Mercedes-Benz is in the process of updating its range of compact cars and the latest prototype to be seen is the compact electric crossover EQA.
The EQA, which isn’t offered in the US, didn’t come out until 2021. The quick update is necessary because the older GLA-Class on which the EQA is based is about to receive its traditional mid-cycle update.
The updated GLA-Class has also been spotted testing and is expected to debut later this year as a 2024 model. It will become the new entry-level model in Mercedes’ US lineup following the demise of the A-Class in late 2022, when Mercedes introduced an updated A-Class range overseas.
The updated EQA should debut around the same time as the updated GLA-Class, although it’s not clear if it will reach the US
There is a possibility that the EQA will be renamed an EQA SUV with this update, mimicking the naming practice Mercedes uses for other EQ-badged SUVs, such as the EQE SUV and the EQS SUV. The change would also release the EQA name for an electric compact sedan that Mercedes has in the works.
2024 Mercedes-Benz EQA facelift spy footage – Copyright: Baldauf
Judging by the prototype, the updated EQA should get revised designs for the grille and the inner parts of the headlights. A new front fascia is also likely, and it looks like the taillight internals will also be new.
The interior is expected to get a revised dashboard with a new screen running the latest version of Mercedes’ MBUX infotainment system. The center console is also expected to be tweaked, with the current EQA’s scrolling pad likely to be dropped with this update.
It’s not clear if there will be changes to the powertrain lineup. Depending on the market, the EQA will be offered with 66.5 and 70.5 kWh battery options and a choice of single-engine front-wheel drive or twin-engine all-wheel drive. The most powerful variant has 288 hp.
Eventually, the EQA will move to Mercedes’ next-generation compact car platform, along with the rest of the GLA-Class range. Dubbed MMA, the platform was designed to support both hybrid and fully electric vehicles. The first MMA-based model is expected to be the compact sedan mentioned above.
The CLA-Class and GLB-Class will also move to the MMA platform, although the A-Class and B-Class are not expected to do the same. Both are expected to be dropped after the current models reach the end of their respective lifecycles.