Mercedes-Benz EQA 250

Mercedes-Benz joins the high-voltage party with an all-rounder that impresses. Import duties remain a large stumbling block

Reminiscent of the gold rush R days in the 1880s, there is frenetic advancement happening overseas in the haste to migrate to EVs. They all said it was coming to a continent near us, and it is already here.

Casting aside the problems of Eskom and load shedding for now, we take a look at the Mercedes-Benz EQA to see how it stacks up against others such as the BMW iX3 and the Volvo XC40 Recharge.

Size-wise, the EQA is the baby of the Mercedes' new EV family, spun off a version of the MFA2 platform that underpins many A-Class-based models. The ever increasing size of cars is becoming a problem on our old roads and limited space in parking bays, so this EQA is a breath of fresh air. The size will be spot-on for most families, with just one exception, which we will tackle later.

Regarding its styling, it looks the part with the de rigeur single-bar taillamp array and a minimal rear overhang. The interior is beautifully finished. It has a vast flat-screen instrument binnacle area combined with the touchscreen display. The air vents follow the tried-and-tested route of circular dials, and satin aluminium bevels and rose-gold spokes for adjustment. It may sound ostentatious, but it has been elegantly executed.