Mercedes EQC review: running costs & insurance

As is often the case, Mercedes has consolidated the EQC range since it launched in 2019. Previously available in the entry-level Sport spec, this trim has subsequently been dropped, with the lineup now consisting only of the popular AMG Line, AMG Line Premium and AMG Premium Plus models.

While that ensures every model gets more equipment as standard, it also means the starting price now nudges £75,000, whereas the updated Audi Q8 e-tron, with its bigger battery and longer range, costs around £7k less.

It goes without saying that company-car tax is very low, so if you’re in the privileged position to be able to squeeze such an expensive car through the company books, you’ll pay very little Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax for such a powerful and premium-feeling SUV. Charging at home can further reduce your monthly bills; off-peak rates aren’t as common as they once were, but secure one of these and you’ll be able to charge your Mercedes overnight for the cost of a couple of fancy frothy coffees.

Anyone living near a low-emissions zone could also stand to save a considerable amount in tariffs compared to running a combustion-engined model.

Mercedes EQC insurance group

The EQC falls into insurance group 50, the highest of the lot, so no matter which trim level you go for cover will be pretty pricey. Some rivals sneak into slightly lower groups, but none will be cheap to insure.

Warranty

Mercedes offers a three-year/unlimited-mileage warranty on all its new cars, while the EQC’s batteries are warranted for eight years or 160,000 kilometres (which is just under 100,000 miles). That means the company will also replace or refurbish the batteries if they fall to below 70% of their as-new performance.

Servicing

The EQC will ping a message on the dashboard when it requires a service, and you can expect that to happen every year or 15,000 miles.

Road tax

The Mercedes EQC is currently zero-rated for road tax (VED) thanks to its zero tailpipe emissions, much like every other purely electric car. This is set to change in 2025, though it’s not yet clear to what extent EV drivers will be taxed.

Depreciation

If you’re looking to take the £75k dive into EQC ownership, you may be disappointed to hear that the latest industry figures forecast that the electric Merc will only retain roughly 45% of its value over three years and 36,000 miles of ownership. This is in contrast to the BMW iX which’ll hold onto anything between 52 and 59% of its initial asking price over the same period.