Mercedes-Benz EQE AMG 53 4MATIC+

First Impressions

Here's the thing about the Mercedes AMG EQE SUV: it's really, really good, and I still wouldn't pick it. That contradiction basically defines my entire experience with this car. It does so many things at an exceptionally high level, particularly the interior, but the overall package has enough weak spots that I'd look elsewhere in this segment.

Design and Exterior

Let's be honest, this thing flirts with ugly. The enormous Mercedes logo dominates the front end, AMG badges are plastered everywhere, and the bronze colour on my test car didn't help matters. It's aerodynamically shaped, which means smooth and sleek but also a bit blobby.

There are positives. The front light bar looks genuinely good, and the functional air slots running down the sides toward the wheels add some visual interest. The rear light bar ties it together nicely. But when I compare it to competitors in this segment, none of them are stunners either, so I suppose the EQE fits right in with the awkward-looking performance EV crowd.

Interior and Tech

This is where Mercedes absolutely earns its keep. The seats are phenomenally comfortable with incredibly soft headrests. The physical vents are smooth and satisfying to operate. LED ambient lighting wraps the entire cabin. The steering wheel is genuinely one of the best I've held in an EV.

The centre console is brilliantly designed. It slides open to reveal a wireless charger, USB ports, and a key tray. The cup holders spin out of the way for more space, and the whole unit lifts out to reveal even more storage underneath. Rear passengers get great headroom, their own screen for HVAC, USB-C ports, and a retractable glass roof. If I had to pick any car in this class purely to sit in, this would be it.

The MBUX software on the hyperscreen is functional and well laid out, but it looks like something from the Windows Vista era. Haptic feedback on the screen is excellent, wireless Android Auto and CarPlay work perfectly, and the menus are logically organized. It just desperately needs a visual refresh.

Driving Experience

Stomp on the accelerator and this thing is violent. Nearly 700 horsepower launches you forward with genuine force, and there's a sort of launch control mode that makes it even more dramatic. The air suspension offers genuinely distinct modes: Comfort feels like a traditional soft Mercedes, while Sport Plus gets admirably stiff. You can feel the difference immediately using the satisfying physical dial on the steering wheel.

But here's where reality sets in. At nearly 2,700 kg, physics wins in the corners. Despite rear-wheel steering and brilliant Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres, it doesn't feel dramatically more agile than its competitors through turns. It's a straight-line hero that becomes merely competent when the road gets twisty. The regen paddles work well once you get past the backwards labelling, where the down paddle increases regen and vice versa.

Also, this is one of the loudest EVs I've tested. It makes sounds for everything: locking, unlocking, starting up, accelerating. You can dial the driving sounds from Comfort through Sport to Powerful, but it's a lot of artificial noise.

Practicality and Range

No front trunk. That's a significant miss in this segment. The rear cargo area is decent but not class-leading, and when your total storage is limited to just the back, it stings. Range is underwhelming for a battery this size, and charging speed lags behind competitors who offer significantly faster rates. Those are real everyday compromises.

Final Verdict

The AMG EQE SUV is the car you buy if the interior experience matters more than anything else to you. It's genuinely the most luxurious and comfortable cabin in the performance electric SUV segment. But it trades too much in range, charging speed, cargo space, and handling sharpness for that privilege. I'd still cross-shop this seriously, but for most buyers, the compromises outweigh the beautiful place you sit while making them.