The Mercedes EQS SUV is a large, luxury, seven-seat electric SUV that offers a long range and a seriously lavish experience. It’s comfy, stuffed full of the latest tech and is a joy to spend time in, but you do have to pay a vast amount for the privilege and there are others out there that do a similar job for quite a bit less cash, including its own sibling, the slightly smaller yet very similar Mercedes EQE SUV.
Pros:
- High-quality interior and lots of space
- Comfortable and quiet to drive
- Huge amounts of on-board tech
Cons:
- Hugely expensive
- Divisive styling
- Warranty package could be better
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Review
- What is the Mercedes EQS SUV?
- How practical is it?
- What’s it like to drive?
- Technology and equipment
- Three things to know
- Which one to buy
- Running costs
- Reliability
- The CarGurus verdict
What is the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV?
The Mercedes EQS SUV is a seven-seat, luxury SUV version of Mercedes’ flagship electric car, the EQS saloon, which is itself a futuristic, fully electric take on the Mercedes S-Class limousine. So, it’s very reasonable to think of the EQS SUV as an electric limousine in an SUV disguise, with the additional convenience of a seven-seat layout. From the spacious, cosseting rear seats to the super-luxurious cabin in the front seats, with its Hyperscreen dashboard that stretches the curved glass touchscreen across the entire width of the cabin, it is an extravagance of technology and luxury.
The downside is that you have to pay extravagantly, too, but more on the pricing further on into this review.
At over 5.1-metres long, and weighing in at 3.1-tonnes, this is a full-sized SUV that rivals the Tesla Model X, and the electric Range Rover. Other rivals include the Kia EV9: yes, it’s a lot cheaper, but it’s a similar size and is one of very few other seven-seat electric SUVs on the market. If you’re not too worried about the seven-seat aspect, the Mercedes EQE SUV sits on the same platform as the EQS SUV, and offers a very similar image and experience for usefully less money.
The BMW iX is also a contender for the EQS SUV, but you can’t get the BMW as a seven-seater. The same applies to the Audi Q8 E-Tron. In terms of Mercedes’ own range, the EQS SUV is the very pinnacle of its electric vehicle lineup, sitting above the EQE saloon and EQS saloon, plus the EQE SUV (the smaller EQC midsize electric SUV has now been withdrawn from sale). It also sits above more conventionally powered Merc SUV models such as the GLC and GLE.
As you’d expect, range in the EQS SUV is very decent. A huge 118kWh usable battery (the car had a 108kWh battery when it was first launched, but that was swapped out for the bigger item in December 2023) powers a pair of electric motors to deliver all-wheel drive, and offers an official WLTP range of between 355- and 398 miles depending on which wheel size and model you go for. The range includes the 355bhp EQS 450 4matic, the 536bhp EQS 580 4Matic and (if those just aren’t posh enough for you) the 649bhp Mercedes-Maybach 680.
How practical is it?
Practicality rating: 4/5 stars
In the UK, the EQS SUV comes with seven seats as standard. Unless you buy the range-topping Mercedes-Maybach version, that is, which replaces the five rear chairs with two super-luxurious ‘executive chairs’, making it into a chauffeur-ready four-seater. Eagle-eyed readers will spot that the car in our pictures is actually a five-seater: that configuration was available early on in the car's life but was quickly withdrawn, and Mercedes hasn't updated its press photography accordingly.
We’ve tried the seven-seater and, well, it’s huge, so if space is what you’re after then you’ll be well catered for. Even with all seven seats up, the EQS SUV has 245 litres of boot space: enough for a few soft bags or a lightweight buggy. In five-seat mode, you get 800 litres of boot space, which is enough for… well, absolutely loads of stuff. Mind you, it’s worth pointing out that the Kia EV9 has even more space when it’s in seven- or five-seat modes, which is pretty impressive. The Kia also has a touch more headroom in the third row of seats, so if you really are considering the EQS SUV as a family car rather than a many-seated limousine, it has to be said that the Kia has the edge.
Even so, there’s a huge amount of room in the middle row of the EQS, while even the third row of seats are heated, have air-con and charging ports, and all the back seats fold down to leave a flat floor if you want them to. It is a rather compelling blend of usefulness and indulgence.
Go for the Business Class trim – one up from entry-level AMG Premium Line – and you get energizing massage seats up front, which even have a hot stone setting. Great to use in conjunction with the relaxing moods that you can choose from in the Hyperscreen touchscreen infotainment system, which show gently moving images and colours, with ambient lighting and soft background music (and you can have perfumed air, too, if you want) to make sure that you arrive at that board meeting feeling calm and relaxed. It’s basically a luxury spa experience on wheels.
What’s it like to drive?
Driving rating: 4/5 stars
Very lovely, as you’d expect. Our test car was the EQS 580 4Matic, which will do 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds, and feels as quick as you’d ever want a vehicle of this size and mass to go. The powertrain has that limo-level smoothness that makes the EQS SUV an absolute doddle to drive silkily, even in stop-start traffic at low speeds, with the adaptive brake regen’ that you can control via the steering wheel paddles also helping out.
We haven’t driven the EQS 450 4Matic, but given that it gets the same air suspension all-round for cushy, smooth ride comfort, we’d probably settle for the lower-powered version and be very happy indeed. The EQS SUV doesn’t really feel like a car that wants to be driven at top speed, so much as one that wants to be driven very smoothly so that you can better enjoy the hot-stone massage and perfumed air. It does go around corners neatly if you do fancy tackling a fun road with a bit of vigour, helped greatly by standard rear-axle steering that applies a small amount of rear-wheel angle for added agility. However, it’s no sports SUV despite the rear-wheel steering, and the BMW iX is a better-handling option if you want a bit of a performance edge to your luxury electric SUV.
