Yahoo Autos 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV First Drive Review: Easy does it
LISBON, Portugal — The narrow ribbons of pavement along the Portuguese coast are stunning, but they don't exactly do the new Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV any favors. These winding roads call your attention to the EQE's somewhat stiff ride and wafty handling, and at no point do you feel compelled to toggle over to Dynamic mode and toss the EQE into a corner.
But you know, that's OK. Because once you're back in the city, the EQE totally redeems itself. The optional 10-degree rear-axle steering virtually shortens the wheelbase, making this midsize SUV easy-peasy to maneuver through tight European alleys. Available augmented reality navigation overlays ensure you never miss a turn, and once you've arrived at your destination, a standard 360-degree camera system makes parallel parking a snap.
Quiet, plush and effortless to drive; in 95% of the EQE SUV's use cases, it's a peach. The A-pillars are a little chunky, but an upright seating position gives you a commanding view of the world outside, and the SUV doesn't have the same annoyingly high cowl as the EQE and EQS sedans. There's seating for five, with supportive chairs wrapped in either real leather or MB-Tex synthetic upholstery, and a standard panoramic sunroof lets in plenty of light – until nighttime, anyway, at which point the 64-color ambient lighting steals the show.
You can get an EQE SUV with Mercedes' Hyperscreen infotainment system (below right), but the standard dual-display setup (below left) is still rich with features. There's a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster that's reconfigurable and packed with information, and the 12.8-inch central display has a logical menu structure, and can run both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto wirelessly. Honestly, I prefer the Hyperscreen-free setup, and I’m not alone here at Autoblog. There's enough digital real estate to satisfy technophiles, and if you spec an EQE SUV with open-pore wood trim, the overall dashboard look is really quite beautiful. Taken as a whole, the EQE has the same excellent level of fit and finish you'd expect from a Mercedes-Benz, but this cabin is plenty functional, too. The center console has a deep storage pocket, and there's a small cargo space underneath, with a pair of USB-C ports.
