Yahoo Autos 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV First Drive: Better because it's bigger?
DENVER — As Mercedes-Benz transforms itself into an all-electric car company, as so many automakers are doing, the first fruits of its mainstream EV generation have proven to be tasty. We’ve already sampled various flavors of its EQS Sedan, and had drives in the smaller EQE Sedan. These comfy-cozy cruisers are a pleasure to ride and drive in, with their eager electric powertrains, flashy technology and fortress-of-solitude interiors. But SUVs are what the market really wants. The first from Mercedes is the EQS SUV, the electric answer to the GLS-Class in the same way that the EQS and EQE Sedans are to the S- and E-Class, respectively. And much like the EQE resembles the EQS that came before it, the EQS SUV promises to feel familiar to those who’ve already sampled from the EQ punchbowl, and perhaps entirely alien to those who haven’t.
The EQS SUV doesn’t cut quite the imposing figure as the GLS. It’s smaller, with softer angles. The lighting on the EQS makes it look and feel particularly special. We especially like the gently arcing lightbar that stretches across the liftgate to visually connect the taillights. Up front, there’s a three-pointed star upon a glossy grille insert below a pair of headlights connected by another light bar. Depending on the model, that big Mercedes emblem is illuminated, and shines proudly.
Inside, the EQS SUV feels grander than its exterior, while still being more compact than the GLS. If you’ve been inside the EQS Sedan (or at least seen it), its SUV sibling will seem mighty familiar, though with more upright seating positions. The dash looks nearly identical, dominated by screens — either the giant three-unit Hyperscreen or a digital instrument cluster and a large central unit shared with the S-Class. We counted six USB-C ports up front, with another four in the second row and two more in the third. That’s right, 12 USB ports.
There are even more screens, too.
With the box ticked for the optional rear-seat entertainment system, each outboard second-row passenger can enjoy their own screens with many of the same infotainment functions as up front, including navigation, audio controls, games and apps. The center armrest that folds down can also be equipped with a removable tablet (part of the Executive Rear Seat Package) with more redundant infotainment functions.
The two third-row seats would be tight for an adult, but the second-row seats can lean forward to provide more room, and their seat cushions are high enough to slide your feet beneath them. The headroom seems more appropriate for children, but an adult could survive back there for a trip across town. They’ll have to make due without their own screens, but then again there’s always the two USB ports and that removable tablet from row two.
The EQS SUV can be had with three different powertrains. Regardless of motor configuration, the EQS SUV has a 107.8-kilowatt-hour battery pack that can be charged in 12.5 hours on a Level 2 charger, or from 10-80% in 31 minutes at. The 450+ features a single electric motor at the rear axle, producing 335 horsepower and 419 pound-feet of torque. Mercedes claims a 0-60 time of 6.5 seconds for the EQS 450+. This is also the longest-range option, going 305 miles on a charge, despite having the lowest starting price, at $105,550 (including destination).
In the EQS 450 4Matic, that same 335 hp is divided between two motors, one front and one rear, to give it all-wheel drive and a higher torque output of 590 lb-ft. It’s even quicker, scooting to 60 mph from a stop in 5.8 seconds. It also shrinks the driving range to 285 miles, and raises the starting price to $108,550.
The mightiest powertrain comes in the EQS 580 4Matic SUV, with two motors providing all-wheel drive and a total of 536 hp and 633 lb-ft of torque. The 580 decreases the EQS SUV’s 0-60 time to a cracking 4.5 seconds. The 580 shares the 450 4Matic’s 285-mile driving range. It has a starting MSRP of $127,100.
