2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE driving

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE Sedan

Great Luxury Sedan, Better EV

Episode 4222
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Mercedes-Benzs launched their quickly expanding all-electric EQ sub-brand with the EQS sedan, arguably the first EV to come from an established brand that truly delivered the flagship luxury sedan experience. Well, it’s time now to determine if this midsize EQE sedan can deliver the same experience for the rest of us.

Making a fully electric luxury flagship sedan is easy when money is no object, and Mercedes sure created a great one with last year’s EQS. Bringing that excellence down to a lower price point is much more difficult; but Mercedes wasted no time undertaking it with this midsize 2023 Mercedes-EQE.

The interior is not quite to EQS levels of sophistication, but still glorious to look at and with all the ambient lighting, almost as high-tech feeling.

While the EQS’ wide Hyperscreen dash is available, a more traditional setup is standard with the central control panel housing a 12.8-inch OLED touchscreen, with a tablet style 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster mounted upright behind the steering wheel. The MBUX interface is similar and responds quickly, with most functions easy to find. Standard navigation with Electric Intelligence will plan the most efficient route, or one with charging stations if necessary.

Whether you stick with the standard MB-Tex upholstery or upgrade to real leather, the feel is luxurious throughout. Front seats are very comfortable, as are the rear seats with plenty of legroom. A large panoramic roof and a premium Burmester sound system are standard.

Regen braking has three levels right up to full 1-pedal driving, plus an auto setting which never seemed to give the feedback we were looking for. Overall, the EQE was very solid feeling on the road, behaving more like a typical Mercedes-Benz sedan than an electric car. The only detractor from the experience was a very thick sloping A-pillar which seemed to be in our line of sight more than we’d like.

On to more specific powertrain details. A base 350+ features a single rear motor rated at 288-horsepower and 305-miles of range from a 90.6-kWh battery. An additional motor can be added up front for 4MATIC all-wheel drive both in 350 form, and this top of the line 500 4MATIC which cranks out 402-horsepower from 300kWs worth of dual-motors. No official range figure for the 500 yet, but our car indicated as many as 263-miles available, though based on our driving loop, around 220 seems much more realistic.

Off to Mason Dixon Dragway to see how that 400-plus horsepower translates to acceleration times.

While there was enough oomph off the line to press us back in the seat a bit, it felt mostly smooth for a somewhat soft launch. There are plenty of unique hyperdrive-like sounds to go along with the very quick 4.0-second trip to 60 miles-per-hour. According to Mercedes, torque delivery is checked 10,000-times per minute, distributing power to front and rear motors, according to traction, way faster than is possible with any mechanical system. Power stayed pretty consistent until just before the end of the ¼-mile, where it tapered off slightly as we finished in 12.6-seconds at 108 miles-per-hour.

In our handling course, the EQE delivered a very unique experience as its optional rear axle steering provides an extreme 10-degrees of turning, which translated to very little input needed to the steering wheel to change direction quickly. And while that hyper responsiveness took some getting used to, the minimal body roll and overall well-balanced nature were much appreciated. And needless to say, whipping in and out of parking spots is a breeze.

While the EQE shares the same basic one-bow, cab-forward shape of the EQS, the smaller size makes for a bit less of an elegant profile. Still very futuristic looking however, with a smooth face and wheelbase stretched to the max. Pricing starts at $76,050 for the rear-drive 350+, with the top 500 4MATIC beginning at $87,050.

While it doesn’t have quite the presence or panache of the full-size EQS, the 2023 Mercedes-EQE Sedan does a great job of bringing plenty of the flagship flair down to a more attainable level. Making it not only a great luxury sedan, but an even better EV.

Honda Prologue Reinvigorates Brand’s Electric Efforts

2024 Honda Prologue

Honda Shows Up Late To EV Party, Brings Best Appetizer

Episode 4329
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Except for some very limited run vehicles over the years, Honda has largely been sitting out the EV revolution. But that all changes now their first high volume effort, the Prologue. So, let’s find out if it is indeed the start of a great run for Honda.

