Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Driving in the Bay Area means one thing is certain: you're going to see a lot of cars. A lot of cars that swing back and forth between the realm of extreme luxury, like cars from Aston Martin, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce, the techy-bros in their Tesla Model S's or Rivian R1Ss, and those like my husband and me that navigate the suffocating traffic in beat-up old off-roaders or Subarus. There are commuters, too, who trek the crowded highways in the Civic hybrids, Prius plug-ins, and RAV4 hybrids. Another vehicle that's becoming a lot more common in the Bay Area, though, is the Mercedes-Benz EQS lineup. The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon was in full effect: now that I was the wolf wearing the sheep's clothing, an EQS was constantly in my peripheral vision. Kristen BrownIt took driving one to finally understand why: at a base price of $89,950 (my tester had over $14,000 in options, so mine was $105,000), you get the ultimate privilege of driving a Mercedes-Benz. You're treated to a luxurious, gorgeous interior. A dynamic driving experience. A realistic range, plenty of power, a full and impressive safety suite, and again—the ability to tell your family, friends, and coworkers that you own a Mercedes-Benz. After a week, I was convinced: if I were ever in the market for a luxury SUV, the EQS 400 would be at the top of my list. Here's why.AdvertisementAdvertisementRelated: Road Ethos Launches: The New Automotive Lifestyle Site You Should ReadYou get a lot for the price at the base, but the options add more value, comfort, and usabilityA lot comes standard, even with the base model, like the large tri-screen setup (more on that later), a full-safety suite, 5-degree four-wheel steering, parking assist features, Mercedes' highway driving assistance suite, and plenty of interior features that don't have you feeling like you're missing out if you don't buy the upper trims. But if you do want to drive in full Mercedes-Benz prestige, there are plenty of ways you can do that.For example, the options on my tester included $14,130 in optional packages and visual add-ons, and a non-negotiable $1,250 destination and delivery fee. Here are the packages that came on the EQS 400 I tested, and how they added to the overall experience:16 10-Degree Rear Axle Steering ($1,300): This doubles the standard 5-degree rear steering angle. For a large, heavy luxury SUV, this option completely transforms low-speed agility in tight parking lots and high-speed stability on the highway. It made it insanely easy to drive and maneuver when my family and I took it to San Francisco for a day at the aquarium.444 Head-Up Display ($1,100): Crucial for keeping a driver's eyes forward, projecting augmented reality navigation instructions cleanly onto the windshield. I didn't use this feature much, as it's not super visible with my polarized glasses, but at night, it was a game-changer. PAF Acoustic Comfort Package ($1,010): Laminated safety glass with acoustic/radiant heat membranes. In an EV that already lacks engine noise, this package is highly recommended to prevent wind and tire roar from translating into the cabin. On the Bay's bumpy, embarrassing roads, this was a very welcome feature. In my opinion, it's definitely worth the price.DY1 Exclusive Trim ($3,000): Elevates the interior luxury components and material finishes. This also unlocks a fun multicontour front seat feature, which allows me to adjust the bolstering if I want to, too. I don't like flopping around when I drive, so I really enjoyed being able to adjust that. The setting can be programmed to the seat memory, too.DG1 AMG Line Exterior Package ($3,000): Adds a more aggressive front apron, side sills, and a sportier stance. Not necessary, but it sure did improve the curb appeal. Less eggy, more sexy.61U Microfiber Black Headliner ($1,600): Swaps the standard roof lining for premium microfiber fabric. This also isn't incredibly necessary since I don't know anyone who points out headliner material. But hey, it would boost resale value.885 MANUFAKTUR Moonlight White Metallic Paint ($1,750): Premium multi-stage metallic exterior finish. A bit pricey for a fairly boring color, but high fashion often comes with high prices, so whether or not it's worth it is completely dependent on the buyer.811 Black/Sable Brown Nappa Leather ($1,370): Upgrades the seating surfaces to ultra-premium, supple Nappa leather. This, to me, was a non-negotiable. Not only was it gorgeous, but they were also incredibly comfortable. And of course, it added a lot to the Mercedes-Benz experience.The interior is beyond stunning: tech-forward, comfortable, and luxuriousI'll be honest, I wasn't initially impressed with the exterior design of the EQS 400. To me, it looked like an egg. It was oddly shaped, and it was no small SUV. But the interior immediately won me over. The EQS 400 is only the second Mercedes-Benz I've reviewed (the first one being a Mercedes-Maybach SL 680), and the interior felt like something that would blow me away in the base model. A massive, cohesive, responsive and bright 56-inch edge-to-edge "MBUX Hyperscreen" curved glass display that houses three screens? All of which run off of the company's intuitive software? For $89,950? Sign me up. Kristen BrownThose three screens all have unique and useful functions, too. The 12.3-inch driver information display is where you see all the driver-specific information, like range, battery percentage (which you can see on all screens, really), speed, and more. Navigational data shows up