Mercedes EQC

The Mercedes EQC is a fully electric SUV, offering class and comfort to buyers with deep pockets

Introduction to the Mercedes EQC

The Mercedes EQC is Mercedes Benz’s first 100% electric car (BEV).

Its full name is the Mercedes EQC 400 4MATIC. “EQ” means it’s part of Mercedes forthcoming, extensive electric car family. “C” denotes the fact it is an SUV (standard Mercedes naming convention). “400” refers to its approximate horse power. “4MATIC” means it’s four-wheel-drive.

This Mercedes Benz EQC is luxurious, comfortable, and fast. It’s been designed to tempt traditional Mercedes buyers. Nothing too outrageous to put conservative customers off. At the same time, there are interior design cues that remind you the EQC Mercedes is something different.

Below you will find the main facts and features about the EQC 400, followed by video and text reviews from well-known motoring journalists.

Mercedes EQC Range

When fully charged, the Mercedes EQC has a range of about 233 miles in the real world.

How does that compare to its rivals? Pretty much identical to the Audi e-tron, though not as good as the Jaguar I-Pace. The Tesla Model X has the best range of all in this segment at around 280 miles.

Nonetheless, the Mercedes EQC range of over 200 miles will suit most owners just fine. If you are running low on charge, you can rapid charge when out and about at a maximum speed of 110 kW. The charging system is the now ubiquitous CCS.

How the EQC models differ

Sport

The base Sport model is already very luxurious, as you would expect from Mercedes. Features include:

• 19″ 5-twin-spoke alloy wheels
• Black panel radiator grille, with louvres and surround in chrome
• LED lights
• Privacy glass
• Man-made leather
• Heated seats
• Active Park Assist with reversing camera
• Blind Spot Assist
• DAB digital radio tuner
• MBUX multimedia system with 10.25-inch instrument display and 10.25-inch media display with touchscreen

The artificial leather upholstery can come either in Black or Silk beige / black.

You also get aluminium trim throughout the car, with a high-gloss centre console.

AMG Line

If you go up a level to the EQC AMG Line, the car starts to look and feel smarter. The main differences over the Sport model are:

• 20″ AMG multi-spoke alloy wheels
• AMG sports seats in real leather
• Black as the only colour option for the seats
• Anthracite carbon fibre-look trim
• AMG-specific black panel radiator grille, in a twin-blade design and surround in high-gloss black
• AMG brushed stainless steel sports pedals
• Running boards

AMG Line Premium

The EQC AMG Line Premium steps it up again and adds the following:

• 21″ AMG multi-spoke alloy wheels
• Parking package with Active Parking Assist and 360° camera
• Electric sliding sunroof
• Burmester surround sound system
• MBUX augmented reality for navigation
• Smartphone integration and wireless charging
• ENERGIZING package which is an intelligent cross-linking of all comfort systems; drivers can choose from expertly configured programs for activation and relaxation, depending on their personal needs

AMG Line Premium Plus

Finally, the top of the range EQC AMG Line Premium Plus only differs marginally from the AMG Line Premium. The extra features are:

• Seats with a memory function
• Head-up display

Exterior Colours

The entry level Mercedes EQC Sport is available in the following colours:

• Polar White: standard
• Obsidian Black: £685 extra
• Graphite Grey: £685 extra
• Cavansite Blue: £685 extra
• High-tech Silver: £685 extra
• Designo diamond White bright: £685 extra

In addition to these colours, the AMG Line, AMG Line Premium and AMG Line Premium Plus can all be configured in:

• Brilliant Blue: £895 extra
• Designo hyacinth Red: £895 extra

Who is the Mercedes EQC for?

The EQC is a luxury, 4-wheel-drive SUV that Mercedes drivers will feel at home in.

Company car

The Mercedes EQC is beyond many company executives’ financial reach. With a starting price above £60,000, most rungs of the corporate ladder will not be able to afford it.

However, the EQC 400 will no doubt sell very well at director level. It oozes class and luxury. The higher AMG variants have that aggressive / sporty look, and come packed with high-tech features.

The ride is quiet and relaxing, but there is plenty of power on tap for over-taking. It also corners very well and you never get worried the back end might slip away.

Mercedes Benz is part of the Ionity initiative which is rolling our ultra fast charging points across Europe. Mercedes is making sure all EQC drivers will be very well looked after, now and in the future.

The range on a single charge is not quite as good as the Tesla Model X or the Jaguar I-Pace, but at around 230 miles it is perfectly respectable and doesn’t compromise the driving experience.

For the family

If your pockets are deep enough, the Mercedes Benz EQC is a practical, versatile, family car.

With all-wheel-drive and good clearance, you are well prepared for whatever the seasons throw at you.

Head and knee room in the back are both fine. The boot is OK, without being enormous, but you can fold seats down to create a very large loading area.

Families will also enjoy the beautifully designed screens and infotainment systems. The augmented reality sat nav on the AMG Line Premium and AMG Line Premium Plus models is quite a sight.

Charging Infrastructure

This Mercedes electric SUV comes with a single CCS socket. This allows rapid DC charging at up to 110 kW when out and about, e.g. at a motorway service station. At home, the same socket provides AC charging at 7 kW.

The CCS standard appears to be winning the EV charging wars, beating CHAdeMO into second place. This is good news for the EQC. It means more and more CCS charging stations will pop up at differrent locations around the country, and abroad, every month.

Having a CCS socket basically means the EQC Mercedes is future-proof, and your ability to find a charging point as you drive around will only get better and better.

And finally…

You can’t yet find the Mercedes EQC for sale in the UK second hand. The car is only just arriving on our shores. Give it a year or two and they will start hitting the market, as rental / lease agreements come to and end.

• If you would like more information about EVs in general, please see our main Electric Cars page.

• For specific details about the Mercedes EQC itself, see the main Mercedes UK EQC website.

• Otherwise, please scroll down to the Reviews section below for independent video and text analyses.