First impressions: Mercedes-AMG EQE 43 4MATIC

06 June 2022

Mercedes-Benz introduced the AMG versions of the EQE sedan back in February this year but the cars themselves were hardly available to order and spotting one was nearly impossible. Mercedes is clearly working hard on electrifying its entire range and the cars are getting a very positive reception. We got to spend some time with a dark grey AMG EQE 43 at the Sofia Motor Show 2022 and to see what all the fuss is about.

What we have here is a Graphite Metallic Mercedes-AMG EQE 43 4MATIC, riding on 20” AMG rims and equipped with the optional Hyperscreen. When AMG first announced it was going to offer two faster versions of the EQE sedan, there was an argument that really the only one of them was going to be a “real” AMG.

The AMG EQE 43 comes with two electric motors giving it 476hp (350kW) and the motors were “tuned” by AMG - the company massaged 50kW extra compared to the EQE 500 but left the torque figure untouched at 858Nm.

The AMG EQE 53 4MATIC has a bespoke rear motor developed by AMG giving it total 626 horsepower (460kW) and 950Nm, which is more inline with the AMG’s history of producing some of the most outrageous engines for high volume cars. Both AMG versions are quick - the 43 takes 4.2 seconds and the 53 takes 3.5 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100kmh. Both cars are all-wheel-drive and both are powered by 90.6 kWh battery pack giving them WLTP range of either 532km (AMG 43) or 518km (AMG 53).

Top speed isn’t as impressive as AMG made us used to, no more 200mph and screaming V8 engines - the electric AMG EQE 43 tops out at 210kmh (130mph) and the AMG 53 cuts off at 220kmh (137mph). We believe this is purely marketing exercise though - if you want your AMG to go faster you gotta fork out more for the D+ version of the EQE 53 which comes with 687hp (505kW) and 1,000 Nm of torque pushing the car all the way to 240 kmh (149 mph) of top speed. Soon enough we can expect either D++ version or D+ Black Edition that will come with even more oomph at the press of a button (and a wave of the wallet).

The AMG EQE 43 comes equipped with 20” Pirelli ZERO tyres hugging the AMG rims, the design is an update of the classic 5 spoke AMG star that we have seen on so many cars before. This time around there is more focus on making the wheel aerodynamic in an effort to increase the range of the car - not sure if any AMG driver will waste a second of their time thinking about hypermiling while smashing the accelerator into the floor, but it never hurts to have the extra range.

The front of the car gets the usual AMG treatment with large air intakes flanking a big grille with vertical bars and a 3 pointed star sitting proudly in the middle. Mercedes and AMG still struggle with reinventing the front of an electric car and are not sure how to otherwise make a menacing looking sports car without a giant grille trying to swallow you every time you come too close. The grille is part of ICE legacy and we are more than happy to see it go.

The photos don’t do this car justice, it appears short, almost as short as the AMG CLA, but in reality it is 27cm longer, that’s nearly a whole foot. The wheels are pushed far into the corners giving the car a really dynamic look and making it deceptively short.

Despite the EQE looking like a hatchback it is a 4 door sedan with a small boot lid with a sizable spoiler on it. The boot itself is deep but narrow with the opening limiting the size of items that you can stash in there. It is not an E-Class replacement as Mercedes-Benz would like us to think. The boot is small, it may be deep but trying to put a few suitcases in, quickly proves the numbers on the paper don’t really tell the whole story - family ski trip is only possible with small luggage and without skis.

Jumping inside instantly transports you into the future - there is no hiding the giant Hyperscreen which unashamedly puts absolutely everything on display. The initial impression is just a lack of words, followed by a long gasp and shy first touch. After a few minutes the feeling of overwhelment settles in and you start looking for the off button. It will take some getting used to it for sure but there is no denying that when it comes to size - Mercedes wins it hands down.

All the information you could have ever wanted can be displayed in many possible ways, setting this car up to your own preference can take a few hours but having a map of this size clearly helps you navigate places you’ve never been to before - that alone justifies the Hyperscreen. The other reason would be watching movies while charging the AMG EQE 43. And, of course, impressing the passengers.

Buttons and switches made their way to the steering wheel, with the entire center console taken over by the screen. Few touch buttons are left by the cup holder - namely the START/STOP button and the fingerprint sensor which is really a clever addition and makes you ask - why it took automakers so long? We have had fingerprint sensors in the phones for 10 years!

The buttons on the steering wheel are plentiful, they are all capacitive and two are multi-directional, there are two rotating switches at the bottom of the wheel responsible for driving mode and a menu display selector. The steering wheel itself is really nice, it is small with a flat bottom and really thick, it feels solid when you grab it and it feels super nice to handle. Two paddle shifters behind the wheels are responsible for adjusting the regenerative braking.

The driver’s display can be configured in many ways, going from sporty to classic and the color of the display can be complemented by the ambient lighting in the car. As for the comfort - this is Mercedes-Benz after all.

We have leather sports seats, heated and ventilated at the front with the rear seats mimicking the design and clearly pointing out that the rear is meant for two passengers. On a short trip the middle passenger will survive just fine but a longer journey would be a punishment. Both front and rear seats are comfortable and supportive if a bit on a harder side. Quality of the leather is top notch.

We didn’t get a chance to drive the AMG EQE 43 but the time we spent with it was enough to confirm that this is a rather large and very comfortable EV, clearly a Mercedes-Benz with enough AMG logos to make sure you can never forget what you really are driving.

The quality is really high, the comfort is perfect for 4 passengers as long as they don't have a lot of luggage. Performance figures are promising and we are absolutely sure this car has the performance of a true AMG. Making the driver smile is its primary job and it does it well, looking as a high performance car is its secondary job and it struggles here. It has the wheels, it has the spoiler but the overall shape of the car doesn’t really lend itself well to visual modifications.

Which probably is good as it will appeal to those customers who prefer the underrated looks, the stealth performance crew. Very important car for both Mercedes-Benz and AMG as they push hard to electrify the entire model range and don't want to dilute the image of luxury and performance.

Is it an E-Class replacement? Not at all. It’s a new car in its own right, a new chapter for AMG and MB and we have some getting used to ahead of us.