Mercedes-Benz Eqb250 vs Hyundai Ioniq 5

What's the difference?

Iconic/gangster G-Class Geländewagen aside, is there a cooler-looking Mercedes-Benz SUV than the GLB and so – by association – its electrically-powered EQB twin?

And while we're asking questions, does the electric connection make the EV version even more so?

Let’s take a deeper dive into the new EQB – a striking SUV that Mercedes reckons will be its bestselling EV for the foreseeable future. Because there's much more to this Benz than meets the eye.

What is it about single letters and performance cars? 

BMW has M, Volkswagen has R, Lexus has F, and with only 23 choices left Hyundai opted for N - which stands for Namyang, site of the brand’s sprawling proving ground and development centre in South Korea, and Nurburgring, the famous German racing circuit where its performance cars are fine-tuned.

And like BMW M Sport, VW R-Line and Lexus F Sport, the Korean giant has N Line as a ‘lite’ option. Sporty models that add a little more punch and visual flair without crossing the line into hardcore hot-rod territory. 

And this is one its latest examples, the pure-electric Ioniq 5 SUV in top-spec Epiq AWD trim and equipped with the N Line Option Pack as well as the tricky Digital Mirror Pack.

In this configuration it slots into the $90K price band, which means it has a lot to live up to in terms of performance, safety, driving dynamics, value and more. 

So, stay with us to see if this premium five-seater is the kind of sporty EV SUV that gets your heart racing.