Automakers are making the most of cold weather testing in the north as winter draws to a close, but this camouflaged Mercedes is on vacation in the south. Specifically, this is an EQB prototype catching some sun in Southern California where ironically, snow recently fell. But we digress – you want to know about this camo-wrapped Benz, not weird weather.
It's only our second look at the updated EQB, which is the small all-electric SUV from Mercedes. It doesn't look much different from our initial sighting of a prototype in February, minus the snow of course. The video offers a glimpse of the refreshed model in motion, but the quality and closeness of the footage give us a great look at areas that will change for the new model.
Gallery: 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQB Spy Photos
We approach the rear first, where we see a thin strip of camouflage spanning the hatch and covering the taillights. It's likely the camo is more of a red herring here, as we can see differences in the internal structure of the taillights but the overall shape looks the same. It's possible the red strip connecting the taillights on the current EQB will go away, or possibly become a chrome strip instead. We can say there is something under there, as edges of the trim are visible through the camo strip.
The big changes happen at the front, but even these are relatively minor. Headlights aren't changing, but the grille could be a smooth, flush design similar to the EQS under the coverings. This is slightly different from the current EQB, and it would help differentiate the electric model from its combustion-powered GLB counterpart. It's difficult to see any changes to the lower fascia, but if Mercedes does alter the design, it won't be by much. We can see outlines of the corner vents that look much like the current EQB.
Inside, we see nothing that suggests big changes for the greenhouse are coming. The EQB already has a wide tablet-style digital display stretching from the driver's side to the center of the dash. We can clearly see a similar screen in this vehicle, though there are some prominent wires sticking out from the center portion of the display. This suggests something is happening with the electronics, possibly relating to the new steering wheel we saw in other spy shots. But with covers absent from the dash, the overall design should be the same.
The current EQB debuted in the second half of 2021, and our first drive review isn't even a year old yet. But the GLB-Class on which it's based is older and ready for a mid-cycle update, hence changes to the electric model. Those changes will likely become official late this year.
