Mercedes EQE saloon - Interior & comfort

The Mercedes EQE lives up to its high price when you get inside (as long as you forget how many parts are shared with the cheaper C-Class). Quality is excellent, both in terms of the materials used and how well they’re put together. It feels modern and luxurious, and exposes the Tesla Model S’s interior for being 10 years old. Given the choice, we’d much rather spend extended periods of time in the Mercedes than the Tesla.

Not that the EQE is perfect. The driving position feels oddly high for a saloon, but it doesn’t help visibility a great deal, since the side windows and rear screen, in particular, are so slim that some drivers can feel a little claustrophobic. In some ways it’s better at night, when that spectacular dashboard and several interior features are bathed in the glow of ambient lighting.

Mercedes EQE dashboard

We mentioned on the last page that the EQE shares its underpinnings with the more expensive Mercedes EQS; the interior has plenty of similarities, too. A 12.3-inch digital dial cluster sits behind the steering wheel and provides all the required driving information, while media and navigation are taken care of by a 12.8-inch touchscreen that takes up most of the height of the centre console.

The touchscreen is fantastic to use when you’re stationary – it’s responsive, quick, easy to use and great to look at. It’s a shame there aren’t more physical buttons for things like the air conditioning, because prodding at the screen to adjust the temperature can be difficult to do on the move.

Even more hi-tech is the futuristic Hyperscreen setup that is available as an option on sporty AMG models. Consisting of three individual displays, this setup measures a whopping 56 inches in diameter and is one of the most impressive setups in the entire car industry.

Equipment

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UK buyers love Mercedes’ sporty-looking AMG Line trim, so that makes up the bulk of the range, though Mercedes introduced a more affordable Sport model to the UK lineup in 2023. Aside from the entry-level car, your options are AMG Line, AMG Line Premium, AMG Line Premium Plus and an Exclusive Luxury model that doesn’t look so athletic. There’s also the AMG EQE 53 which comes in either Night Edition or Touring guise.

Standard equipment includes 19-inch wheels, a reversing camera with parking sensors, heated front seats and a heat pump – which also helps condition the battery for optimal performance in colder weather. That’s not all, as you also get LED headlights, Mercedes’ 12.3-inch gauge cluster and 12.8-inch infotainment screen with MBUX software, dual-zone climate control and faux leather upholstery.

AMG Line adds sportier AMG styling, a panoramic sunroof, privacy glass, sports pedals and figure hugging seats. AMG Line Premium adds four-zone air conditioning, memory front seats, keyless start, more advanced ambient lighting and Mercedes’ Driving Assistance package, which we’ll cover in the ‘safety’ section of the review.

Spec the AMG Line Premium Plus and you also get air suspension, adaptive headlights with a 650-metre high-beam range, a head-up display, a heated windscreen, augmented reality sat-nav (projecting directions onto a view of the road in front of you) and a Burmester sound system. 

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The EQE Exclusive Luxury version has a greater focus on the interior climate, with ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel. It also gets comfort seats and walnut wood trim.

Both the AMG EQE 53 Night Edition and Touring models get a more aggressive bodykit, with a more pronounced boot spoiler. The former gets a smattering of gloss black exterior trim and a set of matching aerodynamic alloy wheels, whereas the latter replaces this with chrome and a set of diamond-cut alloys.

On the inside, AMG cars get digital displays on the steering, wheel which can adjust certain settings such as the traction control and throttle response. In typical performance car fashion, there is also plenty of Alcantara suede trim on the door panels and

 dashboard.

Options

Nine paint colours are available, with most being black, grey or silver. While standard EQE models have very few optional extras, AMG cars can be specified with the expansive Hyperscreen infotainment setup for around an eye-watering £8,500. Exclusive to the Night Edition model, there is also the AMG Performance Package which costs around £9,500. This includes a set of lightweight carbon-ceramic brakes, adaptive suspension dampers, a track driving mode and a lap timing function.

Technology

At the heart of the EQE is Mercedes’ latest MBUX infotainment system. The voice recognition system wakes when you say “Hey Mercedes”, and can set the sat-nav destination, phone contacts and find a music playlist, among other things. We’re told it can understand different accents, and that it works out which occupant spoke to it; if the front passenger says they’re cold, the system will only raise their temperature, for example.