- Exterior: Another Aero Blob
- Interior: A Hyper Gimmick
- Rear Seat & Trunk: Inferior To The GLS
- Performance & Range: An Area Of Strength
- Driving Impressions: A Firm Mattress
- Pricing: Luxury EVs Aren’t Cheap
You get more for your money with a gas-powered GLS.
Out of all the naming schemes for electric vehicles that exist today, the Mercedes way of doing things might be the most confusing. Case in point, the 2023 Mercedes EQS SUV is the SUV version of the EQS Sedan. This naming convention would almost make sense if not for the EQB, which is not specifically designated as an SUV because there is no sedan model to differentiate it from.
The EQS SUV rides on the same platform as the EQS Sedan, with an identical wheelbase, but the sedan is longer. Mercedes offers the EQS SUV in two-row and three-row configurations (our test car was the former), meaning this vehicle currently has few competitors that offer room for seven passengers. As of this writing, the only other three-row EVs are the Tesla Model Y and Model X, the aforementioned Mercedes EQB, and the Rivian R1S.
Despite being one of the only luxury EVs on the market with a third row, we noticed some glaring issues with the EQS SUV that prevent it from being recommendable. In fact, this is one of the few EVs on the market that we don't prefer over its gasoline equivalent. Here's why.
Exterior: Another Aero Blob
Unlike BMW, Mercedes wants its EV lineup to be completely separate from the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, hence why they use distinct EQ names. This is evident when you look at the EQS SUV. Like its sedan counterpart, the SUV was styled to be aerodynamically efficient in order to improve the driving range. It's a novel idea, but we get the impression that the engineers had carte blanche during the design phase, and they never took a step back to look at the shape that was spit out by all of their math. We won't mince words; it's a blob. The range number is pretty competitive, but we'd happy sacrifice a few miles for a more conventionally-shaped car.
The EQS SUV doesn't come close to resembling an electric GLS. In fact, it looks unrecognizable next to any gas-powered Mercedes model. BMW took a different approach by making its EVs look nearly identical to their ICE counterparts. We much prefer BMW's EV philosophy and based on the plethora of EQ models sitting on the dealer lot in our local town, we imagine customers do too.
Interior: A Hyper Gimmick
The interior is far less offensive than the exterior, but it is yet another area where the EQS SUV feels inferior to its ICE equivalent, the GLS. The EQS wins on screen real estate with a whopping 56 inches total from the available Hyperscreen that comes standard on the 580 model. It looks impressive when viewed for the first time, but it's functionally no different from the base screen. The 12.3-inch passenger screen is the only major differentiator, but passengers can simply glance over a few inches to use the main screen without much difficulty, making it superfluous.
And despite being in the more expensive vehicle, the Hyperscreen does not have TikTok and other app integration like the Superscreen in the 2024 E-Class. Mercedes says the 2024 model year EQE, EQS, and S-Class will get a new entertainment platform called Zync, but doesn't specifically mention what streaming services will be available on it.
The GLS might “only” come with dual 12.3-inch displays, but it does offer an available Burmester 3D audio system with 26 speakers and a 1,610-watt amp. By contrast, the EQS SUV only comes with a 15-speaker setup pumping out 710 total watts. Does Mercedes think EV owners don't like music?
Rear Seat & Trunk: Inferior To The GLS
If you care about passenger comfort or cargo capacity, get a GLS instead of the EQS SUV. The back seats are available with heating and power adjustment, but ventilated and massaging rear seats are not on the menu unless you opt for the luxurious Maybach variant. This might sound like a nitpick, but the GLS is available with these features for $3,750 in the Executive Rear Seat Package PLUS. Why does Mercedes believe that its ICE models should have a superior back seat?
