Mercedes-Benz EQE300 SUV review: Easy luxury, uneasy artistry

The Mercedes-Benz Electric Art variant of the EQE300 SUV is a luxury-utility vehicle trying to be artistic about it. 

But art, as we all know, is in the eyes of the beholder, who may or may not be able to afford the art being appreciated, whether it's on a wall or on a road. 

In the case of the Electric Art variant of the EQE300 SUV, which is a $418,000 work of automotive art (including the licence/COE to display/drive the artwork created in Germany), the artistic aspects are obvious. 

Prominent black-panel radiator grille with central Mercedes tristar. Striking LED tail-lights in a so-called 3D helix design with light band. Classy silver chrome trim on the front apron, belt line and window line. Handsome 20-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels.

This is a supremely comfortable SUV with a pillowy ride and a peaceful cabin.

The so-called digital headlights are adaptive and attractive, even starting up with a light show which is eye-catching to passersby but potentially distracting to other motorists parked in front.  

Despite the exterior niceties, the frontal angle of the EQE300 SUV was somehow difficult for my digital SLR to capture digitally without the car looking gawky. 

Maybe it's a special visual effect intended to help the EQE SUV make a more "Star Trek" entrance than the conventional GLC and GLE, even at the expense of appearing somewhat more fussy than classy.  

The photogenic rear angle of the EQE300 SUV, however, was easy for my classic Canon DSLR to capture through its viewfinder and convert into megapixels for posterity. 

Speaking of which, the future of automobiles will be fully electric by default, but not yet.

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kaellenius announced in February that the German automaker will delay its electrification goal by five years to 2030, with electrified vehicles accounting for up to 50 per cent of its total sales then, instead of 2025. In the meantime, the company intends to continue improving its combustion-engine models.  

There is no whiff of sweet petrol or evil diesel here. The EQE SUV/sedan and other Mercedes-EQ models represent the current state-of-the-art in electric Mercedes motoring.

The EQE300 SUV has a sizeable 90.6 kWh battery and enough energy (180kW / 245hp / 550Nm) from the single rear motor to push the 2.44-tonne machine from a standstill to 100km/h in 7.6 seconds. 

This electric vehicle is heavy, hence the initial acceleration feels steady rather than speedy, and serious deceleration needs deliberate effort with the brake pedal. On the other hand, the light steering requires next to no effort, which is great if you're a passive chauffeur but not good if you love to drive for fun.

The car's behaviour on the move is always safe and predictable, regardless of road and weather conditions. It's also a (big) breeze to manoeuvre, with a surprisingly tight turning circle (10.5 metres) thanks to the rear-wheel steering system.

This Mercedes is very comfortable, of course. The ride is pillowy, with just some 20-inch tyre patter over rougher surfaces, and the cabin is nicely insulated against any traffic din. 

The car is also quiet at speed on the expressway, with no wind noise to disturb the cruise or the music, the latter pumped out by a splendid Burmester 3D surround sound system which makes my humble home hi-fi sound low-fidelity. 

At the same time, the 12.8-inch infotainment touchscreen makes my iPad Pro tablet look and feel quite unprofessional, while the 12.3-inch instrument panel is a delight to use or customise, even for those who are more familiar with analogue gauges and physical needles.

Less delightful, however, are the steering-wheel switches (fiddly), auto wipers function (not easy to figure out), and memory control for the driver's seat (sometimes it activated the seat heater instead if my finger didn't press the control just so). 

Other anomalies which affect the impression of onboard luxury are the basic black rubber pedals, sunvisor mirror covers which snap back with a clack, a flimsy flip-down box for the rear USB-C ports, and the practical but economical seatback pockets. 

Thankfully, folks who fork out a lot of money for one of these will probably focus on the lovely white leather everywhere, delectable whipped-cream colour scheme, silvery touches/switches, and beautiful interior lighting. 

The boot space is generous and evenly shaped for all sorts of cargo, while the cabin space is ample for four adults, with supportive multi-contour seats for everyone, plus a satisfying massage function for the driver and front passenger. The backseat squab should be a bit longer, though. 

The driving position is less commanding than expected, because of the cliff-like dashboard and obtrusive A-pillars.  

Making the drive more interesting is the centre console's "Dynamic" button, which switches between Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual modes. No prizes for guessing my preferred driving mode in this comfort-oriented vehicle, which seems a little uncomfortable playing Sport. 

Cruising peacefully is what the EQE300 SUV does best. What it does second best is providing luxurious utility. The "Electric Art" aspect is secondary. 

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This article was first published in Motorist.