s expected these dual 10.25-inch screen will be retained in the updated model but run a newer version of MBUX.
It’s unclear if Mercedes-Benz will update the drivetrain outputs for this facelifted model.
The Mercedes-Benz EQA 250, which went on sale locally in late 2021, is powered by a single front-mounted electric motor which produces 140kW of power and 375Nm of torque.
It’s mated to a 66.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a claimed range of 480km according to the local ADR test cycle.
The Mercedes-Benz EQA 350 4Matic, which is due “soon”, is powered by dual-motor electric setup with 215kW and 520Nm.
It’s also mated to a 66.5kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a claimed range of up to 432km.
A spokesperson for Mercedes-Benz Australia recently said the company had no precise date for the EQA 350 4Matic’s sale launch, though it’s expected more detail will be available very soon.
The EQA 350 is about six months behind schedule, after Mercedes-Benz originally planned for a late-2021 introduction. High global demand, and ongoing component and supply issues, have no doubt contributed to the delay.
The EQA and the related GLA are based on the MFA2 platform that also underpins the A-Class, CLA, B-Class, GLB, and the EQB.
Mercedes-Benz is debuting a new compact MMA platform in 2024 that will replace MFA2 and debut the new Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS).
It may be the last Mercedes-Benz platform to be introduced with the option of internal-combustion power, as from 2025 onwards the company has said all new platforms will be electric-only.
Mercedes-Benz has previously announced it will go all-electric by 2030, wherever market conditions allow.
Up until May 2022 Mercedes-Benz sold a total of 415 EQA models. It was outsold by the Tesla Model 3 (4481 sales), but bested the likes of the Polestar 2 (361 sales), Kia EV6 (233 sales), and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (219 sales).
The EQA will also compete against the hotly contested Tesla Model Y once it goes on sale locally, as well as the big-selling Volvo XC40 Recharge and incoming BMW iX1.
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