The Mercedes-Benz EQB has been on the market for only two years, and already, it’s getting a makeover. The 2024 EQB won’t differ mechanically from the 2023 version. But it will look different and have a few interior tweaks that might make it more appealing to shoppers.
The EQB is a unique vehicle — a small electric SUV from a luxury automaker but with the option of a small third row letting you carry seven. It arguably competes with the Tesla Model Y electric vehicle (EV) for buyers. But Tesla’s recent price cuts and intense pursuit of sales volume — the Model Y was the best-selling vehicle on the planet last quarter — lead some luxury shoppers to conclude that it’s not a true competitor for the more exclusive Mercedes.
Our expert test driver found the current EQB “a surprisingly practical small SUV” that is “big and small in all the right places.”
But Mercedes found room for improvement.
The Family Look
Chiefly, that means facial reconstruction. The 2024 EQB gets a front fascia more in keeping with the rest of Mercedes’ EQ electric lineup. The false grille (EVs don’t require actual airflow there) is now a glossy black sheet with a pattern of tiny 3-pointed stars and a light bar across the top linking the daytime running lights. The front bumper has also been lightly reshaped.
In the back, new taillights contain parallel lines of light in place of the rectangular LEDs of last year.
Mercedes hasn’t announced pricing. The current EQB starts at $52,750 and pushes into the low $60,000 range. The upgrades will mean a price increase, but we don’t expect a big one. The EQB is built outside North America and does not qualify for federal EV tax credits.
New Standard Screen, Sound Profiles
Inside, the 2024 EQB gets a new steering wheel with haptic-touch controls. A 10.25-inch touchscreen, once an option on some trim levels, is now standard on all. That also makes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard and enables every EQB to receive over-the-air updates.
Buyers get two sound profiles and can unlock more at Mercedes’ online store for a fee. The optional Burmester audio system adds Dolby Atmos tech. And 2024 EQB buyers will get Plug & Charge technology — the ability to plug into so-equipped public chargers and let the car handle payment, skipping the steps of swiping your card and agreeing to terms.
Powertrains will remain the same. According to Mercedes-Benz, the 2023 EQB models included a base front-wheel-drive option making 188 horsepower with a 245-mile range, an all-wheel drive (AWD) version making 225 horsepower with 232 miles between charges, and a 288-horsepower AWD variation good for 221 miles.
