2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV

The volume 2023 EQE 350 4MATIC SUV's dual motors make 288 hp combined, the same as the RWD 350+. The 500 4MATIC tops the 2023 US lineup at 402 hp.

Both motors together deliver 564 lb-ft, all of it available instantly. That is very strong for a mid-size luxury SUV.

Mercedes quotes 6.2 s from 0 to 60 mph for the volume 350 4MATIC. That is adequate but unremarkable for a luxury EV, and the 500 4MATIC cuts it to 4.6 s.

Power delivery is near-silent and immediate, and NVH isolation is excellent. The launch-year car lacks the front-motor disconnect that 4MATIC models gained for 2024, and reviewers noted the 350's output feels merely adequate.

Single-speed reduction gears mean there are no shifts and no hunting, and paddles select regen levels, including adaptive and one-pedal modes. Points come off for the 2023 regen-to-friction brake blend, which reviewers criticised and Mercedes retuned for 2024.

The US rating is 3,500 lbs with the optional hitch. That is modest against gas rivals in the class that commonly tow 5,000+ lbs.

4MATIC dual-motor AWD comes on the 350 4MATIC and the 500 4MATIC, so only the RWD 350+ goes without. Torque split is fully variable and an Offroad drive mode is offered, but there is no low range and, in 2023, no front-motor disconnect.

This is a pavement-oriented luxury EV with low listed ground clearance and no skid plates, lockers or low range. Optional AIRMATIC air suspension can raise the body, and an Offroad mode is offered, but nothing makes it trail-ready.

The 2023 nameplate is EV-only, with three tunes: the 350+ RWD, the 350 4MATIC and the 500 4MATIC. That gives some spread in power and range, but there is no gas, hybrid or PHEV option.

The volume 2023 EQE 350 4MATIC SUV is rated 81 MPGe combined (42 kWh/100 mi), which is low for a modern EV. The pre-disconnect 4MATIC system makes it the least efficient trim in the lineup.

This is the city rating for the volume 4MATIC trim. It sits in the lower part of the EV field.

This is the highway rating for the volume 4MATIC trim. The 0.251 Cd shape helps at cruise, but the always-engaged front motor costs efficiency in 2023.

EPA-estimate range for the volume 350 4MATIC is 253 mi from an 89–90.6 kWh pack, well short of the 300 mi this class increasingly expects. No 2023 trim reaches 280 mi; the larger 96 kWh pack arrived only for 2024.

The 400-volt EVA2 platform accepts up to 170 kW at a DC fast charger. That is adequate, but behind 800-volt rivals that take 235–350 kW.

On a suitable DC fast charger it goes from 10 to 80% in about 32 minutes. That is mid-pack, well behind 800-volt EVs that do it in under 20 minutes.

The EPA cost figure for 2023 could not be retrieved, so it was derived using the EPA method: 42 kWh/100 mi × 15,000 mi at the price implied by EPA's MY2024 sibling (40 kWh/100 mi = $900/yr), rounded to EPA's $50 steps. That is cheap next to a gas GLE but costly for an EV.

It burns no gasoline, and overnight Level 2 home charging covers daily driving cheaply. Points come off for the 9.6 kW onboard AC charger, the above-average energy use, and the CCS1-only inlet: Tesla Supercharger access needs an adapter bought separately.

NHTSA has no NCAP record for the 2023 EQE SUV; its 2023 Mercedes-Benz model list carries the EQE sedan but not the SUV, and later years of this generation also read 'Not Rated'. Euro NCAP's 5-star result is not a US rating.

IIHS has not crash-tested the EQE SUV and it holds no 2023 Top Safety Pick award. Euro NCAP's 5-star result and Mercedes' structural record suggest strong protection, but without US crash data it sits in the middle band, below TSP/TSP+ rivals.

Standard on the launch-year 350+/350 4MATIC: Active Brake Assist (AEB with pedestrian/cyclist detection), Blind Spot Assist with exit warning, rear cross-traffic alert and Adaptive Highbeam Assist. Full-speed DISTRONIC, Active Steering Assist and Active Blind Spot Assist sit in the optional Driver Assistance Package on the volume Premium trim, a demerit at this price.

Active Brake Assist works up to highway speeds with pedestrian and cyclist detection and earned high marks in Euro NCAP's active-safety testing. IIHS has no front crash prevention result for this model, so the score rests on non-US testing.

Blind Spot Assist (with exit warning) and rear cross-traffic alert are standard. The braking-intervention Active Blind Spot Assist requires the Driver Assistance Package.

