2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4MATIC Review

Three times complete strangers came up to me and asked about the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4MATIC.

Having neighbors inquire about the latest vehicle occupying my driveway is a common occurrence. But rarely do random people approach me with questions on what I’m driving. This week though was different. Once when leaving my son’s swimming lesson, once at the grocery store, and once while at a charging station this happened.

The car they all wanted to know more about is Mercedes-Benz’ latest all-electric offering, the EQE Sedan. As the name suggests, this is the electric equivalent to Mercedes’ current E-Class sedan. Measuring in at 196.9-inches (4,995 mm) in length, it’s about 2-inches longer than the E class, but just under a foot shorter than the larger EQS Sedan.

The EQE has a strikingly different profile than the E-Class though, which makes it easily identifiable as a Mercedes, yet something different than the brand’s usual offerings. To achieve a 0.22 coefficient of drag, the height of the EQE is 59.5-inches (1,513 mm), which means the roof sits 3.4-inches lower than that of the E-Class’s. Combine that with the long wheelbase and the EQE looks longer than it really is.

The EQE comes in four basic configurations. The entry level is the 350+ Sedan that features rear-wheel drive and a 288 hp motor that makes 417 lb-ft of torque. The next step up is the 350 4MATIC sedan that uses all-wheel drive and a dual motor set-up that still produces 288 hp but an increased 564 lb-ft of torque.

For our test we have the 500 4MATIC Sedan. It features all-wheel drive with the dual motors pumped up to generate 402 hp and 633 lb-ft of torque. If this still isn’t enough oomph, there is the AMG EQE Sedan with 617 hp and 701 lb-ft of torque on tap.

But back to the EQE 500 4MATIC. Using a single speed automatic, Mercedes claims it is good for a 0 to 60 mph time of just 4.5 seconds. That’s plenty quick and feels every part of it in real world use. But it’s not mind-altering quick, which sounds ridiculous for a car capable of sub-five-second 0 to 60 mph runs. But it’s an indication of just how spoiled we are with ridiculously swift EVs these days. It’s readjusting our goal posts for what quick is.

The power delivery from EQE 500’s drivetrain is preposterously smooth. It’s one of the smoothest electric vehicles we’ve driven. There’s a lack of sea-sick motions that other EVs suffer from. Whether on power or off power, no sudden surges of torque or regenerative braking upset the vehicle’s natural motions.

Juicing the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4MATIC Sedan is a 90.6 kWh battery pack. It can be recharged at speeds up to 170 kW and is officially rated to deliver 260 mile (418 km) of range.

With our tester riding on winter tires and temperatures hovering around the freezing mark, we fully expected a negative effect on that range during our test. Yet there wasn’t. We were still seeing around 246 miles (397 km) of real-world range, which is phenomenal for these conditions. Official energy consumption is listed at 83 MPGe city and 82 MPGe highway.

Of course, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4MATIC Sedan is carrying a lot of weight, 5,424 lbs (2,460 kg) to be exact. Add in a long 122.8-inch (3,119 mm) wheelbase, and maneuverability could be an issue for this car. To overcome physics, the EQE is offered with either 4.5-degrees of rear axle steering or a 10-degree rear wheel steering system as found in our tester.

This allows the car to perform tighter turns at slow speeds as the rear wheels turn opposite the front. For plenty of EVs, turning radius is an issue, and the EQE’s trick rear steering evaporates these concerns. At higher speeds, the rear wheels turn the same direction as those in the front, for smoother lane changes. All four corners of the car wear 235/50R19 tires.

With this set-up, the EQE’s handling feels wholly acceptable for this segment. It feels reassuring, stable, and predictable. It’s somewhat responsive, and overall feels very much like a E 550 4MATIC. Mercedes did a good job having this EV mimic its gasoline sibling’s driving characteristics, but with an even quieter driving experience.

As is our climate, a sizeable snowstorm hit during our evaluation period. The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4MTIC Sedan handles snowy conditions fantastic, of course when equipped with proper winter tires. At highway speeds in snowy/slushy conditions, it feels quite stable. Even while changing lanes through transport truck created snow-ruts, the car continues straight with minimal deviation. Chalk this up to the car’s hefty weight and four-wheel steering.

On snow covered city roads, the drivetrain is evident in its rear-wheel drive-bias. We can feel the backend want to rotate during exaggerated acceleration before the front wheels increase grip to help keep the car pointed straight.

One nuisance we notice during these winter conditions has to do with the trunk. In an effort for maximum aerodynamic efficiency, the rear window lacks a lip to keep snow and slush out. Any melting snowy muck on the trunk lid falls onto the rear window when it opens, which then slides off the window and straight into the trunk. The car could benefit from a bigger channel behind the rear window to catch this watery, slushy, snowy mess.

As should be expected for a larger sedan like this, the interior is accommodating for both front and rear seat passengers. Up front, occupants receive 40.1 inches of headroom and 41.7 inches of legroom. Riders in the back get 38.0 inches of headroom and 38.2 inches of legroom.

As the numbers suggest, adults easily fit in either row and will enjoy four-zone climate control, optional heated seats, as well as a panoramic glass roof. Front seat passengers also receive optional ventilated seats with a massage function.

The interior is offered in a variety of finishes and textures. The modern, minimalist appearance may not be for everyone, but we quite like it. There are plenty of details that stand out like the HVAC vent covers, and dashboard finish.

On the tech front, there’s a large, color head-up display and massive center screen with features like Google maps navigation. As is all the rage right now, the EQE features customizable ambient lights. The default pulsating ambient lights are a bit intense, as a simple drive home turns the car into a banging club. We do like how the ambient lights turn red and flash as an additional warning for lane departure.

Not everything was flawless with the car though. Some of the touch controls can be unresponsive and finicky. The moonroof controls, steering wheel navigation pads, and the volume controls were especially frustrating at times. Give us clickable buttons or rotating knobs please and not these sliders. They are much easier to use on the fly and require less concentration.

The door handles can also be a bit frustrating. They were over eager to pop out when we weren’t really approaching the car with the key in our pocket, and at other times, it took multiple attempts to get the handles to pop out when standing right at the car. In fairness to Mercedes-Benz, this is an issue we come across with nearly every vehicle that has proximity-based pop-out handles.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4MTIC Sedan starts at a price of $87,050 in the United States after destination charges, or $95,000 CAD in Canada. That puts the EQE 500’s price right around that of an entry-level Tesla Model S and undercuts the Audi e-tron GT.

Our tester is the top-of-the-line Pinnacle trim and includes items like the AMG Line Exterior Package, Multicontour Front Seats with Massage, Nappa Leather, MANUFAKTUR Alpine Grey non-metallic paint, and 10-degree rear wheel steering. That puts the as tested price to $104,600 American or $120,505 CAD for our Canadian readers.

We’re still at a point in time where owning an electric vehicle is an experience. It’s something different, unique, and for many, wholly new. The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4MATIC Sedan succeeds in making the owner feel they’re driving something uncommon and exclusive. It’s part of the ownership many buyers in this segment still want.

Mercedes-Benz could have done a full EV treatment to the E-Class, and probably succeeded. But with the creation of the stand-alone EQE Sedan, customers, and those around them, know this is a special all-electric Mercedes-Benz. It happens to be a well-executed luxury car as well.