The electric car is rapidly maturing. The youngest models are getting further and further on a full battery and are not standing still at the charging station for as long. But what is the ideal electric SUV? Is the Mercedes EQA right, or do the Skoda Enyaq iV and Volkswagen ID.4 show how it can be done better?
Three test cars that fit the current state of automotive business: the Mercedes EQA 250, the Skoda Enyaq iV 80 and the Volkswagen ID.4 Pro. They run entirely on electricity, are packed in a spacious and modern SUV body and offer plenty of functionality via a comprehensive digital multimedia system. Nevertheless, the Mercedes EQA sails a completely different course than the Skoda Enyaq and the Volkswagen ID.4 – especially read the full comparison test Car Review number 9, which you can order in our webshop.
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The Mercedes EQA is a modified GLA
Mercedes is putting the battery pack and the electric powertrain in a model that was primarily developed for petrol and diesel engines. The EQA does not hide its affiliations with the Mercedes GLA. That would not fit either: Mercedes has already placed the 66.5 kWh battery pack there. The batteries of the EQA can be charged with a capacity of 100 kW. You recognize the Mercedes EQA by the different nose and derrière.
Compared to the Skoda Enyaq and Volkswagen ID.4, the Mercedes EQA is a lot shorter and narrower. So there is much less space available to store all electrical equipment. You notice that immediately as soon as you get in. Especially in the back, the occupants come off badly. Same song for the luggage compartment. Because the batteries had to be placed somewhere, the Mercedes EQA only has 340 to 1320 liters of loading volume to offer. A trailer of 750 kilograms may be attached to the towbar.
The Skoda Enyaq offers by far the most space
In terms of packaging, the Skoda Enyaq and Volkswagen ID.4 are a (big) step further than the Mercedes EQA. Both models from the VW stable are on the electric MEB platform, where the 77 kWh batteries (maximum charging capacity: 125 kW) form an integral part of the floor. The Cupra Born and the Audi Q4 E-Tron are also on this platform. A very clever construction, it turns out, because the Enyaq iV and ID.4 offer much more space than the Mercedes EQA not only because of their extra length and width.
The Enyaq iV would be unworthy of the Skoda logo if it didn’t offer even more space than the Volkswagen ID.4. Every now and then you wonder what to do with so much space… The Enyaq iV has a much more angular shape, especially at the rear, which is beneficial for the available head and luggage space. The cargo space swallows no less than 585 to 1710 liters of cats and suitcases. The Skoda Enyaq iV is allowed to tow a trailer with a (braked) weight of 1000 kilos.
Volkswagen ID.4: space is not a problem
Why choose the Volkswagen ID.4 when the Skoda Enyaq iV offers more space on exactly the same platform: Read our full review in Car Review number 9 except: with the ID.4 the emphasis is on other things. Which by the way does not mean that the Volkswagen is a much tighter car than the Skoda. Far from that. Despite the sloping roofline, you’re still sitting in the back like a king, and the trunk still fits 543 to 1575 liters of luggage. No one lacks anything.
Conclusion
In any case, the Skoda and the Volkswagen show that a conventional car that has been converted to electric drive is an outdated concept. The Mercedes EQA can in no way compete with the smart platform concept of the Enyaq iV and the ID.4. We see the EQA as an emergency measure from Mercedes rather than a vision for a long electric future. The brand has now shown that Mercedes knows what a future-proof electric car should look like with the luxury EQS and business EQE.
