The Mercedes-Benz EQA combines all of the German brand’s electric know-how in a compact SUV-crossover body-style. It offers a very decent electric driving range, therefore making it a great choice for those considering their first electric car, but it doesn’t sacrifice any of the luxury that a Mercedes is known for. So, it has a tech-laden interior, high levels of style and build quality, whilst remaining comfortable and enjoyable to drive.
The EQA has all the style and panache of Mercedes-Benz’s larger models, but in a more compact, easier-to-live-with small SUV package. It offers an excellent electric driving range for the money, and high levels of refinement. For those looking at the premium end of the market for their first electric car, there’s an excellent range of used examples on AA Cars, all at tempting prices.
Jack is an experienced motoring journalist who has been covering the latest new-car releases for the last 10 years.
Read bioAs you'd expect with a car wearing the three-pointed star, the EQA isn't cheap. The most affordable brand new example will set you back practically £50,000 before options, but a used example on AA Cars is far more affordable. Prices start at around £15,000 for the earliest 2021 cars, while the refreshed EQA, complete with tweaked looks and small range improvements, are priced from around the £26,000 mark.
Getting your head around the EQA range isn’t difficult. There are two battery sizes and the choice of front- and all-wheel drive. The entry-level EQA 250 has a 66.5kWh battery, the 250+ has a larger 70.5kWh pack to give a 316-mile range, while the more powerful 300 and 350 versions use the smaller battery but are more powerful. The 300 and 350 get dual motors, giving 4Matic four-wheel drive.
A facelift in 2024 saw the 250 disappear, while the rest of the line-up had minor improvements to range. As of 2025, all cars get the same 70.5kWh battery. The EQA 250 and 250+ have 187bhp at their disposal, while the 300 gets 288bhp and there's 288bhp in the 350. When it comes to replenishing the battery, the EQA’s 100kW maximum charging speed is only average, though, as it falls behind rivals like the Volvo EX40. It means a 10-to-80-per-cent top-up from a public charger will take around 30 minutes, while a full charge from a home wallbox will be complete within 10 hours.
The EQA feels more than quick enough for everyday driving, with punchy performance in the mid-range helping to make overtaking easy – and that’s the case right across the model range, even with the base 250 and 250+ models.
Naturally, with their more potent electric motors, the 300 and 350 versions are the quickest, with 0-62mph taking 7.7 and 6.0 seconds, respectively. Where the 300 and 350 models really pull ahead, however, is when it comes to traction. Thanks to their dual motors driving all four wheels, these models just feel a bit more tied down.
The front-wheel drive 250 and 250+ cars can scrabble for traction when pulling out of sharp corners or on damp roads, but the 4Matic cars are more composed. All cars get brake regeneration, which helps put energy that would normally be lost during braking back into the battery pack. Paddles behind the steering wheel allow you to control how strong you want the regeneration to be.
The Mercedes EQA delivers a really nice blend between agile handling and a comfortable ride – that is if you go for a lower spec car with standard suspension, though. Many EQAs have adaptive suspension as it was standard-fit on higher trim levels such as the AMG Line Premium Plus, but the ride can get a bit too soft in ‘comfort’ mode and slightly too firm in the sportier setting – the latter feeling exacerbated by larger wheels as fitted to the higher spec cars.
While the ride comfort differs depending on specification, all EQAs deliver a refined drive that’s perfectly in keeping with what you’d expect from a Mercedes-Benz. At motorway speeds it is remarkably hushed, while around town the EQA doesn’t thump over speed humps and pot holes. It pampers passengers very well.
The EQA is very much your typical modern Mercedes, and by that we mean there's a heavy focus on screens and tech, the quality feels good, and the dashboard is covered in shiny black plastic and turbine-styled air vents. It all adds up to feel rather special and is nicely different compared to rivals like the BMW iX1 and Volvo EX40.
The technology helps give the EQA a very contemporary feel, as not only is 64-colour ambient lighting a standard-fit item, but a pair of displays mounted in one wide screen is included on all models, too. The Mercedes software is intuitive and easy to use, there's in-built sat-nav, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connectivity.
There's a very light and airy feel inside the EQA. The driver and front-seat passenger won't be complaining as there's plenty of space, and despite the EQA looking like a compact car, there's easily enough room for a pair of six-foot passengers in the back.
Boot space, at 340 litres, is somewhat down on key rivals like the BMW iX1 and Audi Q4 e-tron, with both having considerably larger boots (490- and 520-litres, respectively). Despite not having the largest boot in its class, the space itself is well shaped, and a high boot floor and no load lip means loading heavier items is easy.
Buyers of the entry-level models like the Sport Executive won't feel short-changed, as it comes with the twin screens, LED headlights, 64-colour ambient lighting, metallic paint, 18-inch alloys, 'Artico' man-made leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, along with access to the Mercedes Me app allowing owners to remotely set features such as the climate control from their phone.
AMG Line Executive and Premium models are some of the more popular models in the EQA range, thanks to their sportier styling, and, in the case of the Premium version, standard-fit augmented-reality sat-nav, 20-inch alloys, and a 360-degree parking camera. Range-topping AMG Line Premium Plus adds extra luxuries such as a panoramic sliding roof and a posh Burmester surround sound system.
As already mentioned, the EQA comes in a range of trims, comprising Sport Executive, Urban Edition, AMG Line Executive, AMG Line Premium, and AMG Line Premium Plus.
While the basic Sport Executive comes with a high level of standard equipment, many will be tempted with the posher AMG Line trims as they bring sportier exterior styling and additional luxuries inside. And, this being a Mercedes, there are plenty of optional equipment packages, so look out for these mentioned in used car adverts.
Independent crash testers Euro NCAP gave the EQA a full five-star rating. Diving deeper into the score reveals a near perfect 97% for adult protection, while child protection was a very strong 90%. The EQA also received an 81% score for vulnerable road users protection, and a 75% score for its safety assist systems. Overall, the EQA is a very safe car.
The Mercedes EQA should deliver a real-world range of around 250 to 320 miles in the 250 and 250+ models, and between 180 and 250 miles in the dual-motor 4Matic 300 and 350 versions. Of course, as with all EVs, the range you get will be dependent on a whole host of factors, including driving style and ambient conditions.
Go for a used EQA registered before April 1, 2025, and you'll be paying zero VED every year – a real sweetener when buying an EV before the tax regulations changed. Meanwhile, for charging costs, the EQA should cost around £20 for a full overnight recharge from a home wallbox, while insurance costs will be expensive due to the EQA being placed in higher insurance group ratings, but this is on par with its other premium rivals.
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