The EQA is not a brand new car from the floor up.  It is actually based upon the internal combustion engined GLA, Mercedes' smallest SUV.  The EQA has a few cosmetic changes over the GLA, including the grille being replaced by shiny gloss plastic.  The rear end of the car gets a light strip, so it’s got a similar look to the EQC. 

On the Road 

Driving the EQA is pretty familiar to someone who drives a modern Mercedes.  The drive selector is a stalk to the right of the steering wheel, just as it is in other cars from the German marque; whether they're petrol, diesel or electric.  The differences are in the binnacle display, due to the electric-orientated dials.

The car felt spritely to me, but having not driven the GLA on which it's based I cannot compare it to that.  Al I can say is it pulls instantly, like most EVs do, so getting out at busy road junctions should not be too difficult. 

Range and Charging

The range quoted by Mercedes is about 250 miles, which varies a little dependent on wheel size.  The EV Database suggests the combined cycle should see a range of about 185 miles in winter and 250 when the weather warms up.  If you're staying in built up areas, the range could be as low as 215 in winter, but as high as 320 in the summer.

If and when you need to charge at a public rapid charger, you should be able to draw down the electric charge at a rate of up to 112kW, which means the 'standard' 10-89% charge could be completed in less than half an hour.

Verdict

The EQA is, as already mentioned, based upon the GLA an is not a bespoke EV.  This has an impact on the space and this is most noticeable in the rear.  However, it has a good sized battery, which means the EQA's range is better than the Lexus UX electric.  The issue is that there are rivals from Ford (the Mustang Mach-E) and VW Group (ID.4 and Enyaq) that are bigger and have greater range.

Of course the Mercedes has a premium feel that isn't matched by cars from some other brands.  If you're already a Mercedes driver, the this is probably going to suit you well.  However, I'm not sure it's good enough to bring the marque new customers.