Mercedes-Benz EQB 250+ electric car test

Recently, this car has been modernized, which brought several interesting novelties – although it may not be visible at first glance. The designers mainly played with the front mask and slightly also the front and rear lights. It is still true that it is these parts that immediately distinguish the EQB from the GLB, in the case of the electric variant, they are sleeker and more futuristic. The manufacturer also mentions optimized aerodynamics in connection with the facelift.

We won’t find much news in the interior either. The touch surface on the center console and part of the buttons that surrounded it have disappeared, the steering wheel is also different. Unfortunately. Mercedes equipped it with touch surfaces instead of buttons. For me, this is already bad from the point of view of ergonomics and user-friendliness, but in EQB, the surfaces are so small that it is sometimes quite difficult to work with them.

Otherwise, everything actually remained the same. On the dashboard we can find two large displays connected to each other, the left one functions as an instrument panel, the right serves infotainment. Both appear to be of high quality and are easy to read. I can also praise the multimedia system itself, which is clear and quite logically arranged. Perhaps only the speed could be better, especially after starting up, the infotainment is sometimes very slow.

The voice control that can speak Czech is traditionally great at Mercedes, which can be really useful, I also praise the presence of a separate panel for controlling the ventilation. And I have no reservations about the processing and selection of materials either.

However, the EQB’s strongest point is the offer of interior space and interesting variability. We already said that this compact SUV can seat up to seven people, but the third row of seats is an extra charge. And our car was not equipped with it, so let’s move further forward.

The second row consists of a bench divided in a ratio of 40:20:40, the seats have adjustable backrests and are also sliding, within a range of 140 mm. The middle part, when folded, can serve as a channel for long objects, for example skis. Thanks to the large doors, there is great access to the seats, and once seated, passengers will find plenty of space.

Luggage space in the electric EQB is slightly smaller than in the base GLB, but it’s still more than decent. In the case of the five-seater version, it provides a basic volume of 495 liters (for the seven-seater 465 liters), after folding down the backrests in the second row (unfortunately, it cannot be done directly from the trunk), the car can hold up to 1,710 liters. The suitcase pleases with its length, width and “height”, a small space under the floor, pockets on the sides, elastic handles or hooks. It’s really well thought out.

The most important novelties of the modernized version relate to technology. In the case of the tested EQB 250+ version, which represents the entry-level design and replaces the previous EQB 250 in the price list, this involves the deployment of a traction accumulator with a larger capacity. While the 250 had a usable capacity of 66.5 kWh, the “plus” provides 70.5 kWh.

The drive is provided by a front-mounted electric motor with a maximum output of 140 kW and a maximum torque of 385 Nm, which spins the wheels of the front axle.

Thanks to the “bigger” battery, the SUV in the tested specification boasts a standardized range of up to 504 kilometers in combined traffic (on the website of the Czech representative of the brand, we can find a different figure of 533 km for the EQB 250+), which looks quite interesting. Mercedes even gives 657 km (or up to 692 km) for the city. The car can handle 11kW of alternating current (AC) charging and up to 100kW of direct current (DC).

Those aren’t bad numbers for the basic design, see? The EQB 250+ also benefits from the fact that it only has one electric motor and one axle drive. Therefore, it is the “most economical” version with the longest range.

But standardized numbers (and not only) for electric cars are often far from reality. Especially in cold weather. During the test, the consumption of “my” Mercedes was most often above 20 kWh / 100 km, and I even returned the car, which I used in a completely standard way, with an average of 22.5 kWh / 100 km. With the aforementioned battery capacity, the range for one full charge is a maximum of some 313 kilometers. But I must add in one breath that similar deviations are more or less usual for electric vehicles, especially in winter – but don’t take it as a defense, rather a warning, maybe a sigh.

And how is the basic EQB managed? Quite nicely actually. There is a pleasant view from the car thanks to the generous glazing and the “clear” bodywork, the car itself is particularly pleasing with refinement and interestingly effortless agility. Of course, the merit goes to the electric drive, which works quietly and readily responds to instructions from the gas pedal. The SUV acts briskly, especially at lower speeds, on the highway the desire to accelerate gradually subsides. Even so, the EQB 250+ moves with dignity up to 160 km/h, the electric equipment won’t let you go any further.

However, the combination of the electric motor, which serves its power practically from zero revs, and the front-wheel drive sometimes requires more careful work with the right foot and the accelerator. All it takes is a slightly damp road and you’ll have to deal with wheel spin and “anti-skid” interventions if you’re not gentle enough on the throttle.

Otherwise, the driving performance is very good. The EQB 250+ feels comfortable and its chassis can filter out most irregularities. Only on sharper and deeper potholes can shocks from the wheels be heard. In turns and when changing direction, the electric SUV takes advantage of a lower center of gravity – this is, of course, influenced by the storage of the traction battery in the floor between the axles. The car thus appears pleasantly neutral, does not lean excessively and obeys instructions from the steering wheel. The steering is rather light and slower, which is perfectly fine for a family-oriented SUV.

Subsidies for the purchase of an electric car are here

The Mercedes-Benz EQB 250+ is an interesting choice for those interested in a practical compact SUV, with an unusual bonus in the form of an additional third row of seats. I clearly consider the variability and interior design to be its greatest strengths. But the car also offers a decent ride, which is mainly due to the sympathetic sophistication of the electric drive and the excellent chassis.

Compared to the base GLB model, the electric EQB is understandably more expensive (the basic GLB 180 with a 100kW petrol engine starts at CZK 1,055,120), the tested entry-level EQB 250+ version starts at CZK 1,442,320. However, Mercedes has prepared an ELECTRIC premium offer for customers, which makes the car cheaper by an interesting 150,000 crowns.

You can purchase an EQB 250+ from CZK 1,292,320 using this promotion. Our piece would have cost 1,452,494 CZK with the premium, as it was equipped with several additional features, such as metallic blue paint, 19″ light alloy wheels, electrically adjustable front seats with memory, parking kit with 360° camera, active parking assistant or traffic sign assistant.

By the way, the practical SUV is the second most affordable electric car in the Mercedes range, only the EQA 250+ crossover is cheaper, with which you can also benefit from the ELECTRIC premium. After a discount of CZK 150,000, it costs CZK 1,220,930.