2023 Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV

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2023

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2023 Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV First Look Review: All-Electric Excess

by Cobus F. Potgieter

Two years ago, a precursor to the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV was shown at the Munich Auto Show as a concept car, and since then, the world has already received the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV as part of the brand’s electrification strategy. Now, Mercedes-Maybach’s first all-electric vehicle is here, turning the luxury and comfort up to 11. The 2023 Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV is a milestone vehicle in the history of the brand, and it arrives to do battle with other highbrow SUVs with eye-watering price tags – but it’s the only all-electric option and a comparative bargain next to the likes of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Wilhelm Maybach’s motto of “What’s good must also be beautiful” has been used as a guiding principle with the Maybach EQS SUV – and it’s more than achieved it, we think, even if the exterior aesthetic is, well, subjective.

2023 Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV Models

See trim levels and configurations:

Trim	Engine	Transmission	Drivetrain	Price (MSRP)
Maybach EQS 580 SUV 4MATIC	Electric	single-speed	All-Wheel Drive	TBC

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When is the 2023 Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV Coming Out?

The regular EQS SUV is already in production at the Tuscaloosa plant in Alabama. The Maybach version will be produced here in the USA too, and with the global launch on April 17, 2023, the release date for the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV should be within the next quarter.

What’s the Price of the 2023 EQS SUV?

Like for like, a Maybach commands a price premium of around 50% over the equivalent normal Mercedes-Benz, as the S580 at $124,000 and the equivalent Maybach S580 at $184,900 illustrate. Using this logic and taking the EQS 580 SUV’s MSRP of around $126,000 into account, the price of the 2023 Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV should be around $188k to start. Adding extras will likely see this cost soar closer to the $200k mark.

Competitors to the new Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV are limited to gas or hybrid models at this time, including the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid kicking off around $200k. The Rolls-Royce Cullinan comes at a cost north of $335k, but for that money, you get a V12 gas engine and a fuel bill that’s just as heavy.

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New EQS SUV Exterior and Colors

While there aren’t any truly ostentatious changes to the exterior of the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV, it’s still unmissable for what it is and not beautiful in a traditional sense. The faux grille and digital light headlights are easy to spot, but it’s the Maybach-themed intakes in the lower corners of the front fascia that are a giveaway. Not only do these house radar sensors, but the Maybach logo is generously wallpapered in there.

The rear end is less assertive and focuses more on being classy, stylish, and demure. A full-width lightbar with two-part helix and animations link the LED taillights. A chrome lip on the lower bumper picks up the highlights of the bright running boards that are found along the sides and the trim that outlines the glasshouse. The running boards are illuminated and incorporate the Maybach logo. An understated roof-mounted spoiler is standard.

By far the most flashy aspect of the Maybach EQS SUV is the wheels, as seen in these pictures, which some may describe as gaudy. Standard 21-inch exclusive alloy forged wheels fill the arches, but 22-inch wheels will be available.

As with all Maybachs, the brand’s two-tone exterior colors apply for the Mecedes-Maybach EQS SUV, too, complete with ornamental pinstripe, which is applied by hand. The color combinations include Cirrus Silver/Obsidian Black, Cirrus Silver/Nautical Blue, Obsidian Black/Selenite Grey, Obsidian Black/Manufaktur Kalahari Gold, and Sonoran Brown/Onyx Black.

Mercedes-Maybach EQS Dimensions

At 201.7 inches in length, 80.1 inches in width without the mirrors, and standing 67.9 inches tall, the exterior dimensions of the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV are similar to the regular EQS SUV. It’s set over the same 126.4-inch wheelbase. Curb weight hasn’t been confirmed yet, but the standard EQS 580 SUV’s 6,228-pound should be a good guideline. We’re expecting a weight penalty of at least 250 pounds, bringing the overall cub weight very close to 6,500 lbs – this will make the Maybach EQS SUV one of the heaviest SUVs for sale.

