Excitement runs high. Mercedes-Benz has created an amusement park called ‘EQ Wonderland.’ Here, visitors can engage in various experiences featuring Mercedes-Benz’s electric vehicle lineup. Every electric vehicle from Benz was like a thrill ride in EQ Wonderland, and everyone who stepped into this realm was captivated by the enchanting world of EQ, completely immersed in the fascinating experiences.
On the 25th, Mercedes-Benz Korea opened EQ Wonderland at Hall 9A of KINTEX 2nd Exhibition Center in Ilsan, Gyeonggi-do. EQ Wonderland is a ‘Benz theme park’ meticulously designed by Mercedes-Benz, showcasing all its electric vehicle models to highlight the advantages of their electric lineup to the visiting audience.
Upon entering the hall, it became clear that EQ Wonderland was much more than just a space to explore Mercedes-Benz’s electric vehicles. It is a ‘Benz amusement park’ that everyone, regardless of age, can enjoy—especially those who love the Benz brand. As soon as you ride the escalator and cross the Wonderland bridge, you’re greeted by the prominent presence of the Mercedes-EQS SUV Maybach, the pinnacle of the EQ lineup. The EQS SUV Maybach stands in the center of EQ Wonderland square, appealing to visitors by proclaiming, “This is luxury in the era of electrification.”
To the right is the EQB, a compact electric SUV by Mercedes. Groups of visitors gather around as excitement fills the air. The activity involves fitting large sculptural shapes into the cargo area of the EQB—essentially a Tetris challenge for the cargo space while emphasizing the width of the EQB’s trunk.
If you finish in the top five, you can receive a prize. When I attempted the challenge, the record for first place was 19 seconds, while fifth place was 26 seconds. I tried my best, but my final record was 32 seconds, which did not earn me a spot in the rankings.
Next to the EQB, the high-performance models from the EQ lineup, the AMG EQS and AMG EQE, showcased their enchanting figure as four-door electric sports cars.
Crossing the Wonderland square, to the left there is the EQE SUV, featuring an interior sound experience area developed in collaboration with Apple.
Before the immersive sound experience, I tried the AirPods Max placed on one wall. The AirPods Max features stereo spatial audio head tracking capability. This function moves a step beyond noise cancelation: when you turn your head to the left, the music from the right AirPod becomes more pronounced, and you can hear surrounding sounds from the left, and vice versa. After this experience, I entered the EQE SUV, which was playing Apple Music.
The Burmester surround sound with Dolby Atmos 360° audio in the EQE SUV envelops passengers in three-dimensional sound. It creates an exquisite and comfortable ambiance, as if classical music performers are right next to you.
Finally, we experienced off-roading in the EQE SUV. The off-road experience was conducted as a taxi driving under the supervision of an instructor for safety reasons. The EQE SUV smoothly navigated through the first section, which consisted of stacked logs. As it approached a high log barrier, the EQE SUV cleverly deflated air from its air suspension to glide gently over it. The first checkpoint was a steel obstacle with a 25-degree incline, which the EQE SUV passed with ease as if it were “a piece of cake.”
The next challenge was a narrow S-shaped section. The instructor explained, “The rear axle steering angle is 10 degrees,” and demonstrated the rear axle steering using mirrors installed alongside the narrow road. The EQE SUV made a smooth exit from an area impassable to many other vehicles in the same class.
The side incline obstacle has a 20-degree gradient, and the EQE SUV crossed over smoothly without a hitch. Lastly, we faced a seesaw-like steel obstacle with a 40-degree incline—a sight that was quite daunting. The instructor carefully aligned the steel structure and ascended slowly. The angle of ascent was even steeper than that of a plane taking off.
Yet, the EQE SUV’s 4MATIC system scaled the slope without slipping. I realized the unexpected charm of the Benz SUV, which I initially perceived as an urban on-road vehicle. As the instructor reached the top, the seesaw-like steel structure aligned perfectly, transitioning from an uphill to a downhill slope. Without using the brakes, the instructor smoothly descended the seesaw structure using the Benz SUV’s off-road capability known as ‘Hill Control.’
My time there lasted just over two hours. During this time, I experienced the various programs at EQ Wonderland, feeling like a carefree child once more. Moreover, I discovered the diverse advantages of Benz electric vehicles through EQ Wonderland.
Mercedes-Benz’s EQ Wonderland kicked off with grandeur. It raises expectations for what follow-up editions of EQ Wonderland will bring in the future.
Furthermore, I hope that this isn’t a one-time event but that Mercedes-Benz continues to operate EQ Wonderland as a theme park for car enthusiasts.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr