Mercedes EQC Review & Prices

They say the sound of silence can be deafening. In that case, electric cars such as the Mercedes EQC are making quite the racket.

A new raft of silent electric cars such as the Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X is starting to, if not roar, certainly hum loudly enough to turn heads, and the Mercedes EQC stands out in even this exalted company.

Rather than look overtly sporty or futuristic, the EQC looks like a slinkier, more elegant version of traditional Mercedes SUVs. At the front, there’s a sweeping chrome grille that flows into two narrow headlights while at the side you’ll spot a curvier roofline and some more shapely window openings than on the likes of the Mercedes GLC and GLE.

It’s a similar story inside, where the Mercedes EQC doesn’t look or feel radically different from any other Mercedes on sale. Sure, you get some neon-blue details and a set of square air vents in place of the round turbine-like items in most Mercedes cars, but the metal switches on the centre console and dual-screen infotainment system look just like those in the GLC.

Watch our electric SUV group test: Audi e-tron v BMW iX v Mercedes EQC

The infotainment system itself is very easy to use, and actually edges out the systems in the Audi e-tron and Jaguar I-Pace for general intuitiveness, if not the space infotainment in the BMW iX. The central display works as a touchscreen, but there’s also a touchpad on the centre console and some touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel which makes it easier to sift through the high-resolution menus when you’re driving. The system’s party piece, however, is the ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice-control feature which understands commands said in plain English.

Less exciting – but arguably more important – is the Mercedes EQC’s roomy cabin. There’s more than enough space for four adults to stretch out and each seat has ample support to help you feel as fresh as a daisy after a long drive – unlike in some SUVs with oddly low rear seating positions.

There isn’t quite so much to shout about when you come to load the Mercedes EQC’s 500-litre boot. It’s smaller than the load bays you get in an I-Pace, e-tron and Model X, but there’s still space for a few large suitcases or a couple of sets of golf clubs.

The EQC officially goes 255 miles between full charges. It’ll take you around 75 minutes to get it to 80% charge on a 50kWh fast charger when out and about, or nearly 13 hours using a 7kWh charger at home.

You’ll find the Mercedes EQC soaks up bumps and potholes impressively well around town and it takes uneven road surfaces in its stride once you’re out in the countryside too. It even has a clever all-wheel-drive system that’ll run in front, rear or all-wheel drive depending on your situation.

Turn onto a motorway and things get even better. Like a mouse hoarding loft insulation away in its nest, Mercedes’ engineers have packed the EQC with layer upon layer of sound deadening to eliminate almost all wind and tyre noise.

Still, the EQC’s advanced driver assistance systems help relieve the stress of long drives. Just like in other Mercedes models, these let the car accelerate, brake and steer for you to keep you within your lane – providing you keep your hands on the wheel.

All this makes the Mercedes EQC one of the best electric cars on sale. It’s noticeably cheaper than the Audi e-tron too, but it’ll still set you back significantly more than the Ford Mustang Mach-E plus most petrol and diesel-powered alternatives. Still, you can save thousands when you buy the car through carwow. To see how much you could save, check out the latest Mercedes EQC deals to see how much you could save. Or if you'd prefer a used Mercedes EQC then check out our used page.

The EQC sits between its main rivals the BMW iX and Audi e-tron in terms of price and range. It doesn’t have the space-age feel of the BMW, which was designed from the ground up to be an electric car, but it is newer and fresher than the Audi, which went on sale a year earlier.

The Mercedes EQC’s quiet and relaxing to drive, although you do feel the weight of its heavy batteries in corners

In town

The Mercedes EQC is a surprisingly good town car for a relatively large SUV.

A lot of that is down to the silent electric powertrain, which gives the EQC effortless performance off the line thanks to its instant thrust and four-wheel drive grip. The EQC’s brakes aren’t as grabby as they are in some SUVs and you can set the regen to slow the car when you take your foot off the throttle.

The suspension is also pretty good at isolating you from what’s going on. That being said, you do hear larger bumps being transmitted into the cabin and the EQC’s hefty weight means it can crash down on its suspension over speed humps. Low-speed manoeuvring is a mixed bag. Okay, so the large A-pillar and small rear window hamper your view, but the steering is light and the Mercedes has a tighter turning circle than either the Audi e-tron or BMW iX.

All EQCs come with parking sensors and a reversing camera, but for a full 360-degree camera you’ll need to specify the Premium Plus model, which also has auto-park.

At least fast charging comes as standard and the Mercedes can preheat its battery to give you its maximum 110kW charging speeds straight off the bat. You can recharge the battery from 0-80% using a public fast charger, while it will take around six hours using a wall-mounted charger at home.

On the motorway

Out on the motorway, the Mercedes remains very quiet. Sure, you do notice a little wind flutter around the wind mirrors and a tiny bit of tyre roar but that’s mostly because there’s no engine noise whatsoever.

Adding to the EQC’s waft-ability is the suspension which smooths out larger bumps very well, although it can fidget slightly over smaller road imperfections. If you regularly spend hours on the motorway, do yourself a favour and specify the optional Driving Assistance pack which can accelerate, brake and steer the car autonomously. The pack also boosts safety by adding a blind-spot-warning system and Evasive Steering Assist, which can take control of the car to steer you around an imminent collision.

