Mercedes EQB Review

​Practicality and boot space 

This is an SUV rather than a crossover in design, so it’s unashamedly boxy – to the benefit of practicality and squeezing a third row of seats into the boot. However, being based on an internal combustion engine model – the Mercedes-Benz GLB – it comes with a few packaging compromises compared to clean-sheet EVs. A big engine bay means that valuable front space is lost while the floors aren’t completely flat and are perhaps higher than is ideal for adults in the second row, never mind the third row. 

Indeed, if you’re planning to pop a couple of six-footers in the third row, think again. While we can’t fault the operation of the seats, which fold neatly away when not needed, even Mercedes suggests that they are only really suitable for passengers under 1.65 metres. Kids will be fine, but if you’re looking to carry teens or young adults on a regular basis, then the EQB probably isn’t the car for you. The middle bench can be slid back and forth by around 30 cm to give those in the third row a bit more legroom, however, while the boot holds between 495 and 1,710 litres in the best case. 

Technology 

Naturally there are screens galore inside the EQB and just about all functions are controlled via MBUX – the choice of voice, gesture or touchpad commands to do everything from switching radio station to adjusting the temperature of the climate control up or down. It’s activated with the phrase ‘Hey Mercedes,’ which is perhaps a little corny, and works even with natural phrases like ‘I’m a bit hot’ to crank up the air con. Just expect a few teething problems getting it to understand you if you’ve a regional twang or dialect, as many people in the UK surely do.  

However, in-built artificial intelligence is designed to learn your habits and so should make controlling things much easier after a few months of ownership, when the car’s brain has – somewhat spookily – learned how warm you typically like the cabin and what you listen to most. Let’s assume it won’t judge your music tastes outright. 

Safety 

The Mercedes-Benz EQB gets the full five stars from Euro NCAP, and it scores especially well for adult and child occupant protection, with respective scores of 95 and 91 per cent, much as you’d dream of for a family-minded SUV. It loses a few points for the lane keep functions of its safety assist systems, and it’s perhaps a minor shame that some of these only come as part of an optional, £1,495 ‘Driving Assistance Package’ which groups together active cruise control, blind-spot assist, steering assist and active lane keeping. It’s a small cost on top of a reasonably pricey car, but that perhaps makes it more disappointing that Mercedes didn’t throw it all into the deal in the first place.