Go to Page 1: What is heck is an EQB?

Space and Practicality

Luckily, the shift to electricity doesn’t impinge a huge amount on the original success formula: Lots of space, flexibility, and seats for seven.

The underfloor battery does reduce interior space a smidgen : It’s most noticeable in the second row where – like the EQA – your knees sit higher than in the gasoline model. But because the EQB has an adjustable second row, you don’t mind as much.

There’s a little less room in the third row too, Mercedes says people of 1.65m stature will fit, compared to 1.68m on the GLB, but in both cars it’s clear that an adult of 1.7-metres-ish will fit with a little stooping. 

Driving experience 

Like the EQA/GLA divide, it’s in the contrast to gas that you’ll realise the benefits of electric power. The GLB 200 isn’t a bad drive, but the buzzy 1.33-litre turbo engine has never been the smoothest powerplant around. Compared that to the dual electric motors of the EQB 350 – both blend front- and all-wheel drive seamlessly as the car simply whirrs along.

On Singapore’s rough tarmac, the 20-inch wheels don’t ride that badly either. There’s some stiffness, but overall the EQB is a step up from the GLB in refinement. No vibey engine, obviously, but there is some noise: Tyre roar from the big 20s, and because of the tall profile of the car, wind noise at higher speeds.

Like most EVs, the EQB 350 excels at the day-to-day stuff. It’s relaxing to drive for long distances, and a single charge should easily get you more than 350km of range. Our own drive, covering approximately 280km, saw us better the quoted efficiency with 18.1kWh/100km, which would deliver 370km per charge.

While the EQB 350 has 100hp more than the entry-level EQB 250, plus all-wheel drive via two motors, it isn’t lightning quick, but it is capable of strong acceleration thanks to it 520Nm of torque. The 350 also has adaptive suspension, which the 250 lacks, and you can ramp it up to decent speed in Sport mode.

But like other EVs, it’s very good at normal driving, but not so good at fast stuff because of the extra weight.  At 2,175kg EQB 350 is more than 500kg heavier than the GLB 200 and it shows in extra wallow and understeer in Comfort mode. Sport mode, with stiffer suspension, gives you a little more control, but it’s still a heavy car that should not be pushed too far, dynamics wise. An AMG35 GLB it’s certainly not.

Competitors and Conclusion

As an electrified GLB, the EQB works. It preserves everything good about the GLB without tremendous compromise, so the competition is primarily from the gasoline version(s) itself. But in single model terms, it’s harder to justify the 350 when you do the sums.

The EQB 250 Progressive (S$292,888 with COE) can do the same for a lot less cash, and if you’re not fussy about emissions or going fast, so can the entry-entry-level GLB 180 (S$244,888 with COE) for even less.

If you must have the AMG flavour, the GLB 250 AMG Line (S$322,888) or you can add the AMG Line kit to the EQB 250 as mentioned above. But if that’s the case we’d recommend just going for the properly aggro and fun to drive GLB 35 AMG, which at S$342,888 with COE, is still cheaper than the EQB 350.

Certainly the EQB 350 will be cheaper to run, and the other obvious thing is that the AMG is loud, proud, and farts like hell, but is all the more funny for it. The EQB 350, for now and for what it’s worth, is the quickest, cleanest version of Merc’s less expensive lux seven-seat experience.

Mercedes-EQ EQB 350 4Matic AMG Line

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