2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV review: International first drive
Does this super-sized and supremely comfortable new-generation Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV hit the mark as a luxury SUV for EV buyers?
- In-cabin serenity is supreme, spacious too
- Clever technology enhances the driving experience
- Eats miles like a loungeroom on wheels
- Brakes can be inconsistent at low speeds
- One-pedal driving system flawed, doesn't always bring the car to a stop
- Weight impacts energy efficiency and dynamics when pushed
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS450 4Matic
The Mercedes-EQ EQS SUV joins a fast-growing family of electric vehicles from the world’s oldest carmaker as it accelerates into its EV-led future.
It’s fair to say that Mercedes-Benz started its electric vehicle revolution timidly by converting existing petrol SUVs into electric vehicles, first with the GLC-based EQC and then with the EQA and EQB.
The EV strategy stepped up with the April 2021 launch of the EQS sedan built on Mercedes’s all-new Electric Vehicle Architecture (EVA) that also underpins the EQS SUV we’re testing here, and the smaller EQE sedan due in Australia in 2023.
The EVA platform, like most flexible EV architectures these days, has a floor full of batteries and electric motors at one or both ends. It is fundamental to Mercedes-Benz’s stated ‘Ambition 2039’ goal of a carbon-neutral car fleet by 2039.
This goal is particularly bold because it also accounts for the parts supply chain. Mercedes-Benz acknowledges that the production of EV vehicles is “twice as CO2 intensive” as traditional combustion vehicles, “mainly because of the lithium-ion batteries”.
Focusing on the EQS SUV now, this vehicle is the luxury flagship of the Mercedes-EQ range. Mercedes’s global sales boss and board member Britta Seeger says it is aimed at well-heeled families, adventurers and music lovers.
“The target groups are diverse, but they share common ground in enjoying an active lifestyle … We therefore believe that the EQS SUV will drive forward luxury and technology for our customers in this important segment.”
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How much does the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV cost in Australia?
The five-door EQS SUV is available in three mechanical specifications in overseas markets: the EQS450+ with 265kW and 568Nm, the EQS450 4Matic with 265kW and 800Nm, and the EQS580 4Matic with 400kW and 858Nm.
Mercedes-Benz claims a driving range of up to 671km for the EQS450+, 610km for the EQS450 4Matic, and 609km for the EQS580.
As for accelerative performance, the rear-drive EQS450+ can hit 100km/h from rest in a claimed 6.7 seconds. The EQS450 4Matic drops that to 6.0sec, and the flagship EQS580 can do it in 4.6sec. All three variants have a top speed limited to 210km/h.
All EQS sedans and SUVs have a permanently excited synchronous motor on the rear axle driving the rear wheels.
4Matic variants’ all-wheel-drive system adds a second motor on the front axle, and has an intelligent Torque Shift function that distributes the drive torque between the front and rear electric motors.
Cabin configurations of five seats and seven seats (2-3-2) are available on all variants.
We’ve been told Australia will get the EQS450 4Matic initially, offered with a choice of five- and seven-seat configurations. There’s no word on pricing yet, but we believe the EQS450 4Matic will land with a price tag around $260,000.
The EQS450+ is not in the plan for Australia, and neither is the EQS580 – Mercedes-Benz Australia is waiting for a more luxurious and more powerful Maybach version to handle $300K-plus demand.
Compared to the EQS sedan with which the SUV shares its 3210mm wheelbase, the EQS SUV’s roof line is 206mm higher, the body is 33mm wider, yet overall length is a surprising 91mm shorter.
A more appropriate comparison would be to the Mercedes-Benz GLS seven-seat SUV, against which the EQS SUV is 94mm shorter in overall length, 71mm narrower and 105mm lower, but its wheelbase is 75mm longer, maximising interior space.
The EQS SUV's styling is obviously related to its EQS sedan sibling, with similar design cues in its curved front end, full-width front and rear light bars, and flush doorhandles.
An AMG Line package – with sportier exterior styling elements – can be optioned, as can alloy wheels of between 20 and 22 inches in diameter, and the same Digital Light headlights as the EQS sedan, with 1.3 million micro-mirrors and 2.6 million 'pixels'.
Styling areas optimised for aerodynamics include a heavily raked windscreen, those flush-mounted doorhandles, specially designed wheels, unique 'wheel spoilers' to manage airflow, and specific bumper, side skirt and running board designs.
The Mercedes-EQ EQS SUV is assembled in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, using batteries produced down the road in Bibb County. The EQS sedan, however, is built in Germany.