Active Steering Assist centering is reviewed as smooth and confident, backed by Euro NCAP's 'Very Good' assisted-driving grade, but full centering requires the optional package on the volume trim.

DISTRONIC stop-and-go adaptive cruise with route-based speed adaptation and Active Speed Limit Assist is among the most refined highway assists available; held back by being a paid option on the volume trim.

No hands-free mode. Drive Pilot (Level 3) launched in the US only on the S-Class and EQS Sedan; the EQE SUV's systems require hands on the wheel, topping out at Active Lane Change Assist.

LED 'High Performance' headlamps with Adaptive Highbeam Assist are standard and DIGITAL LIGHT is optional. IIHS has not rated this model's headlights, so performance is inferred from related Mercedes models.

The aero-driven sloping rear roofline (Cd 0.251) and thick D-pillars limit over-the-shoulder and rearward views; the available surround-view camera compensates for much of it.

Two outboard LATCH positions with covered anchors and a reasonably wide rear door opening; the rear bench is narrower than a conventional mid-size SUV's, so three-across is unlikely. IIHS has no LATCH rating for it.

Every US configuration of the 2023 EQE SUV is a two-row, five-seat SUV, and no third row is offered.

Front headroom of 39.5 in is mid-pack for the class. The body is unchanged across the generation.

Front legroom of 40.6 in is short on paper against rivals that quote 41–42 in, although reviewers do not describe the front row as cramped.

Rear headroom of 39.4 in is generous, helped by a more upright rear roofline than the EQE sedan's, and reviewers note plenty of headroom in both rows.

Rear legroom of 40.6 in is a highlight of the long-wheelbase EVA2 platform and matches or beats the iX and Q8 e-tron.

There is no third row. Buyers who need seven seats have to move to the EQS SUV, or to the gas GLE or GLS.

At 14 cu ft behind the rear seats, the cargo area is small for a mid-size SUV, and there is no front trunk. Reviewers are split: some find it adequate thanks to the upright tailgate, while others list cargo space as a con.

Maximum cargo of 55 cu ft sits at the bottom of the mid-size SUV range and well behind the BMW iX.

A floating center console leaves an open tray beneath it, and the door bins and covered console bin are adequate. There is no frunk, no 120V outlet and no vehicle-to-load power, and the cargo area is shallow. The 100-watt USB-C package comes only with Pinnacle.

The seats are widely praised as very comfortable, the front seats adjust widely, and multicontour massage seats are available. The base Premium trim uses imitation leather with heated fronts only, and the extra rear-seat padding added for 2025 is not on the launch car.

The ride is composed, and the optional AIRMATIC air suspension is excellent. The standard steel-spring setup on the 350 falls short of typical Mercedes ride comfort, and the taller SUV body can feel unsettled at times.

With a near-silent electric drivetrain and well-suppressed wind and road noise, the cabin is serene. Within its own range, only the EQS SUV is clearly quieter.

A heat pump, heated front seats and remote pre-conditioning are standard. Heated rear seats, a heated wheel and ventilated multicontour massage seats are optional. Four-zone climate and the Air Balance package are reserved for the top Pinnacle trim.

The launch-year 2023 EQE SUV lineup opens with the rear-drive EQE 350+ (90.6 kWh) Premium at $77,900 before destination. That is well above the top of the SUV band.

The dual-motor EQE 350 4MATIC (89 kWh) is the volume configuration. For 2023 it is priced the same as the 350+, since AWD is a no-cost option.

There are no oil changes, but Mercedes dealer service rates for tires, brake fluid, filters and the 12V battery, plus exposure to out-of-warranty electronics in year 5, put this above the SUV band ceiling. I found no 2023-specific KBB projection, so this uses the same-generation 2024 figure, which carries over mechanically.

The EQE SUV had already lost 53% of its MSRP three years in. Steeper price cuts on later model years and weak luxury-EV demand point to roughly a third of MSRP retained at five years, below the SUV band floor.

This is the standard Mercedes-Benz USA new-vehicle limited warranty. It matches BMW, Audi and Lexus and falls short of Genesis.

On an EV the coverage that matters is the high-voltage battery, and 10 yr / 155,000 mi is well above the 8 yr / 100,000 mi industry norm.

First owners get two years of unlimited 30-minute Electrify America DC fast-charging sessions through Mercedes me Charge, plus roadside assistance for the warranty term. There is no multi-year complimentary scheduled-maintenance plan, which leaves it mid-pack against luxury EV rivals.

$79,050 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (35% retained, or about $27,668) leaves about $51,383 in depreciation. Add the projected $10,000 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $61,383 in total.