there, too. I loved that it was easily customizable, very easy to comprehend, and vibrant. The center screen is the largest, naturally, at 17.7 inches, and this is where Android Auto or Apple CarPlay is displayed. You can also access other vehicle functions, like Snow Chain Mode, activate or deactivate Auto Lane Change, access cruise control settings, seat and massage settings, and more. The passenger's screen is also 12.3 inches, and it has access to all the functions on the center screen. But what I found most interesting was the capability to connect another phone to Bluetooth on that screen specifically. So, if my husband wanted to, he could connect his phone or Bluetooth headphones to it and listen to his music, or make any adjustments that a driver can't—like activating Snow Chain Mode while driving on a snowy road. Kristen BrownThe passenger can also share their screen with the driver, make adjustments to the navigation or climate settings, and even activate the massagers or the seat kinetics settings for the driver if needed, as well as any settings for the second row. That way, the driver doesn't ever have to take their eyes off the road. I've seen passenger screens before, like in the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Audi SQ3, but this screen actually felt useful. Like it made sense to be there, so the passenger didn't have to impede on the driver's space. We both loved it. The interior isn't as tech-heavy, with a simple climate control console, heated seats, and a USB-C charging port everywhere you look. There's also the large, closing sunroof, quilted leather seats all around, everyone had a soft place to rest their elbow, visibility was excellent, and there is more legroom than your passengers know what to do with. It was more like driving in a luxury lounge than a car.AdvertisementAdvertisementRelated: The New EVs We're Most Excited About in 2026There's some performance in there, too, but the star of the show is the rangeFor a car that weighs 6,300 pounds, a 355-horsepower figure and a zero-to-sixty time of 5.4 seconds doesn't seem all that impressive. If it were a gas-only car, it would be one hell of a guzzler. But, because it's an EV that produces 590 lb-ft of torque at 0 mph, there's plenty of pull and passing power for when you need it. If anything, the power felt like it was the perfect amount—not too much that you could get yourself in trouble, and not so little that you can't get out of a nasty traffic situation, pass a slow truck, or not make a yellow light. And there's a very usable and realistic range, too. On a full charge, the EQS 400 can go 312 miles, and that's with the standard dual-motor, all-wheel drive setup. The braking regeneration system is excellent, too, with varying degrees of intensity. It held its charge fairly well—by the time the fleet company came to pick it up, there were about 180 miles of range left. And that was after commuting in it, sitting in traffic, going on food and grocery runs, and a round trip to San Francisco back to the East Bay. Again, if it were a gas car, you'd be lucky if a car that heavy got you 250 miles on a tank. I didn't have to charge it, but it's reportedly very streamlinedWhen it comes to juicing up, Mercedes did a great job balancing the realities of a massive 118-kWh battery pack with the daily logistics of owning an EV. On a road trip, you can plug into a public DC fast charger and pull up to 200 kW of power, which takes you from a stressed-out 10% battery to a comfortable 80% in just about 31 minutes. The best part? If you have to, you can pull up to a Tesla Supercharger because it comes with a Tesla-compatible NACS adapter, free of charge. So, you automatically have a lot more options when it comes to charging publicly. If you have a charger at home, you can plug it into a standard 240V Level 2 outlet using the complimentary Mercedes-Benz Power Charger hardware, and while a full 0% to 100% reset takes about 14 hours, it's a breeze to just plug in overnight and wake up to a topped-off tank every morning.Kristen BrownWhat makes the whole charging experience feel like actual luxury, though, is how the car's brain takes all the guesswork out of the trip. The standard navigation system uses "EQ Optimized Routing," which means it actively calculates your route around the best charging stations based on traffic, hills, and even how fast you're driving. As you get close to your scheduled stop, the car automatically preconditions the battery pack, warming or cooling it to the exact perfect temperature. That way, the second you plug in, the SUV immediately ramps up to its maximum charging speed instead of wasting ten precious minutes just getting the battery warmed up. It's a frictionless, smart setup that keeps you from constantly staring at your range display on long drives. Mercedes-Benz gets it: if you make it easier to own and charge an EV, the more likely people are to make the transition.AdvertisementAdvertisementRelated: BMW's New i3 Has Its First Real Rival — Meet the Electric C-ClassIt's family-friendly, but not as friendly as I thought it'd beOne of my biggest gripes with modern luxury cars, and modern cars in general, is a lack of removable headrests. If you have kids in front-facing car seats, the ability to remove the headrest is important because the seat can sit flush against the back of the seat, making it more secure (and thus, safer). Several luxury SUVs I've tested don't allow the headrests to be removed. This one, however, allows the headrest on the rear passenger's seat to be removed, but not the right side. The left side had a