Key details | 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS450 4Matic |
Price | $260,000 (estimated) |
Colour of test car | High-Tech Silver |
Options | Australian specification not finalised |
Rivals | Audi E-Tron | Range Rover | BMW iX |
How much space does the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV have inside?
EV luxury, thine SUV has arrived.
The EQS SUV’s cabin doesn’t disappoint on first appearances. It’s luxurious in the extreme. Once you get past the beautifully crafted, primarily leather surfaces, it’s the huge infotainment screens that grab your eye, quickly followed by the very high dashboard line.
The dashboard is so high it immediately makes you feel like a kid who’s snuck into dad’s car. But once settled in the driver’s seat, the mood transforms into one of cossetted indulgence rather than imposing claustrophobia.
The deeply comfortable front seats are fully electically adjustable, and have memory function standard, as well as four-way lumber support, seat heating and soft-cushion head restraints. Seat cooling and massage functions are optional.
The turbine-style air vents are a nice touch, as are the highly machined chrome covers for the Burmester sound system’s in-door speakers.
Storage options abound, starting with a deep bin under the armrest and another ahead of it that contains two cupholders and a phone charging mat. It also has a retractable hard cover to hide items within.
The second row of seats on all models is electrically adjustable for slide (130mm) and tilt (18deg) to adjust the balance between space in the second and third rows. Legroom is beyond generous, as is headroom beneath the double-pane panoramic sunroof (possibly an option in Australia).
They’re also ridiculously comfortable, especially when paired with the fold-down central armrest. On an EQS580 we sat in at launch it contained a second smartphone charging mat, though we’re not sure that will come on Australia-spec EQS450s.
Access to the third row is via an Easy Entry function that automatically slides the second-row seat forward by 290mm and folds the backrest. It also slides the front-row seat forward to make room for the sliding second-row seat – provided there’s no occupant. Once the third-row occupant is in situ, the system returns first- and second-row seats to their original position.
Space in the third row is more than adequate for adults under 180cm. There’s even enough room under the seat in front for feet. Adults taller than 180cm might find headroom restricted and legroom becoming cramped.
There are air vents for both second- and third-row passengers.
It’s worth noting that all EQS variants have a maximum payload of up to 570kg, which must account for up to seven occupants and their luggage.
The EQS450 4Matic five-seat version offers 645L of boot space, dropping to 565L for the seven-seater when configured for five occupants. If the second row of seats are slid all the way forward, these capacities grow to 880L (five-seat) and 800L (seven-seat), which Mercedes claims is sufficient for four golf bags, giving us further insight into the target market.
Maximum luggage space with the second rows folded is 2100L for five-seaters and 2020L for seven-seaters. In both instances, the seats can be folded in a 40:20:40 configuration.
As for how much boot space is available in the seven-seater when all seven seats are in use, the answer is 195L.
The EQS has an electric tailgate as you’d expect, which opens to a height of 198cm.
The EQS does not have an under-bonnet storage space, unlike some other EV models. Mercedes-Benz says that’s for a number of reasons, primarily that Mercedes owners don’t like opening the bonnet. Secondly, on some models a high-capacity HEVA air purifying system takes up room beneath the bonnet.
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS450 4Matic | |
Seats | Seven |
Boot volume | 195L to third row 565L to second row 2020L to first row |
Length | 5125mm |
Width | 1959mm |
Height | 1718mm |
Wheelbase | 3210mm |
Does the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV have Apple CarPlay?
Fitted as standard in the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is a 12.3-inch digital instrument display and 12.8-inch multimedia touchscreen – shared with the S-Class limo – running Mercedes's MBUX software with a 'zero layer' approach that uses AI to place the most-used functions on the home screen.
The party piece is the optional MBUX Hyperscreen, which combines a 12.3-inch driver display, 17.7-inch central touchscreen and a 12.3-inch passenger display (also touchscreen) into one 144cm glass panel stretching across the entire dashboard, shared with the EQS sedan.
This gives the front-seat passenger the ability to watch dynamic content while the vehicle is on the move. The system has the smarts to detect if the driver tries to sneak a peek and will dim the display in response.
The central and passenger screens use OLED technology, and incorporate software home to bespoke in-car music streaming, a 'Hey Mercedes' voice assistant, up to seven driver profiles, and a mix of fingerprint, face and voice recognition technology.
The Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan was the first model series from Mercedes to have OTA (Over The Air update) capabilities that allow owner-requested functional updates (Sound Experience audio and Digital Light projections, for instance). The EQS SUV expands on this allowing customers to add technical features to their car at a later date, such as Trailer Manoeuvring Assist and Augmented Reality Navigation.
