You usually don’t drive a Mercedes S-Class SUV with one wheel in the air. Especially when it’s about four feet in the air. However, that’s what was on the list during the recent drive of the EQS SUV, the automaker’s electric answer to the GLS.
The oddly named EQS SUV (EQS is also Mercedes’ electric sedan) is the fourth electric vehicle the German automaker brings to the United States. Every part of a powerful electric roadmap as Mercedes drives its transition to EV-only by the end of the decade.
With more and more people choosing an SUV over a sedan, the EQS SUV could be the first luxury SUV that Mercedes customers buy (or at least rent). It starts at $104.400 for the 450+ rear-wheel drive, while the 450 4Matic all-wheel drive starts at $107,400. For those looking for more power from an all-wheel drive package, the 580 starts at $125,950. All three variants will be available in the US this fall.
With prices starting at $100,000, the automaker has to offer the perfect Mercedes experience that owners and new long-time customers have come to expect from the company.
Mercedes style, both on and off the road
Fortunately, for the automaker and potential customers, the EQS SUV, for the most part, provides the right luxury Mercedes experience.
On the road, the EQS SUV delivers the expected ride comfort Mercedes customers have come to expect. In the city, the car easily swallowed potholes, cracks and other various scars on the pavement. In urban and suburban environments, the SUV shines as it maneuvers brilliantly around tight corners and into tighter parking spaces thanks to standard all-wheel steering that turns the rear wheels 10 degrees.
I recently drove an EQS sedan (again that weird naming decision) for a week that was also equipped with 10 degrees of rear-wheel steering. I can say it made me wonder why any automaker would want to build and sell any kind of big vehicle without rear wheel steering. It is a game changer.
A day in the EQS SUV cemented my resolve to hustle every automaker on the planet until rear-wheel steering became standard on all vehicles larger than the Toyota Corolla. The turning circle is extremely small in the EQS SUV. She did a short job of U-laps lowering the radius from a possible 39 feet to 36 feet. It doesn’t sound like much on paper, but it makes a huge difference when you’re behind the wheel.
Nowhere was this more evident than when Mercedes booked us about 30 minutes off-roading. What I expected was basically a long gravel driveway. What the automaker threw us was some actual off-road culmination with wheels off the ground and a luxury SUV spinning like a swing from one line wheel in the air to one rear wheel in the air.
Would an EQS SUV owner do this before? Probably not, but they can. It’s not a rock crawler, but both the 4Matic 450 and 580 charge with off-road mode if the driver is so inclined. During my time in the 580 4Matic on a muddy off-road track, I just walked away from being impressed.
The EQS SUV is a Mercedes in every sense of the word
Back on the asphalt, the SUV’s overall driving comfort and ability to handle some of the steepest curves in the mountains near Denver, Colorado owes in part to the automaker’s Airmatic suspension and damping system. While SUVs carved the road, the interior remained quiet. The downside to this setup is that during aggressive driving, the car can feel floating around corners and bumps. This phenomenon has already become a problem while cornering at high speed.
The acceleration has really hit a cutting level. The 580 4Matic’s engine was the fastest, causing slower vehicles to go short. Mercedes clocks from zero to 60 times of 4.5 seconds. The average 450 4Matic hits 60 in 5.8 seconds while the rear-wheel drive 450+ hits 60 in 6.5 seconds.
The power output of the 580 4Matic is 536 horsepower and 633 pound-feet of torque. The 450 4Matic makes 355 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Finally, the 450+ engine delivers 355 horsepower and 419 pound-feet of torque. While the desire to choose the most powerful Mercedes is a strong one, the truth is that the 450 4Matic offers forward traction for only a few thousand dollars more than the 450+ and about $22,000 cheaper than the more powerful 580 4Matic.
During my time behind the wheel of all three vehicles, the 450 4Matic provided everything you could want from a Mercedes ride and in terms of acceleration.
Stalling (like all electric vehicles) is handled by a combination of friction and regenerative braking. On-car recovery is first class, and Mercedes has also added a “smart” recovery system that uses the track and vehicles ahead to determine how much overhaul is needed. It’s nice and smooth, and while I prefer the higher recovery braking setting, the automatic system puts power back into the battery without being overly intrusive — if that’s your thing.
Driving the EQS SUV is a reminder of how the luxury car market truly needs to transition all vehicles to an electric powertrain. It’s much quieter and smoother and that’s exactly what someone looking to pamper their car is looking for.
A cabin that makes other cars blush
Satisfying the whims of fancy runs inside the car. The seats are comfortable and supportive. At six feet three inches, I had plenty of head and legroom in the front and second rows of seats. But there is a third row available, and the best way to say it is that only young children should sit there. No one over five feet two inches tall should venture into this third row.
As for materials, no matter where you sit, Mercedes continues its tradition of outfitting its cars with the highest quality materials. It’s a sea of real wood and leather surfaces coming together to exude modern luxury.
The EQS SUV is available with two infotainment screen systems. A standard 12.8-inch OLED touchscreen is standard on the 450+. It does everything you need and I found it easy to reach and see in bright daylight and night.
Then there’s the 56-inch Hyperscreen. A three-screen, pole-to-post system featuring the instrument panel, a 17.7-inch OLED touchscreen and a 12.3-inch OLED passenger screen. It is…a lot. The center display offers a large view of the world and thanks to Mercedes’ latest version of MBUX, it defaults to an uncluttered display of map and navigation.
However, the 12.3-inch passenger screen is a source of contention. I used it several times to control the media and check some of the car’s settings – ie the pitch and roll while driving. It even has its own browser that shuts down if the driver tries to look at it. That’s cool.
Although the issue of use is really down to how often someone else is in the car and whether they will take full advantage of it. I’ve been seeing most people switch to their phones or tablets by default. Your family may be different.
Regardless of the screen size, Mercedes continues to update the MBUX voice assistant and it remains one of the best on the market. Mercedes can be asked to find a restaurant for you and add an extra stop along the way without taking your hands off the wheel. I found that he understood the vast majority of my inquiries and provided what I was looking for most of the time. But normally, I just wanted directions.
It still offers some of the best technology in the industry
These trends led me to spend a lot of time on the highways around Denver, where the EQS SUV showed off how Mercedes’ driver assistance system is still the best in the business. The EQS SUV stayed dead center in its track and tracked curves without problems.
Additional trims by other drivers were handled seamlessly by consistent braking and acceleration. Once rush hour came, the choppy traffic was easily handled by the EQS SUV making traffic congestion more bearable.
Mobility comes with a 107.8 kWh package included in all three trim levels. There are no EPA numbers yet, but Mercedes is targeting 305 miles for the 450+. For the 450 4Matic and 580 4Matic, both must reach 285 miles before they need to be plugged in.
When they need to squeeze power, it will charge all vehicles at up to 200 kW with a compatible DC fast charger. Mercedes still uses a 400-volt system for its electric vehicles, but it tops that engineering with 200 kW. However, for the money, it looks like the German automaker should have outdone the 800-volt systems to match the charging speeds of the Porsche Taycan and Hyundai Ioniq 5.
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All in all, Mercedes’ goal of making an electric SUV of the S-Class has been achieved. It is a luxury SUV that combines surprisingly off-road chops with an interior that pampers the driver and passengers. Technologically, Mercedes remains at the forefront of features with powerful driver assistance that inspire confidence while on the road.
But I still wish it shipped faster. Also, while the exterior styling is an improvement over the EQS, the current design language feels a bit more bubbly for Mercedes. However, it is currently the most luxurious electric off-road vehicle on the market. At least until the electric G buggy appears.
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