Mercedes-Benz EQA

The EQA 250 comes standard with the following equipment:

• 19-inch alloy wheels
• LED headlights
• Adaptive high-beam
• Rear privacy glass
• Adjustable dampers
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• DAB+ digital radio
• Satellite navigation
• Heated front seats
• Keyless entry and start
• Dual-zone climate control
• Wireless phone charging
• Colour-adjustable ambient lighting
• Hands-free power tailgate

Two packages are optional on the EQA 250 and standard on the EQA 350.

The optional Vision Package adds a panoramic sunroof and the Parking Package with a surround-view camera, while the AMG Line Sports package adds:

• Unique grille and front apron with air curtains
• Backlit interior trim
• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Artico leatherette and Dinamic microfibre upholstery
• Front sports seats
• Stainless steel pedals
• Nappa leather-wrapped, flat-bottomed steering wheel

The EQA 350 can also be specified with the Edition 1 package ($3900), which adds:

• 20-inch matte copper-finish alloy wheels
• Black roof rails and mirror housings
• Neva Grey leather upholstery
• Blue stitching details
• Illuminated sill panels

Standalone options include:

• Ventilated front seats
• Power front seats with memory
• Mercedes-Benz Wallbox
• Open-pore wood trim

Polar White and Night Black are the two standard colours, with the following metallic finishes a $1146 option:

• Denim Blue
• Rosé Gold (not available with Edition 1 package)
• Digital White
• Iridium Silver
• Mountain Grey
• Cosmos Black

There’s also Designo Mountain Grey Magno, which costs $2539.

Like the wider Mercedes-Benz range, the EQA is covered by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty which is one of the leading programs in the premium segments.

Scheduled servicing is required every 12 months or 25,000 kilometres – whichever comes first.

Pre-paid servicing plans are available for the EQA, covering up to five years or 125,000km. The five-year package costs $2200.

Our launch drive route wasn’t really indicative of real-world driving despite the mix of urban and extra urban environments, so we’ll need to get the EQA in for a more realistic idea of its real-world energy consumption.

We did, however, travel some 150-200km with some more dynamic, heavy-footed stints and we ended the day with around half a battery’s worth of charge.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 25,000km, whichever comes first, and Mercedes-Benz offers three-, four- and five-year service plans.

These are priced at $1600, $2200 and $2650, respectively.

Power in the EQA 250 comes from a front-mounted asynchronous electric motor outputting 140kW and 375Nm. There’s a single-speed transmission that has been configured “for the requirements of the front-wheel drive system”.

The 420V lithium-ion battery pack’s capacity measures 66.5kWh (usable), with Australian-spec cars claiming 412 kilometres (WLTP, combined) of range per charge. With the optional panoramic sunroof, that drops to 408km.

Claimed energy consumption is rated at 16.2kWh/100km (ADR, combined), with the battery itself part of a thermal management system that can be heated or cooled using a coolant-fed plate underneath the battery.

The EQA can be charged from 10-80 per cent using the available Mercedes-Benz Wallbox in around 4 hours 15 minutes (AC, 11kW), and is compatible with 100kW DC fast-charging capable of replenishing the same amount of charge in just 30 minutes.

Mercedes-Benz Australia will also be supplying two cables – an 8m Australian domestic socket cable, and a 5m public charge station cable – which are compatible with the inbuilt Type 2 CCS plug.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQA range is backed by a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Servicing is required every 12 months or 25,000km, whichever comes first, and Mercedes-Benz offers three-, four- and five-year service plans.

The boot area is similarly impacted, if to a lesser extent. Quoted capacity is 340L, with a boot floor 10mm higher than a GLA. Dimensionally, it measures 797mm by 1050mm (L x W).

With the rear seats folded (almost flat), there’s a claimed 1320L available. For reference, a GLA250 4Matic quotes 435L/1430L.

The second member of the EQ family is a competitive offering in the premium compact EV segment, if not a standout against an emerging competitor set.

It’s arguably the most luxurious and refined version of the GLA you can buy at the moment, and offers a familiar cabin and features if you’re a Benz customer.

There are some caveats, though. The EQA 250 lacks the performance of both the Tesla Model 3 Long Range and the new Volvo XC40 Recharge EV, while the cheaper Hyundai Kona Electric and Kia Niro EV Sport offer more range for less money (and qualify for rebates).

Further, the compromised packaging in the back seat and boot as a result of the electric hardware is worth noting, and ticking options boxes will send the price beyond the $90,000 mark once it hits the road.

Give it a look, but there’s better value options out there.