MY2023 is the EQE SUV's launch year, so it has no model-specific reliability history. Consumer Reports gives no overall score and bases its prediction on the weak Mercedes-Benz brand score, expecting it to be less reliable than other new cars. A first-year EV platform derivative with early software and BMS issues sits slightly below the later model years.

Around the 2023 model year Mercedes-Benz sat in the lower half of both the Consumer Reports brand rankings and the J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS). It remained below the industry average and well behind Lexus, and only improved in later VDS editions.

Three NHTSA campaigns cover the 2023 EQE SUV. Two are serious in kind: a BMS software fault that can shut down the HV battery, and a re-repair of 443 vehicles fitted with the wrong fuse box under recall 24V-115, which risks loss of drive power and fire. The third is an AVAS sound compliance fix. Most remedies are software, but this year has more recall activity than later ones.

The 2023 car uses the launch EVA2 drivetrain, before the 2024 update: 90.6 kWh pack (350 4MATIC: 89.0 kWh), no front-motor disconnect, and brake/regen tuning that was revised a year later. No hardware failure pattern has emerged in the drive units, but there is little high-mileage history and the BMS shutdown recall shows the battery software was immature at launch.

The cabin follows the EQE sedan's premium layout: available Nappa leather, open-pore wood, extensive ambient lighting and the optional MBUX Hyperscreen. Reviewers call it luxurious, with minor complaints about plastics in lower zones.

US-market EQE SUVs are built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Reviewers note a solid, quiet structure with tight panel gaps. Launch-year owner complaints center on software, 12V and electrical glitches rather than rattles or misalignment.

Mercedes-Benz has one of the densest luxury dealer networks in the US, at roughly 380 franchised dealers. Service satisfaction is around the luxury-segment average, and EV technician expertise varies by store.

Mercedes parts prices and labor rates are among the highest in the market. EV-specific components (HV battery modules, inverters, Hyperscreen hardware) are dealer-only and expensive, and aftermarket support for this young EV is thin.

Every 2023 trim has a 12.8-inch portrait OLED center touchscreen. The 56-inch Hyperscreen, with a 17.7-inch center OLED, was an option rather than standard in the launch year.

Second-generation MBUX responds quickly and has Zero Layer shortcuts, but climate and vehicle functions sit in touch menus, and Consumer Reports singles out distracting controls. The 2023 car has the 4G modem; 5G arrived for 2024.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included in MBUX smartphone integration on every trim from launch.

'Hey Mercedes' natural-language voice control is among the best in the industry. MBUX navigation with charging-aware Electric Intelligence route planning is standard, and augmented-reality navigation comes with the Exclusive trim.

A Burmester surround system with Dolby Atmos is standard from the base Premium trim, which is a strong baseline for the class.

A configurable 12.3-inch digital driver display with several layouts is standard.

MBUX and many vehicle systems update over the air, but the cadence is irregular and some owners report updates failing to install. The launch car uses the 4G modem.

The Mercedes me app covers remote lock, pre-entry climate, charge scheduling, vehicle locate and Send2Car. Some services move to a paid subscription after the trial period.

There are USB-C ports in both rows and wireless phone charging, but the 100-watt USB-C package is Pinnacle-only, and there is no 120V household outlet or vehicle-to-load power.

KEYLESS-GO, push-button start and a power liftgate are standard, and hands-free liftgate access is available. Phone-as-key support is limited compared with BMW.

The Parking Package, with a 360-degree camera and Active Parking Assist (automated parallel and perpendicular parking), is standard from the base trim.

A head-up display is offered only on the top Pinnacle trim, so the volume Premium and Exclusive trims do without one.

With 40.6 in of rear legroom, 39.4 in of rear headroom and large rear doors, rear-facing child seats fit easily. The 14 cu ft behind the rear seats leaves little room for a stroller plus groceries, and there is no third row.

It has five Euro NCAP stars and standard Active Brake Assist, Blind Spot Assist and a 360-degree camera, but no NHTSA or IIHS ratings. On the volume Premium trim the full ADAS suite (DISTRONIC, Active Steering Assist) is optional.

The quiet cabin, comfortable seats, roomy rear row and available heated rear seats suit long family trips. The 253-mile range and 14 cu ft of luggage space with every seat in use are the limits.

Power delivery at low speed is silent and smooth, and paddle-selectable regen includes an adaptive D Auto mode and one-pedal driving. The launch-year regen/friction brake blend is vague and inconsistent (Mercedes retuned it for 2024), and the touch-based steering-wheel controls are a daily irritation.