Twisty road

Mercedes didn’t design the EQC with hard cornering in mind, but it remains tidy in bends, only struggling through corners when its sizable weight overawes the tyres' grip. An Audi e-tron and certainly the BMW iX3 is better when the road goes bendy, the EQC is by no means out of its depth.

While the Mercedes isn’t exactly agile on country roads, it is quick, the instant power of the electric motors means you can slingshot out of bends and the car’s four-wheel drive system gives it plenty of grip on slippery roads.

The Mercedes EQC has a roomy back seat and a boot that can cater for family needs but it isn’t the most spacious EV of its type

Every part of the EQC’s driver’s seat is electrically adjustable, so you’re not going to struggle to get comfortable. As a result, getting the angle of the backrest just right is easy and cranking up the height of the seat doesn’t feel like a mini workout. You also get features not offered in lesser EVs including adjustable thigh support and four-way lumbar adjustment.

With all these variables, you’d think a seat memory function would be a given but it’s only fitted to the top-of-the-range Premium Plus model. So you’ll need this top-end specification if you want to return the seat to your driving position at the touch of a button.

Mercedes has been more generous with interior storage. The EQC has door bins that’ll swallow a 1.5-litre bottle of water, the glovebox is a decent size, you get two cup holders on the centre console and more storage under the front-centre armrest.

Sit in the back and you’ll find Mercedes’ trademark aeroplane-style pockets on the backs of the front seats, door bins that are slightly smaller than the ones in front and a centre armrest with two more cup holders.

Space in the back seat

The Mercedes EQC is based on the regular GLC so you don’t get the feeling of palatial interior space you get in a BMW iX, which was designed from the ground up to be electric.

Having said that, space in the back is still pretty decent, you get plenty of headroom and a reasonable amount of knee room. The Mercedes back seats aren’t set oddly low as you’ll find in some EVs.

Boot space

The Mercedes EQC’s boot is smaller than an Audi e-tron’s (500 litres versus 660) but it is still very well designed with a large load opening and a low load lip that makes it easy to hulk awkward luggage into the back. You also get storage under the floor – handy if you want to hide a soft bag.

You yank a couple of buttons in the boot to drop the Mercedes’ rear seats and they fold flat to make it easier to load awkward cargo like an adult’s bike. The uneven floor in an Audi e-tron means it is tricker to make full use of its space with the seats down.

Impressive large infotainment screens, although the voice activation can’t quite match the best smartphones

Like any Mercedes SUV, the EQC’s interior is dominated by a pair of large infotainment screens that are housed under a single pane of glass.

It can be operated directly using the centre touchscreen which has large icons that are relatively easy to press on the move, but you also get a touchpad controller in between the front seats, while touch-sensitive buttons on the steering wheel control the digital instrument binnacle.

The whole lot is powered by Mercedes’ MBUX operating system meaning most of the car’s system is voice-activated, so saying “Hey Mercedes, I’m cold” instructs the car to turn up the heater.

It’s a pretty good system, though not as accurate as your smartphone’s voice activation which you can use on the car’s big screen via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Mercedes has given the EQC various touches that mark its cabin out from conventional models. You get high-tech-looking air vents with metallic touches that imitate copper wiring and electric blue highlights. The ribbed trims that circle the front seats are supposed to emulate the cooling fins on electrical components.

The result is a cabin that feels better built and looks classier than a Tesla Model X, however, an Audi e-tron’s cabin feels even more solid and the BMW iX’s ultra-modern design is more striking.

The Mercedes EQC is powered by two electric motors – one on the front axle, the other at the back – which combine to produce 408hp, getting the Mercedes from 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds. They’re hooked up to an 80kWh lithium Ion battery which gives the EQC an official range of up to 255 miles under the official testing cycle.

On carwow’s four-mile motorway test, the EQC chewed through electricity at a rate of 2.3 mi/kWh slightly pipping the Audi e-tron and BMW iX. Having said that, the EQC could only manage a maximum in-town range of 192 miles – one mile better than the Audi e-tron can manage, but some way off the 242 miles posted by the top-of-the-range BMW iX.

On a more positive note, the EQC – like every EV – is exempt from paying road tax.

The Mercedes EQC was crash tested by Euro NCAP in 2019 and was awarded five stars, posting scores of 96% for adult protection and 90% for child occupant protection. Standard safety kit includes automatic emergency braking that works inside and outside of town and can detect pedestrians, cyclists and other cars.

You also get Mercedes’ Urban Guard alarm system fitted as standard, which includes tow-away protection and an interior motion sensor. A three-year vehicle tracking subscription is also included.

You can expect the Mercedes EQC to be more reliable than one of the firm’s petrol or diesel models thanks to its electric motors having fewer moving parts. Maintenance should also be cheaper because the EQC’s regenerative brakes mean there’s less pad and disc wear and you don’t need to worry about expensive oil changes either.

The Mercedes comes with a three-year/unlimited-mileage warranty, while the battery is covered for 100,000 miles or eight years. It’s reassuring to know because the EQC has been subject to several recalls covering things like faulty wiring harnesses, corroded battery housings and broken side impact sensors.