Copy of Drivesouth: January 14, 2022

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NEW CAR REVIEW By Ross Kiddie Mercedes-Benz EQA 250 The winner of last year’s New Zealand Motoring Writers’ Guild Car of the Year went to Mercedes-Benz’s EQC 400. What was most significant about that mantle is the EQC is fully electric, it’s a plug-in. In the context of things, nothing about that is surprising. For one, the EQC is a worthy winner, it’s a mighty fine sport utility vehicle and an advance in technological engineering, while for the other, Mercedes- Benz has indicated it is expecting all of its vehicles to be electric by 2030, that’s the direction the company his heading. How delays in this process, caused by the havoc Covid-19 has created, is anyone’s guess, but I can report that the second fullelectric Mercedes-Benz is now available and it is a finalist in this year’s NZMWG Car of the Year. Voting will be completed in February and the winner announced then. The EQA, as its nomenclature suggests, is based on the concept and size of GLA and it is available here in just one variation, that being designated 250. The EQA 250 drives to the front wheels only, if you want another electric motor sitting at the rear axle so that four-wheel-drive can be initiated you’ll have to wait for the EQA 350 when it lands here in the second quarter next year. For the technically minded the EQC is driven by a single electric motor that sits transversely under the bonnet. Power is transferred by a fully automatic transmission which does have pre-set steps that can be manually manipulated through a steering wheel-mounted paddle shift system, should you wish to take command over the driveline. Mercedes-Benz rates the electric motor with 140kW of power and a healthy 375Nm of torque. Take into account that both those figures are available from zero revolutions, when the accelerator is pressed you get all that energy on tap. Consequently, the EQA feels strong from a standstill, it will launch to 100km/h in 8.9sec. More importantly, the EQA will travel up to 480km on a single charge, that supposing all the conditions are favourable such as elevation, load in the car, wind, and speed at which the EQA is travelling. I had two Southern Motorway runs in the evaluation car and there was never a point where I reached range anxiety, with a sensible driving style I believe Mercedes-Benz’s claims would be achievable. The EQA will charge from low to full capacity in around 10 hours on a domestic household charge, and around 30min at a designated rapid charging station to reach 80 per cent from 10 per cent. Since plug-ins have become popular I’ve been a little hesitant about electric vehicle charging on the Kiddie property. However, after a check and a long chat with the electrician who services our home I’ve been told that it is perfectly safe to charge an EV’s batteries on our old wiring. That is so long as it is a direct connection to the wall without using a multi-pack, double plug or extension cable. That should also put a lot more buyers at ease, even though a wallbox would be preferable, you don’t have to have that. Driving the EQA is little different from that of the petrol-powered G-Class models, and it has all those subtle Mercedes-Benz quirks that makes the brand stand out as a manufacturer, things such as the door-mounted seat adjusters and steering column gear selector (right side). However, you can guarantee that Mercedes-Benz has loaded the EQA to be as desirable as possible, it gets a full suite of kit, and the test car was loaded with a few extra goodies taking the price to almost $100k. In standard form it sits at $85,500 which is still a sizeable outlay, but you are buying a sport utility vehicle that is adaptable and versatile, and if you are a person who wants to tackle the luxury EV market, then this is the car for you. It is many models in one and represents luxury and value all in one package. I presented the evaluation car with a few tight corners in the Selwyn district, and can report it has all the fine handling qualities you’d expect in any Mercedes-Benz model, it steers directly on its 20in Michelin tyres and Page 22 Price: Mercedes-Benz EQA 250, $85,500 Dimensions: Length, 4463mm; width, 1834mm; height, 1620mm Configuration: Electric motor, front-wheel-drive, 140kW, 375Nm, automatic Performance: 0-100km/h, 8.9sec has firm feedback at the steering wheel. Inside, there is a heavy digital presence along with manual controls that have deliberate haptic feel and they offer familiarity. The EQA 250 was also fitted with Mercedes-Benz’s user experience innovation package where you can request many functions intuitively controlled by voice, touch or gestures. These are all elements that make Mercedes-Benz stand out as a brand, you get a lot of car for the money and one that will also give you peace of mind – the batteries are warranted for eight years or 160,000km. During that time you will have a rewarding driving experience, not only forgoing all of those bills you get with petrolengined cars, but also the feel you get with electric power, it is different but involving and certainly satisfying. Electric vehicles are fast becoming the norm, if that becomes the case, I’m worried the national grid won’t cope with the demand as drivers arrive home and get those cables plugged in. An acquaintance who works in the power supply industry has told me it could be a problem in years to come. Let’s hope the companies that generate the power are switched on to this.
4WD 4WD *Finance offer available on new Nissan Navara and SUVs. Approved applicants of Nissan Financial Services New Zealand Pty Ltd (Nissan) only. Fixed Interest Rate 1% p.a. available on loans with a 36 month term. No deposit required. Terms and conditions apply. This offer includes an establishment fee of $375, PPSR fee of $8.05 and $10 per month account keeping fee. All lease and some fleet purchasers excluded. X-TRAIL & Navara ORC of $1,495 includes initial 12 month registration & WOF, fuel and vehicle delivery. Nissan reserves the right to vary, extend or withdraw this offer. Not available in conjunction with any other offer. Valid from 01/10/2021 to 31/01/2022. Units must be registered by 31/01/2022. CHRISTCHURCH NISSAN, 380 Moorhouse Avenue, Christchurch Ph: 03 595 6820 www.christchurchnissan.co.nz christchurchnissan.co.nz WE HAVE WIDE RANGE OF QUALITY PRE-OWNED VEHICLES AVAILABLE TODAY 2008 MINI COOPER 3 Door Hatch, 1.6L Petrol, 6spd Auto, cruise, 64,000kms. $9,990 2013 HONDA CR-V S, NZ New, 2.0L petrol, 6spd Auto, 5 seats, CD player, cruise, parking sensors, 97,000kms. $19,990 2020 HAVAL H2 LUXURY, 1.5L Petrol, 6 spd Auto, leather, Alloys, Bluetooth, reverse camera, super low 6,700kms. $24,990 2018 MITSUBISHI ASX XLS, 2.0L Petrol, Auto, Apple CarPlay, cruise, reversing camera, Bluetooth, 25,000kms $24,990 2019 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE CROSS VRX, NZ New, 1.5L Turbo Petrol, Auto, Bluetooth, Alloys, 49,000kms. $29,990 2015 MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER XLS, 4WD, 2.4L Petrol, NZ New, Auto, CarPlay, cruise, climate, CD, 81,000kms. $26,990 2019 FORD ESCAPE ST-LINE, 2.0L Petrol, 4WD, 6 Spd Auto, reserve camera, 20,700kms. $37,990 2019 MAZDA CX-5 GSX, 2.5L Petrol, 6 spd auto, reserve camera, bluetooth, 33,700kms. $37,990 CHRISTCHURCH MITSUBISHI 386 Moorhouse Avenue, Christchurch Tel: 03 379 0588 | christchurchmitsubishi.co.nz Page 23
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