At 81 MPGe and roughly $950 a year in electricity, it is far cheaper per mile than a gas luxury SUV, but the pre-disconnect 4MATIC makes it one of the less efficient EVs. Standard 20-inch luxury tires add to running costs.

A standard 360-degree camera and Active Parking Assist help, but the standard turning circle is a wide 40.4 ft and the sloping rear glass limits the view out. Optional rear-axle steering cuts the circle sharply.

The 3,500-lb tow rating suits a small utility trailer, but a 253-mile range falls sharply under load and cargo space is modest. It is not a work vehicle.

The cabin is built for luxury, with light upholstery choices, gloss trim and large screens. It has no fleet or hard-use history, and owners of the launch year report repeat repair visits.

Cargo-floor tie-downs, a hitch and roof rails are available, but there is no frunk, no 120V outlet and no vehicle-to-load power.

On the highway it is quiet and comfortable, and DISTRONIC with Active Steering Assist is available. A 253-mile range and a 170-kW peak needing about 32 minutes for 10–80% trail rivals that go farther and charge faster.

4MATIC AWD and an Offroad drive mode handle gravel and snowy trailheads, and the 3,500-lb tow rating covers small toys. Low ground clearance, road-biased tires and the lack of V2L for camping keep it on easy terrain.

The 40/20/40 split rear seat plus available roof rails and hitch add flexibility. At 14 cu ft behind the rear seats and 55 cu ft maximum, though, it is small for the class, and there is no frunk.

It is composed and secure with good body control, especially on AIRMATIC, but the weight of more than 2.5 tonnes blunts its agility. The optional rear-axle steering sharpens turn-in noticeably.

Steering is accurate and sensibly weighted but filters out nearly all road feel, which is typical of the EVA2 platform.

The launch-year regen/friction blend gives a vague, inconsistent pedal, and Consumer Reports calls the brakes mushy. Mercedes retuned the system for 2024 specifically to address this.

Tip-in is smooth and linear, and the regen modes are well calibrated. Unlike 2024 cars, the 2023 car lacks the front-motor disconnect, but that costs efficiency rather than refinement. Acceleration is effortless and nearly silent.

The motors are near-silent under load and send no vibration through the controls.

Without rear steering the volume 350 4MATIC turns a wide 40.4 ft. The optional 10° rear-axle steering brings that down to about 34.4 ft.

Seat and wheel adjustment is wide and the driving position commanding. It loses points for the haptic steering-wheel controls, functions buried in menus and sloped rear glass that limits rear sightlines.

The 350 4MATIC is refined and pleasant but forgettable. Edmunds calls it 'not all that inspiring to drive', and the engaging version is the AMG.

Every 2023 EQE SUV gets a heat pump, a 12.8-in OLED central display with navigation, LED High Performance headlamps, heated seats and a full safety suite. At ~$79k, though, air suspension, rear-axle steering, the Driver Assistance package and the Hyperscreen cost extra. The powered charge door and larger packs arrived only for 2024.

$79,050 buys an 89–90.6 kWh mid-size luxury EV with middling range and dynamics, priced against the BMW iX and above the Lyriq and GV70 Electrified. The 500 4MATIC costs $90,650 before its 2024 price cut, and the 53% three-year depreciation shows the market judged the sticker high.

The lineup spans four powertrains (350+ RWD, 350 4MATIC, 500 4MATIC, AMG EQE), and each non-AMG model comes in Premium, Exclusive and Pinnacle form. RWD vs AWD is a no-cost choice, but everything starts near $79k.

US demand was soft from launch. Volume leaned on subsidized leases, trailed the Model Y, Lyriq and iX by a wide margin, and Mercedes later paused US EQE/EQS production in 2025, citing low demand.

Mercedes-Benz is among the most aspirational luxury badges in the US. The EQ sub-brand's jellybean styling and weak EV residuals dilute that halo somewhat for this model.

Purchases didn't qualify for the federal credit. From early 2023, though, MBFS leases passed through the $7,500 commercial clean-vehicle credit, stacked with dealer discounts as inventory built up, which gave lessees real benefit.

2023 is the launch year of an all-new generation on the dedicated EVA2 platform. The quick 2024 update (front-motor disconnect, bigger packs, brake retune) makes this first year the least refined of the generation.

Reviewers praise the quiet, comfortable ride and luxurious cabin, and criticise the uninspiring handling, the regen-blended brake feel (fixed for 2024), fiddly controls and range that trails rivals. It has no 10Best, NACTOY or comparison-test wins.