2026 Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 4MATIC SUV Review: A 1,700-km Test Across Germany and Austria

A long drive tells you more than any spec sheet ever will.

We picked up the EQE 500 SUV in Stuttgart. That matters because this is where Mercedes-Benz figured out how cars should drive and feel. From the first few kilometres, it felt like a real trip, not a test. Over the week, we drove 1,701 km through Germany and Austria. Autobahn, mountain passes, small villages, cold mornings, long days. This is where an electric family SUV either gets tiring or quietly does its job. The EQE SUV did its job.

On the Autobahn, the power is always there, but never dramatic. With 408 horsepower and 633 lb-ft of torque, it just moves forward without fuss. At 160 km/h, it feels relaxed. At 180, still calm. Even near its limit, the cabin stays quiet. You arrive sooner than you think, and less tired. That lack of fatigue becomes a theme very quickly.

Crossing into Austria and heading up the Grossglockner, the EQE SUV felt heavy, but controlled. The steering stayed accurate, the body stayed steady, and rear-axle steering helped when the road tightened. Coming down from Edelweissspitze, regenerative braking felt natural. The car slows down smoothly. You guide it, not manage it. Mercedes has clearly improved this since our first experience with the EQE lineup. Before, things felt slightly disjointed. Now, the systems work together. Trust comes quickly.

Energy consumption reflects how the car is driven. On paper, the EQE SUV promises 530 km of WLTP range. In real life, it depends. Over the full trip, including fast Autobahn stretches and cold conditions, we averaged 27.6 kWh/100 km. On a speed-limited highway, consumption dropped to 24.0 kWh/100 km. In the city, it fell to 19.3 kWh/100 km. On Austria’s winding mountain roads, it settled at 18.9 kWh/100 km, which is genuinely impressive for a vehicle this size. Drive it smoothly, and it rewards you. Push it hard, and physics takes over. That honesty is refreshing.

Charging never became a concern. Mercedes quotes up to 200 kW DC fast charging, and in real use, we consistently saw between 166 and 170 kW. Most stops lasted between 26 and 37 minutes. Long enough to stretch, grab a coffee, maybe start an episode on Ridevu, but rarely long enough to finish it. That says more than any brochure claim. At home, the EQE SUV fit easily into daily life. Charging from our solar setup was simple. Plug in, walk away, wake up to a full battery powered by the sun. That routine quietly changes how you think about driving an SUV.

Inside, the EQE SUV wins you over without trying. After hours behind the wheel, you notice what doesn’t happen. The seats never distract. The comfort headrests actually help, especially at speed, reducing neck fatigue on long drives. They feel closer to a lounge chair than a traditional car seat. The Burmester sound system fills the cabin evenly and cleanly. Some competitors do better, but it never annoys or distorts. The EQ sound profiles are more divisive. We often turned them off and let the car stay quiet. This is not a vehicle that needs a soundtrack.

Family use felt natural. Installing child seats was straightforward. ISOFIX anchors are easy to reach. Door openings are wide enough that you do not twist your back while securing everything. Once installed, there is enough space for everyone to stay comfortable. Rear passengers get the same calm ride as those in front, which matters when kids are trying to sleep.

Technology mostly stays out of the way. The large MBUX screens are there when needed and fade into the background when not. Augmented-reality navigation proved useful in unfamiliar cities and mountain regions. One feature stood out: buying e-Vignettes directly from the car while driving across Europe. No stopping at roadside shops. No dealing with stickers. The passenger can handle it from their screen while you keep driving. It sounds minor. On a long trip, it is not. Design remains a question mark. The EQE SUV does not look like a traditional Mercedes SUV. It is smooth and rounded. Some will like it. Others will not. After a week, you stop thinking about how it looks and start understanding why it looks this way. Parked next to newer models like the GLC, it is clear Mercedes is already moving on stylistically. The EQ design feels like a chapter, not the end of the story.

Size is another reality check. In Europe, the EQE SUV is wide. Parking garages can be challenging. At one point, exiting through the trunk was the only realistic option. In North America, this would barely register. In Europe, it becomes part of ownership.

Buy it or skip it

Why we would buy it

• Long-distance comfort with real Autobahn capability

• Strong charging performance and everyday refinement

Why would we skip it

• Polarising design and wide footprint for European cities

• Efficiency drops quickly at sustained high speeds

Key specifications

Power and performance

• 408 hp (300 kW)

• 633 lb-ft (858 Nm)

Acceleration

• 0–100 km/h in 4.7 seconds

Drivetrain

• All-wheel drive

Top speed

• 210 km/h on summer tires

• 180 km/h limit on winter tires

Electric range

• 530 km WLTP

• 425 km announced by Mercedes-Benz Canada

Battery

• 96 kWh usable high-voltage EV battery

Energy consumption (WLTP)

• 19.2 kWh/100 km combined

Starting price (Germany)

• €99,841

We ended the trip at the Mercedes-Benz Museum. After days on the road, walking inside shifts your perspective. You do not just see cars. You see time passing. Each floor shows how mobility evolved with the world around it. And the beginning of that story is Carl Benz. In the late 1800s, he did more than invent an engine. He changed how people moved. Early vehicles like the Benz Victoria show how quickly the idea matured, moving from experimentation to everyday use. The Mercedes-Simplex followed, already understanding balance, cooling, and weight distribution. Concepts that still matter today.

The museum does not glorify nostalgia. It shows continuity. Innovation responding to the needs of its time. After the last drive, what stayed with us was not the numbers. It was how little effort the trip required. How calm everyone felt at the end of the day. How the car never demanded attention or made us work harder than necessary.

The Mercedes-Benz EQE 500 SUV is not an emotional car in the traditional sense. It does not thrill or entertain. But it does something harder. It removes friction from long-distance family travel. And once you get used to that, it is difficult to go back.