Mercedes-Benz EQB350 4matic

Mercedes-Benz's pivot to electricity has been aggressive. The company's EQ line of electric cars now covers many categories of cars which is a good thing, because if you are ready to make the switch to electricity and have a big family, you'll find that there aren't many EVs with seven seats. Fortunately, Mercedes has one and it's called the EQB.

- Kenny Yeo

If the EQB looks familiar it's because it's really just a GLB with its internal combustion engine removed and two electric motors and batteries put in its place. It isn't a ground-up design like the EQS and EQE are.

There are upsides and downsides to this. The upside, for Mercedes at least, is that they can bring a seven-seater SUV to market faster than it would have had had they designed one from the ground up. The other upside is that this car feels thoroughly conventional and anyone who has ever driven a fairly modern Mercedes will feel right at home straight away. The downside, of course, is that the EQB is compromised in some ways. The batteries add substantial weight and they impinge on cabin and boot space.

Even so, the EQB still presents loads of space to its owners. There's plenty of storage and the boot will easily swallow large items with the third row of seats folded down (495L with the third row of seats folded and 1,710L with the second and third row of seats folded). That third row of seats is genuinely usable even if it's best suited for kids, young teens, or really agile adults. The cabin will be familiar to anyone who has gotten into a fairly modern Mercedes. The cockpit is dominated by twin large digital displays and the interior is awash with customisable lighting. There's no denying it looks swanky particularly when it gets dark but I always worry that this generation of Mercedes interiors won’t age well. One sign that the EQB is using an older generation of MBUX is that Apple CarPlay and Android Auto require a cable to work.