Both SUVs are available with a third row, but the seats in the GLS are electric while the EQS SUV's are manual. Come on Mercedes, a Hyundai Palisade has a power third row! When that third row is up, the EQS only offers 6.8 cubic feet of trunk space compared to 17.4 cubes in the GLS. The comparison isn't any better with the third row down (28.2 cubes in the EQS versus 48.7 in the GLS) or with the second row folded (74.2 in the EQS vs 84.7 in the GLS). In all regards, the EQS SUV is inferior to the GLS as a people mover.
Performance & Range: An Area Of Strength
With a 108.4-kWh battery pack, the EQS SUV boasts some fairly strong range and performance models. The base EQS 450+ manages 305 miles on a full charge with 355 horsepower and 419 lb-ft of torque. 0-60 mph takes a respectable 6.5 seconds, which drops to 5.8 with the all-wheel-drive 4MATIC model that ups the torque to 590 lb-ft. EQS 450 4MATIC owners can also pay to increase the output for $2,950 (or $90 per month), further dropping the 0-60 time to 4.9 seconds.
Opting for the 450 4MATIC or the 580 4MATIC lowers the range to 285 miles, which isn't bad considering the latter packs a whopping 536 hp and 633 lb-ft of torque. That's good for a 4.5-second sprint to 60. The EQS SUV gets up to speed in a hurry, and can do so effortlessly with no advanced planning. In our testing, we saw approximately 2.8 miles per kWh in mixed driving, meaning the EQS 580 could theoretically cover over 300 miles on a charge.
Speaking of charging, Mercedes says the EQS peaks at 200 kW, but we never saw it go above 170 on a 350-kW charger even with a preconditioned battery. Even so, we charged from 19 to 91% in under 39 minutes.
Driving Impressions: A Firm Mattress
The EQS SUV is not a firm, uncomfortable vehicle with a harsh ride, but its road manners are unbefitting of its price tag. The standard air suspension does an admirable job smoothing out rough payment, but it seems ill-equipped to handle large bumps and dips in the road. Florida's many dipped curbs cause the car to bounce left and right, a phenomenon that does not occur in other vehicles at this price point. We were particularly disappointed with how much body roll the EQS exhibits in corners. EVs can typically disguise lateral motion because the heavy battery is mounted low in the floor, but somehow this car feels more like an ICE vehicle with a high-mounted engine. On the plus side, the rear-axle steering makes the EQS a cinch to park, even in tight spaces.
The brake pedal is by far the most unforgivable part of the driving experience. If you turn on any of the three regenerative modes, the physical brake pedal moves when you take your foot off the accelerator. That means the pedal is never exactly where you left it. This can be downright scary if you aren't expecting it, and constantly annoying even if you are. Moreover, even the strongest regen setting is too weak, meaning you will be getting on the brake pedal frequently even if you are pretty experienced at one-pedal driving.
Pricing: Luxury EVs Aren’t Cheap
We expected more from the EQS SUV, especially given its price tag. Even the base EQS 450+ Premium model costs $104,400, and the price goes up even more for the Exclusive ($107,550) and Pinnacle ($110,190) models. Upgrading to the EQS 450 4MATIC is only a $3,000 sacrifice, and even with the optional power increase it's worth the price for the performance. As for the 580, it's not much faster than the boosted 450 4MATIC, but it costs a whopping $125,950 for the Premium model. That price goes to $129,900 for the Exclusive and $131,740 for the Pinnacle.
For comparison, the gas-powered GLS (which has more space, additional luxury features, and similar performance) starts at $81,800 for the six-cylinder 450 or $105,000 for the V8 580. That's $20,000 less than the equivalent EQS SUV for what is objectively the superior luxury SUV. It may not have the same smooth electric powertrain, but the GLS is no plebeian truck. And if you can afford a six-figure SUV, chances are you will be agnostic towards gas prices.
A week with the EQS SUV proved that Mercedes needs to have a rethink with its electric lineup. Rather than try to create entirely new products, it would be better if the EVs mimicked what's so great about the company's ICE vehicles.
Keyword: Driven: 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Is A $100,000 Miss