The augmented reality head-up display measures a virtual 1.96m diagonally and appears to be floating 10m in front of the vehicle. We tried it and it works brilliantly, making it easy to navigate even the most confusing of highway interchanges.
The EQS SUV’s satellite navigation system has been adapted to suit the vehicle’s EV needs, and can automatically add a charging station to a route if the vehicle’s range is inadequate.
Lastly, the EQS SUV’s Dolby Atmos sound system has the power to let listeners position certain instruments or vocal tracks around the listening area. Because of course it does.
Is the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV a safe car?
ANCAP hasn’t tested an EQS SUV or sedan yet, but the sedan was tested by Euro NCAP in 2021 and received a strong five-star rating.
While the ground-breaking rear-passenger airbags of the new S-Class haven’t carried across into the EQS, the sedan still has a host of safety systems that lead to a 96 per cent adult occupant and 91 per cent child occupant rating.
We cannot blindly assume that the EQS SUV will perform similarly well because it has a different body structure. All we know is that Mercedes-Benz has been steadfast in its commitment to safety for many decades now. So, if its flagship SUV were to score poorly, it would come as a shock to both the company and the industry.
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS450 4Matic | |
ANCAP rating | Untested |
What safety technology does the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV have?
Mercedes-EQ Australia has not officially confirmed Australian specifications, although it’s likely we will get adaptive cruise control with navigation integration, lane-keep assist, lane centring, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and autonomous emergency braking with intersection support.
Available auto parking systems range from traditional hands-free parking to a feature allowing drivers to stand beside the car and manoeuvre it into a space using their smartphone, and a memory function that remembers and can repeat tricky parking manoeuvres.
The EQS SUV is also capable of navigating itself autonomously through multi-storey car parks, and positioning itself in or removing itself from a parking space, all with the driver standing out of sight in a pre-determined drop-off/pick-up bay.
Mercedes-Benz says the EQS SUV has 'Level 3' semi-autonomy, which allows drivers to take their hands off the wheel and eyes off the road on specific sections of freeways or at speeds below 60km/h. Again it’s unclear whether this system will be fitted to Australian-spec cars, or indeed whether it’s legal to use in Australia.
European versions of the EQS SUV feature a first for Mercedes. They have rear-seat occupant and seatbelt detection complementing the front-seat occupant detection system standard on all Australian-spec cars.
European and Australasian EQS SUVs will have an occupant presence reminder that alerts an exiting driver if children may have been forgotten in the rear seats.
There are two ISOFIX mounts in the second row, and top tethers in all three second-row positions.
How much does the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV cost to maintain?
Mercedes-Benz offers a five-year warranty on all passenger vehicles and SUVs, including electric vehicles. Servicing intervals are 12 months or 25,000km, but the cost of these services is unknown at this early stage.
Mercedes-Benz Australia offers three years of free recharging on the ChargeFox network for the EQS sedan, an offer that is likely to be repeated with the SUV.
Because this car is still 12 months from arrival in Australia, we were unable to obtain an indicative comprehensive insurance quote. We suspect that won’t be a purchase pressure point, however. Anyone who can afford a $260K car will pay whatever the insurance company requires.
At a glance | 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS450 4Matic |
Warranty | Five years, unlimited km |
Service intervals | 12 months or 25,000km |
Servicing costs | Unknown |
Energy cons. (claimed) | 20.2–24.3kWh/100km |
Energy cons. (on test) | 19–28kWh/100km |
Battery size (usable) | 108.4kWh |
Driving range claim (WLTP) | 610km |
Charge time (11kW) | 10h |
Charge time (50kW) | 2h 10m |
Charge time (max rate, 200kW) | 31m |
Is the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV energy-efficient?
Mercedes-Benz claims the EQS450 4Matic will achieve between 20.2 and 24.3kWh per 100km of driving depending on energy recuperation opportunities.
However, if we take the company’s WLTP test maximum range of 610km into account, that suggests an energy consumption of just 17.8kWh per 100km, which is impressively low for such a physically imposing and heavy vehicle – the 4Matic version weighs 2730kg before occupants.
During our 150km test drive in Denver, Colorado, we saw electricity consumption figures as low as 19kWh per 100km and as high as 28kWh/100km. Given this vehicle’s energy regeneration capabilities, actual energy consumption averages will be heavily dependent on the driver’s right foot and their operating theatre.
The Mercedes EQS SUV has a one-pedal driving mode that can bring the car to a complete stop if the driver releases the accelerator. The driver can also adjust the level of off-throttle deceleration using paddle shifters behind the steering wheel. The three modes are D+ (gliding), D (standard recuperation) and D- (enhanced recuperation).
