Today’s match will pit the Mercedes EQA, the group’s latest electric SUV, against the Audi Q4 e-tron. The two Germans have serious assets to make them the vehicles of choice for many drivers wishing to switch to electric. Let’s figure out which one is right for you without further ado.
Mercedes and Audi have a lot to do in the electric car market, where they must convince their thermal customers to fall for their models rather than go to the competition. At the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, the proposals of the two German manufacturers are electric SUVs: on the one hand the Mercedes EQA, and on the other the Audi Q4 e-tron.
By taking design elements from thermal vehicles, Audi and Mercedes do not want to upset fans of their current cars. But between the two, which one should be preferred? It is to this question that we will try to answer in this face-to-face meeting.
Mercedes EQA and Audi Q4 e-tron technical sheets
| Model | Mercedes EQA | Audi Q4 e-tron |
|---|---|---|
| Category | SUV | SUV |
| Power (horsepower) | 190 horses | 299 horses |
| Power (kw) | 140 kW | 220 kW |
| 0 to 100 km / h | 8.9 seconds | 6.2 seconds |
| Autonomy level | Full autonomy | Full autonomy |
| Max speed | 160 km / h | 180 km / h |
| Main screen size | N / C | 11.6 inch |
| Car side sockets | Type 2 Combo (CCS) | Type 2 Combo (CCS) |
| Length | 4463 mm | 4588 mm |
| Height | 1620 mm | 1632 mm |
| Width | 2020 mm | 1865 mm |
| Entry-level price | 47,450 euros | 42,800 euros |
| Maximum weight | N / C | 1000 kg |
Product sheet See the test | Product sheet See the test |
Dimensions, weight and exterior design
The Mercedes EQA and its rounded exterior lines offer a rather successful design for an SUV. Its full front grille emphasizes the electric side of the vehicle, where a grille is more likely to be found on most petrol cars. Resolutely compact (4.46 meters long, 1.62 meters high and 1.84 meters wide), the EQA is suitable for our European roads.
The weight of the EQA is between 2,040 and 2,105 kilograms depending on the version, against between 1,890 and 2,135 kilograms for the Audi Q4 e-tron.
In terms of exterior design, the lines will be slightly more aggressive on the Audi SUV, especially on the fenders, and the grille at the front is more massive. Regulars of the brand will not be lost, that’s for sure. Finally, there is a vehicle longer than the EQA (4.59 meters) but which is equal in height (1.63 meters) and width (1.86 meters). This should be taken into account if your available length in the garage is particularly limited.
Inside
Impeccable finish and quality materials are in the spotlight on board the Mercedes EQA. The panoramic roof brings a feeling of space and a welcome brightness, while the electric seats with profile memory come to ensure a certain comfort for the driver and his passengers.
Some caveats are however to be noted on board: the available trunk volume is only 340 liters, and a central tunnel spoils the legroom for the middle passenger in the rear seats.
On the other hand, the Audi Q4 e-tron offers a volume of 520 liters in the rear trunk, and a roominess above what Mercedes offers with its EQA.
Legroom in the rear is quite generous, and there is no center tunnel, which is a plus when you have to travel with three passengers in the rear. The double-flattened steering wheel that equips the Q4 e-tron is finally equipped with many touch controls that we found too sensitive during our test.
Embedded technologies
The MBUX system equips the EQA: it offers a very complete interface, customizable at will, and on which there is not much to complain about. If desired, however, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are available. The dashboard is made up of two screens (behind the steering wheel, and in the center of the dashboard), and an augmented reality head-up display completes this instrument cluster.
Finally, with the driving assistance pack (optional), you will benefit from the adaptive cruise control / line-keeping assistance combo, to drive in semi-autonomy in many circumstances.
At Audi, the ergonomics of the infotainment system has also been worked on, and it shows. A central 10-inch screen completes the display located behind the steering wheel (where navigation can be displayed in particular in full screen), which can finally be supplemented by a head-up display depending on the versions and levels of equipment selected. .