Refinement is exceptional, even by electric car standards, and even at motorway speeds.
Technology, equipment & infotainment
Technology and equipment rating: 5/5 stars
You can’t argue with the levels of automotive tech and equipment in the EQS SUV. Obviously, there’s the giant Hyperscreen infotainment system, which has wow-factor to spare with its trio of huge digital screens covered by a single piece of glossy-looking curved glass stretching the width of the dashboard. Early on in the car’s life, entry-level cars like the one in our pictures came with a more basic infotainment setup as standard, while higher trims got Hyperscreen as standard, but it wasn’t long before Hyperscreen was made standard across the board. That’s why the interior in cars that customers actually buy will look a lot flasher than in our rather non-representative, manufacturer-sourced photos: check out our video for a better idea of what the interior is really like.
To be fair, the Hyperscreen isn’t the easiest system to operate, but between the touchscreen and the touchpad controls on the steering wheel, you do get used to it after a while. The graphics are fantastic, and naturally you have all the features you expect including online connectivity, over-the-air software updates, satnav with charger search function, plus wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Every Mercedes EQE SUV also gets a Burmester sound system and panoramic glass sunroof as well as augmented head-up display, which doesn’t just show your speed, but also shows a navigation arrow beamed directly onto the road ahead so that you don’t miss your junction.
Wireless phone charging is standard, and if you go for the Business Edition or Mercedes-Maybach, then even rear passengers get wireless phone charging, not to mention a tablet to control the MBUX infotainment system, two rear screens, reclining seats and all the smugness that you could want.
Three things to know
- The Mercedes EQS SUV charges at up to 200kW, which is very rapid – if not quite as quick as the Kia EV9 and Porsche Taycan - and will get you a 20-80% top-up in 30 minutes despite this being among the biggest batteries currently available in an electric car. You also get 22kW AC charging as standard, although most people will do the majority of their charging at a 7kW home charger, where a full charge from nearly empty will take around 19 hours.
- Range is decent in the EQS SUV, which is designed to offer the best possible aerodynamics despite the unavoidably huge mass of this car. The slippery shape means that the official WLTP range stands at around 400 miles regardless of whether you choose the 450 4Matic or the 580 4Matic, provided you stick with the more modest 21-inch wheels. Optional 22-inch wheels drops the range by some 20 miles or so. Go for the Mercedes-Maybach 680 and range drops further, dipping to as little as 355 miles officially, or we’d estimate a real-world range of roughly 280- to 300 miles depending on conditions (and perhaps how often you use the seat massage function).
- If you step up to the truly lavish Mercedes-Maybach, the three-person middle bench and the two fold-up chairs behind it are all lost in favour of two individual seats that recline, and benefit from climatised cup holders, folding tables and an extended central console for a first-class airliner feel in the back of your electric SUV. You even get holders for your champagne flutes… Naturally!
Which one to buy
- If you want the most luxurious: It has to be the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680. Not only do you get the executive four-seat layout, but you also get lashings of Mercedes’ MANUFAKTUR bespoke finishes. It is every bit the top-notch limo, only in SUV form.
- If you want the best company car: We’d stick with the EQS 450 4Matic AMG Line Premium Plus, as you still have just about every luxury you could want yet the cost is more reasonable and that’ll save you a bit of Benefit-in-Kind tax.
- If you want the best high-mileage commuter: Again, stick with the EQS 450 4Matic AMG Line Premium Plus, on the standard alloy wheels, for the best range possible. You get the 200kW rapid charging as standard, of course, so on-the-move top-ups shouldn’t be a problem, either.
- If you want the best family car: Without wishing to repeat ourselves, go for the EQS 450; it’s got everything you want or need, and will be an astonishingly luxurious family wagon.
Running costs
Running costs rating: 3/5 stars
The Mercedes EQS SUV is not cheap, that’s for sure. Prices start at just under £130,000 and stretch right up to £154,000 for the top-spec EQS 580, while the Mercedes-Maybach EQS is a whopping £200,000 minimum.
Efficiency could be better, too. Yes, it’s decent for such a big, powerful vehicle, but you’ll still be paying around 8p to 10p per mile if you charge at home on a standard domestic electricity tariff. Insurance, tyres and other routine ownership costs will be as high as you’d expect of such a high-end SUV.
Reliability
It’s too early to know how the Mercedes EQS SUV will fare in terms of reliability, but the brand managed a fairly disappointing 22nd out of 30 brands included in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey.
Mercedes offers a standard three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty on the EQS, while the lithium-ion NMC battery pack is covered for eight years and 100,000 miles.
The CarGurus verdict
Overall rating: 3/5 stars
The Mercedes EQS SUV is a lavish beast, and an exceptionally enjoyable thing to cover miles in. A true technical extravaganza. Yet it is also hugely pricey, has a somewhat flashy and confusing touchscreen system and has an underwhelming warranty offering next to some rivals, including the Kia EV9, which is half the price (and yes, doesn’t have the brand swagger and sumptuousness of the EQS) yet gets a seven-year warranty.
There actually isn’t much out there to rival the EQS, and if you’re shopping for luxury, exceptional refinement and a limo-esque cosseting driving experience in an electric SUV, this is the one to buy.