Mercedes EQE long-term test: report 4

The car Mercedes EQE 300 Sport Edition Run by Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

Why it’s here To see if Mercedes’ premium electric executive car can excel as a long-distance tourer and justify its price premium over cheaper rivals

Needs to Combine outstanding comfort and refinement with a class-leading real-world range

Miles covered 5200 List price £68,810 Target Price £64,810 Price as tested £69,505 Official range 380 miles Test range 280 miles

21 May 2024 – "Keep it simple, stupid"

As misnomers go, calling the base edition of the Mercedes EQE the ‘Sport Edition’ is a big one. Not only does it come on small 19in alloy wheels wrapped in balloon-like eco tyres, but it also comes fitted with soft non-adjustable suspension and a relatively low-powered 242bhp rear electric motor. 

It's as far from sporty as you can get, but that’s no bad thing and is well suited for my commute, which is a mixture of dual carriageways and motorways. The other week, though, I had the opportunity to sample the other end of the EQE spectrum, in the form of the Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 – and it made me like my car even more. 

With its dual electric motors, the EQE 53 features a whopping 677bhp, which is fun to deploy on straight sections of road (the official 0-60mph time is an eye-watering 3.2 seconds) but exercise your right foot regularly and you’ll see the real-world electric range drop to just over 200 miles. Not ideal in a long-distance cruiser. And while the 53 has clever air suspension and rear-wheel steering, its mass and size can always be felt. 

So, why did I long for it when it was returned? It's simple: the equipment. The standard lime wood trim on the centre console exuded a more luxurious aura than the plastic in my car, the double-glazed windows noticeably reduced wind noise, and the Burmester sound system offered greater depth and clarity compared with my basic setup.

But here's the silver lining. My ultra-efficient rear-wheel drive ‘300’ model can be equipped with all of the luxuries I’ve just outlined. All you have to do is tick the box for AMG Line Premium Plus trim. As the U.S. Navy’s KISS acronym denotes – “keep it simple, stupid”.

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