legitimate button that I could press and then pull the headrest off. The right side didn't have that. I'm sure there's a safety reason for that, but it was a bit disappointing that one daughter's seat fit more snugly than the other. Other than that oddity, the trunk was certainly large enough for a stroller or even a double stroller, your Costco hauls, the family's luggage, or any other gear that you might want to take on your family's adventures. The rear seats didn't have built-in sunshades, but the windows were so tinted they didn't seem necessary. There are A/C vents built into the B-Pillars as well as the climate control console in between the driver and passenger's seats, so my daughters were always comfortable and kept cool. The rear seats have sensors in them, so the rear climate system would kick on automatically, but if there weren't any butts in those seats, the system would direct the A/C to just the front seats. I thought that was a pretty neat feature.However, it's bursting at the seams with safety features that are extremely family-friendlyBeyond the massive price drop and the screen tech, the true baseline value of this SUV is anchored in its standard, absolutely stacked safety suite. The window sticker highlights Mercedes' Driver Assistance Package, which goes way beyond annoying beeps. Features like Evasive Steering Assist and Blind-Spot Intervention act like an invisible co-pilot—they don't just warn you if you're drifting, they will actually nudge the steering wheel to guide you back into your lane or help stabilize the car if you have to swerve suddenly. Plus, when you're parked, the Guard 360 system turns the car into a digital fortress. It uses the 360-degree cameras to keep watch, and if someone bumps your car in a grocery store parking lot, it takes a snapshot and pings your phone immediately. You can add a dash camera onto that system too, if you want, for an additional $200. AdvertisementAdvertisementWhat really proves this thing is a true flagship family hauler, though, is its predictive crash tech. Mercedes baked its legendary PRE-SAFE system right into the cabin. The absolute second the car's sensors realize a crash or a rollover is about to happen, it goes to work protecting everyone inside: it instantly cinches the seatbelts tight, rolls up the windows and panorama roof to keep debris out, and does something I thought was incredibly cool—it blasts a quick "pink noise" through the Burmester speakers. That specific tone triggers a natural reflex in your inner ear that momentarily blocks out sound, protecting your eardrums from the deafening pop of an airbag deployment. It's that level of insane, over-engineered detail that makes the six-figure price tag actually make sense.Kristen BrownThe interior assistant has a feature that's specific to car seats that I thought was really neat: If you install a child or booster seat using the vehicle's three-point seat belts, the system actively tracks it (I used the ISOFIX system, naturally). If a toddler manages to wiggle their way loose or unbuckle their seat belt while the vehicle is in motion, the system triggers an immediate visual warning and alert right on the driver's display. Plus, the child lock is electronic and accessible on the central screen. Related: Mercedes-Benz Reveals EV Battery Design That Could Cut Weight and Improve CoolingThe ride is pretty squishy until you put it into sport modeIt should surprise no one that an SUV that weighs three tons has a squishy, rolly ride when in comfort mode. It shouldn't be shocking to learn it has adaptive, electronic suspension, either. In comfort, it's great around town, as it absorbs bumps and feels very "floaty," but it's pretty miserable and sloppy when things get curvy. In sport mode, however, the EQS 400 is a completely different animal. The suspension immediately tightens up, the steering is tighter and more responsive, and there's more enthusiasm in the throttle. It's a much, much more fun SUV to drive in that mode. However, because it can eat into the overall range, I kept it in comfort or eco unless I was on a road that merited using what I call the "fun" drive mode. As a daily driver, being able to choose between different driving dynamics definitely makes the EQS 400's price seem a lot more reasonable. Kristen BrownYou can create your own drive mode, too, if you're into that sort of thing. But comfort, eco, and sport were more than enough for me to decide that the EQS 400 was a fun drive. Comfort is a bit squishy, but that can always be fixed in "individual." Final thoughtsWhile driving the EQS SUV through the San Francisco Bay Area, I noticed that, in between the Rivians, Teslas, and Priuses, were a surprising number of EQS models. And now, I get it: for the same amount of money as either a similarly sized Rivian R1SVolvo EX90, or BMW iX, you can have the privilege of saying you drive a Mercedes-Benz. Now that the pricing structure has changed, you get a luxurious, spacious, and surprisingly practical EV SUV, especially with four-wheel steering. Having driven a Rivian R1S, choosing between that and the EQS 400 would be an easy choice to make for the money. It's perfectly outfitted for families, great for commuting, and comfortable to drive. The only thing that was a little tough for me to look past was the egg-like design. But I got over that pretty quickly once I drove it for more than 10 minutes. 10/10, would enjoy again. AdvertisementAdvertisementThis story was originally published by Autoblog on Jun 6, 2026, where it first appeared in the Reviews section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.