What’s the Mercedes-Benz EQC like?
- 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds
- 760Nm of Torque
- 232-259 miles from a full charge
What is the Mercedes-Benz EQC?
Across the globe, electric vehicles are increasing in popularity. As both technology and infrastructure ramps up, more manufacturers than ever are clambering to get their own EVs to market.
Mercedes-Benz is no different, either, which brings us to this - the EQC. It’s the firm’s first big, premium electric car designed to take on the likes of the Audi e-tron. Can it make a case for itself? Let’s find out.
What’s new?
The EQC was one of the first vehicles to be launched under Merc’s EQ sub-bran, which is due to encapsulate all of its electric vehicles as time goes on. Because of this, the EQC can be seen as a small glimpse into the firm’s electric future.
That’s why the EQC looks so significantly different from other cars on the road today. It’s still recognisable as a Mercedes, but it certainly stands out from the crowd.
What’s under the bonnet?
The EQC uses a dual-motor setup - with one placed on each axle - effectively giving it all-wheel-drive. When just pootling around it stays front-wheel-drive, but when you need more performance and additional traction then the rear motor can be called upon. Combined, you get 402bhp and 760Nm of torque, allowing the EQC to go from 0-60mph in 4.8 seconds.
According to Mercedes, the EQC will return between 232 and 259 miles from a charge, while a 10-80 per cent charge can be achieved in just 40 minutes via a rapid charger. However, a 10-100 per cent charge will take 11 hours via a home wallbox.
What’s the Mercedes-Benz EQC like to drive?
The EQC is a far more compact car to drive than you’d expect from its outward dimensions. It’s a big thing to look at, but feels far smaller to drive.
The electric powertrain also ensures that the cabin is quiet and refined, while the impressive amount of torque on tap means that the EQC brings a genuinely surprising pace to the table when you ask for more acceleration.
The extra weight brought by the batteries does mean that the EQC’s ride can feel a tough fidgety around town, but this is contrasted by a settled feeling when travelling at speed.
How does it look?
The look of the EQC is dominated by the ultra-wide light bar which is incorporated into the front grille and when combined with the huge rear light you end up with a very futuristic-looking car indeed.
However, it’s far from chintzy, and it manages to look just as classy as the rest of the cars in the Mercedes line-up.
What’s it like inside?
As we’ve come to expect from nearly all Mercedes models, the cabin of the EQC is practically dripping in technology. There’s a 10.25-inch infotainment system which is linked with another 10.25-inch driver display to give the look of one seamless screen. It gives a particularly space-age feel to the cabin, that’s for sure.
Overall cabin space is around what you’d expect from a mid-size SUV, though seeing as the roofline is quite heavily raked the headroom inside is ever so slightly on the snug side. However, you do get a very useable 500 litres of boot space to make use of.
What’s the spec of the EQC like?
As we’ve already highlighted, the level of technology on board the EQC is impressive and the infotainment is certainly aided by the fitment of ‘pad’ located further down the cabin which makes selecting certain aspects of the screen far easier. You can, however, use the touchscreen instead.
There’s also plenty of safety equipment on board too, with features such as active brake assist and active lane departure control all included as standard.
Verdict
Given that the number of rivals for the EQC is considerable, this Mercedes has done well to keep its head held high. It’s a car which delivers on the premium feel people expect from a car with the three-pronged star, while also bringing a compelling electric driving experience.
A decent range sweetens the deal further as does a well-made and attractive interior.
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