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Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV Engine and Performance

The 2023 Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV uses the same setup found in the AMG EQS sedan with the same specs: this comprises two permanently excited synchronous motors with total system output of 649 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque. This is sent to the 4Matic all-wheel drive system. Lugging the bulky behemoth from 0-60 mph will take just 4.1 seconds, according to the automaker, while top speed is limited to 130 mph. But that’s not entirely the point of this SUV – and it’s impressive, considering the sheer weight here.

Airmatic Air Suspension with continuously adjustable damping is standard, and the Maybach EQS SUV can be lifted by up to 1.4 inches for more ground clearance. We can’t imagine that anyone would take the Maybach-EQS off-roading or try towing with it, and the automaker doesn’t supply any information that would prompt either of these scenarios. It’s designed for comfortable, cloud-like cruising and will surely prove to be compliant and sure-footed to drive. The standard driving modes, namely Eco, Sport, Offroad, and Individual, are supplemented by the Maybach drive program, which replaces the traditional comfort setting. This minimizes body movement that may unsettle passengers.

Range, Charging, and Battery Life

In the absence of official specifications, we can assume the Maybach EQS SUV will use the same 108.4-kWh battery that does duty in the regular EQS 580 SUV. Range is estimated at around 330 miles based on the EPA standard, but the official rating is yet to be published. We can also expect a 0-100% charging time of 12.75 hours on a 9.6-kW AC charger, or 31 minutes from 10-80% on a 200-kW DC charger.

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Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV Interior and Cargo

If what’s under the hood is “good,” then what’s inside the cabin is the “beautiful” part. The Mercedes-Maybach EQS seats four in extreme comfort, but it's the rear passengers that get the lion’s share of space. Naturally, only the highest-quality, natural materials are used, and the model-specific Exclusive Nappa leather in Espresso Brown/Sable Brown Pearl is standard. Macchiato Beige/Bronze Brown Pearl is optional, but there are Manufaktur options too in Crystal White/Silver Grey Pearl.

What’s significant, since this EV is also about sustainability for the brand, is that all interior materials are sustainably processed – even the natural woods that are used for interior trim in the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV. Leathers are tanned using coffee bean shells and plant-based agents, and the water used is recycled. This ideal carries through to the secondary steel and recycled aluminum in the cabin.

Attention to detail is seen in even the smallest things, from the changing size of the digits on the instrument cluster that also fade in or out depending on speed and driving style to the rose gold surrounds of the instrument cluster. Of course, the MBUX Hyperscreen is standard, but it features Maybach-specific graphics and animations across the three displays. The Hyperscreen works much the same as in the Merc EQS SUV, but you get a bespoke customization for the appearance, for Maybach.

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In the back row, the two pampered passengers each get an 11.6-inch display on the back of the seat ahead of them with High-End Rear Seat Entertainment content from MBUX. A rear tablet is also included, and intuitive Interior Assist is added to pre-empt passenger operating requests by reading hand or body movements via cameras. The Executive rear seats come with ventilation, massage, and neck/shoulder heating, as well as a calf-massage option with the Executive Rear Seat Package Plus added.

64-color ambient lighting is standard for the 2023 EQS SUV with Maybach-specific hues like Rose Gold White and Amethyst Glow. A HEPA filter comes standard, and active scenting can fill the cabin with a bespoke fragrance called No. 12 MOOD Ebony. A 15-speaker Burmester 4D surround sound system with Dolby Atmos is standard, which comes with two exciters in each seat for a truly 4D experience reverberating through the seat. As far as car sounds go, the Maybach EQS SUV also comes with a unique acoustic sound called “Aerial Grace” which is interactive and responsive as you drive; the silence of EV commuting isn’t for everyone. Not that you’ll hear much of the outside world anyway, thanks to extensive NVH mitigation.

Cargo space in the Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV is limited to just 15.3 cubic feet since the executive rear seats don’t fold down. You do get two thermal cup holders and the center console for smaller items, and this can be equipped with two folding tables, a refrigerator compartment, and silver-plated champagne flutes.