There is also a D-Auto mode that offers situation-adapted energy recovery advice to the driver via an in-dash display.
Mercedes-Benz claims the EQS’s 108.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack will retain 70 per cent of its useable charge after 10 years or 250,000km of life.
What is the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV like to drive?
How would you think a $260,000 luxury SUV weighing 2735kg before occupants would drive? Like an opulent oasis of calm cruising elegantly and impervious to the world outside.
Think of the EQS450 4Matic as an SUV limousine and you won’t be disappointed. Its controls are seamless and smooth, its ride is cosseting and ridiculously comfortable, and the sound isolation is among the best I’ve ever sampled.
Driving this car elevates your sense of calm and – it must be said – your sense of self-worth. This is a car that spoils its occupants with everything it has and everything it does.
It’s obviously at its best wafting serenely through life, but if you need to hurry, the 4Matic’s 800Nm of torque provides ample shove to lift this 2735kg beast’s skirts.
All EQS SUV models come standard with air suspension with continuously adjustable damping and adjustable ride height that is also integrated into the vehicle’s Dynamic Select drive modes. The EQS SUV’s drive modes include an Off-road setting as well as Eco, Comfort, Sport, Individual and 4Matic.
Despite its weight, the EQS450 has some dynamic prowess, thanks in part to a lower centre of gravity than its Mercedes-Benz GLS internal combustion equivalent. Putting the air suspension into Sport brings a firmness to the ride that still prioritises ride comfort but ties the big body down well through corners.
The EQS450 4Matic is nobody’s idea of a sports car, but in this mode it does feel sporty compared to its stately grace in Comfort mode.
The EQS450 is not perfect. We found the braking system inconsistent at lower speeds typical of bumper-to-bumper traffic. We also noticed that in one-pedal driving mode, lifting off the accelerator did not always bring the vehicle to a complete stop as it's supposed to – which can be quite alarming when there's a car stopped in front of you.
Now, 'what about this car’s off-road capabilities?' I hear absolutely nobody ask, because no owner will ever deliberately take this $260,000 luxury SUV beyond the bitumen.
Mercedes-EQ went to some lengths at the EQS SUV’s international launch to convince us of its off-road capabilities, and it is very capable. Electric vehicles, I’m starting to realise, have an inherent advantage when it comes to combining drive control with active traction systems like ESC. Electric motors can be more finely controlled than a fuel-burning internal combustion engine, which makes for more finely tuned traction adjustments when wheels start to slip.
But still, there’s something unnerving about taking an EV into the bush, partly because of how quiet the vehicle is. Even when the going gets tough, the EV makes no noise to signal how hard it’s working.
But then, if you’re an avid wildlife watcher, maybe an EV is just what you need for silently sneaking up on your quarry?
The EQS SUV’s four-wheel-steering system provides up to 4.5 degrees of turn from the rear wheels. Like most four-wheel-steering systems, this one turns in sympathy with the fronts at highway speeds to aid stability, and opposite to the fronts at lower speeds to increase agility.
Should an owner want even more rear-wheel steering, a 10-degree upgrade can be purchased and ‘installed’ over the air. So, the next time you find yourself stuck on a particularly gnarly rock-climb and need to make an extra-tight turn, make sure you’ve got internet access so you can purchase the update at the Mercedes me digital store. Oh, and somewhere to sleep, because OTA updates happen overnight.
Other OTA updates available in various markets include a Beginner Driver/Valet mode that reduces acceleration capabilities and limits top speed to 120km/h, a dashcam recorder that uses the vehicle’s existing cameras, AMG Track Pace for laptime recording, and individualisation packages to tailor the car’s sounds and interior light shows, and adds games to the front-seat passenger’s touchscreen.
It’s worth mentioning that some of these OTA purchases are time-limited, meaning that they will need to be repurchased over time.
Key details | 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS450 4Matic |
Engine | Two permanently excited synchronous motors |
Power | 265kW electric |
Torque | 800Nm |
Drive type | All-wheel drive |
Transmission | Single-speed automatic |
Power to weight ratio | 97kW/t |
Weight | 2735kg |
Spare tyre type | None |
Tow rating | 1800kg braked 750kg unbraked |
Turning circle | 11.9m with standard 4.5-degree rear steer 11.0m with optional 10-degree rear steer |
Should I buy a Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV?
The Mercedes-EQ EQS is a convincing and accomplished luxury SUV that also convinces as a luxury EV. It’s nobody’s idea of cheap, but it does offer a lot of prestige and capability for the money. If that’s what you’re after, then right now there is nothing better.