On the road
Rather surprisingly, Mercedes made the choice to copy the driving of a thermal car on its EQA. Forget about one-pedal driving by maximizing regenerative braking, or even the immediate response under the accelerator pedal.
The emphasis is on comfort, with suspensions intelligently proportioned to absorb all the roughness of the road. One negative point still remains to be emphasized: the front of the SUV tends to rise during strong acceleration, which can cause the front axle to spin.
For its part, Audi has also made the choice of comfort to the detriment of performance with its Q4 e-tron. The soundproofing is particularly successful, and on the four-wheel drive versions, road holding is excellent.
The very natural driving position underlines the work carried out by the brand with the four rings to offer an interior in which you feel perfectly at home, and where the hours spent on board leave no trace. Finally, paddles on the steering wheel make it possible to finely adjust the desired level of regenerative braking, to satisfy all types of drivers.
The different engines offered
The Mercedes EQA is available with two different engines:
- EQA 250 with 66.5 kWh battery: front engine only (190 hp), 0 to 100 km / h in 8.9 seconds, top speed 160 km / h;
- EQA 350 4MATIC with 66.5 kWh battery: front and rear engine, all-wheel drive (292 hp), 0-100 km / h in 6 seconds, top speed 160 km / h;
Mercedes EQA
Audi France has opted for three versions of its Q4 e-tron:
- 35 e-tron: rear engine, rear-wheel drive, 0-100 km / h in 9.0 seconds, top speed 160 km / h;
- 40 e-tron: rear engine, rear-wheel drive, 0-100 km / h in 8.5 seconds, top speed 160 km / h.
- 50 e-tron quattro: front and rear engine, all-wheel drive, 0-100 km / h in 6.2 seconds, top speed 180 km / h.
Audi Q4 e-tron
Autonomy, battery and recharging
Available only with a 66.5 kWh battery, the Mercedes EQA has a WLTP range of up to 426 kilometers. It will be necessary to plan your journeys skillfully to compensate for the high consumption of the vehicle on the motorway, where traveling more than 300 kilometers in one go will be mission impossible.
Fast charging is limited to a maximum of 100 kW, and Mercedes announces it takes 30 minutes to go from 10 to 80% battery in ideal conditions. Finally, the 11 kW on-board charger will ensure a complete recharge in 6 hours on a suitable charging station.
At the level of the Audi Q4 e-tron, the announced WLTP range is between 310 kilometers and 472 kilometers, and the fast charging goes up to 125 kW on the most upscale versions. Allow around 7 hours to fully fill the battery on an 11 kW wallbox.
Price
With a starting price displayed at 50,000 euros, the Mercedes EQA cannot benefit from the maximum ecological bonus, and is therefore only discounted by 2,000 euros (against 6,000 currently for vehicles under 45,000 euros). The 4MATIC version for its part is excluded from the ecological bonus, with its starting price of 60,700 euros. Of course, the set of options, very popular with German manufacturers, can reach almost 70,000 euros on a high-end configuration.
Located below in terms of prices, the Audi Q4 e-tron starts at 42,800 euros excluding bonus, which amounts to 36,800 euros to pay in the end. He therefore selects the entry level without option, of course. And on the other side of the catalog, a Q4 e-tron 50 quattro, in Luxury Design finish with some additional options, will be displayed at just over 70,000 euros.
Which one to choose between the Mercedes EQA and the Audi Q4 e-tron?
For customers who are looking for an SUV that does not change their driving habits compared to a thermal vehicle, there is no doubt that the Mercedes EQA will bring them satisfaction. But today, it is undoubtedly not the best in electric driving, and the Audi Q4 e-tron will offer a much more pleasant experience if the driver is ready to change his automatisms, especially in this regard. which concerns regenerative braking.
However, the materials and build quality of the EQA are valuable assets. Unfortunately for it, its much higher starting price than the Q4 e-tron makes it a very expensive vehicle, even at the entry level. It will be necessary to determine what matters most to you: to have slightly more autonomy and to choose the EQA, or to privilege the volume of trunk, the space in the back and the low price to select the Q4 e-tron.
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