2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE

The new Mercedes-AMG EQE mid-size sedan has arrived, and as its name suggests, it's the hot version of Mercedes' E-Class-sized electric EQE sedan. It certainly delivers on the AMG promise, with 617 horsepower by default and up to 677 hp available with its Race Start feature and boost function activated, vaulting it to 60 mph in just 3.2 seconds. There are cheaper EQEs priced from $75k to $85k, but with its $107k base price, the 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE we review is very expensive and mixes it up with some supremely capable rivals such as the Porsche Taycan 4S, Audi e-tron GT, and Lucid Air Touring. Even quicker is the Tesla Model S Plaid, but the S is now starting to get really old and isn't as premium; still, it's an intriguing choice if you're after hypercar straight-line pace at this price level. The AMG EQE is an entertaining drive and comes with serious AMG hardware, air suspension, plenty of features, and a spacious, premium cabin. So far, so good, but its range of 225 miles is far worse than that of its American rivals. Could this be its undoing?

The MSRP of the Mercedes-AMG EQE in its Exclusive sub-trim is $106,900, and upgrading to the Pinnacle sub-trim will cost you an additional $2,200. These prices exclude the $1,150 destination fee.

At this price, only the Model S Plaid is quicker with its sub-2-second sprint to 60 mph, but the 3.2 seconds recorded by the AMG EQE puts it ahead of price rivals such as the AWD Taycan 4S (3.8) and RWD Lucid Air Touring (3.4). The standard AMG Dynamic Plus package's Race Start feature helps achieve this figure when the boost function is activated, as does 4Matic+ AWD. The promise holds on the move, with the car feeling planted yet agile, thanks to that rear-axle steering and roll-mitigating adaptive air suspension. It's too heavy to ever feel like a sports car, but it's a properly sorted sports sedan with high limits and just a hint of understeer at the outer envelope of its cornering ability. Even on its firmest Sport+ setting, it never punishes the occupants and always rides with composure and decorum. Not so nice is the three-setting regenerative braking, which adapts its force based on traffic conditions, so you never quite know exactly what it's going to do, and with the pedal moving up and down along with the rate of regen, it's never where you expect it to be. And the less we say about the cheesy fake AMG Sound Experience noises, the better. Set them to their lowest; it's what we did.

The 2023 AMG EQE is an excellent electric sedan with great handling, superb refinement, a soft ride when you want to take it easy, and a spacious, premium cabin. It sticks to both its Mercedes and AMG briefs to deliver a satisfying electric sports sedan. But the competition is tough at this level, and Porsche still shows the way when it comes to engineering four-door models that handle like sports cars, even if they are EVs, so the Taycan 4S is more fun to drive, even if it's slower. Putting both Germans in the shade on cruising range are the Model S Plaid and Air Touring, with the latter's 425 miles being nearly double that of the AMG EQE. In this regard, the EQE and Taycan bring up the rear, and a difference of 100-200 miles is huge, leading us to question whether the AMG EQE has what it takes to be an all-round contender.

There's only a $2,200 price difference between the Exclusive and Pinnacle, so opt for the latter to get its quad-zone climate control with purification and fragrance systems, an AMG head-up display, and 100W USB-C ports. It's worth the extra money and makes the car extra comfortable, especially if you're going to have passengers in the back frequently, which you probably will if you're in the market for a four-door mid-size sedan. It doesn't need much more than this, except perhaps the Winter package with its heated windshield washers, heated windshield, and heated rear seats if you live in a cold-weather state. If track driving is on the cards for your AMG, consider the $5,400 carbon-ceramic front brakes, as the standard steel brakes tend to fade with track use.