The 2024 Honda Prologue is not only the brand’s first serious battery electric effort, but it’s also a substantial midsize five-passenger SUV, coming in about 3-inches longer than the internal combustion Passport. Though it’s worth noting, they got here with the help of General Motors and their Ultium EV platform.

So, Honda came to play, both with ultra-competitive pricing and segment leading 296 miles of range. That’s with the standard single-motor front-wheel drive EX rated for 212 horsepower, but top Elite doesn’t sacrifice all that much, coming in at 273 miles. The additional rear motor raises total output to 288 horsepower and 333 lb-ft torque.

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Relatively low output numbers in the EV game, but the Elite’s all-wheel drive setup delivered plenty enough acceleration to get our blood pumping during some early and very wet drive time through the recent historic downpours in Northern California.

And while Honda did get here with the help of GM and their Ultium chassis, the multi-link suspension bolted to it has been optimized by Honda for a “dynamic driving experience.” It was indeed plenty of fun to drive, nimble for its size with responsive steering, though we were also happy to find it comfortable and safe feeling in those weather conditions. It also has great visibility and a very natural feel to it that quickly has you forgetting you’re in an EV.

Comprehensive drive modes address just about every aspect of the driving experience, from power delivery to steering response and even braking power; but also changes things up inside with lighting and displays as well as active sound control.

For now, all Prologues come with an 85-kWh battery that will accept up to 150-kW fast charging for 65 miles of range for every 10 minutes on charge.

It also has great visibility and a very natural feel to it that quickly has you forgetting you’re in an EV.

As we’ve come to expect from Honda, the Prologue’s interior is minimalistic and practical, though not fully simplistic as there is plenty of tech on display, including the very high-mounted 11.3-inch touchscreen display. It has a Google-based operating system built into it like in the latest Accord Touring, and you can still use your Apple Carplay and Android Auto phones, both of which connect wirelessly.

Just below that display is some refreshingly easy to use traditional climate controls, and behind the steering wheel is a hoodless 11-inch tablet-style gauge display. Honda worked with Bose to develop an EV-specific sound system with 12 speakers. The standard EX’s system works with six speakers.

Being an EV means more space inside for both front and rear passengers than a vehicle built around a conventional drivetrain. Though with a substantial dual-level center console it doesn’t have the open floorplan of some EVs. The top layer of that console houses dedicated cell phone storage, mega-sized cupholders and Honda’s first use of a pocket-type wireless phone charger, which is standard. There’s space in back for 23.7 cubic-feet of cargo; 54.5 cubic-feet with the 60/40 split rear seatbacks folded; plus, more space under the cargo floor.

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And while length and ground clearance are in the ballpark with the Passport, the Prologue’s wheelbase is nearly a foot longer, and it sits much lower, with a design theme that Honda calls “neo-rugged.” Its slick shape and smooth body panels are clearly designed for enhancing aerodynamics, yet the overall design doesn’t necessarily shout it from the rooftops. Aero-optimized 19-inch wheels are standard, with Elite rolling on 21s, a first for Honda. Roof rails, panoramic roof, and power liftgate are standard on all but the base EX.
With the launch of this new generation of Honda comes new badging that looks to the past with throwback-looking Honda script now spelled out across the back. The Prologue and future Honda EVs also get a new “e” series logo.

Comprehensive Honda Sensing safety features are included on most Prologues, with just rear pedestrian alert and a Surround Vision camera system reserved for Elite.

Pricing starts, before incentives, at just $48,795 for a front-wheel-drive EX, top Elite comes with all-wheel drive and starts at $59,295.

Like most brands, Honda has big plans to deliver a full array of battery electrics in the near future, making significant investments here in the U.S. to make it happen. It may have taken a little help from General Motors to get them started, but Honda is in the EV game for real now, and it arrives at a great time when competition in the midsize SUV EV ranks is getting serious. So, the 2024 Honda Prologue does indeed look like the start of something special for Honda, and for all of us.

Specifications

As Tested

  • Motor Setup: Dual Motor
  • Horsepower: 288
  • Range: 273 miles
  • Battery Size: 85-kWh
  • Torque: 333 lb-ft
  • Peak Charging Rate: 150-kW