2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Review, Ratings, Specs, Prices, and Photos (2024)

2024

The Car Connection

Best Car To Buy

The Car Connection Expert Review

Robert Duffer Senior Editor

September 29, 2022

Likes

Streamlined shape
Seductive digital interior
Big battery, big power
Up to seven seats
A bold step in the SUV realm

Dislikes

Battery range will pale next to some
Slippery shape’s no G-Class
Third row’s a small one
Odd regen braking
Chunky A-pillar

Buying tip

The 2023 EQS SUV 450 Premium hits the sweet spot for performance, luxury, and six-figure value, and adding the second motor only costs $3,000 more.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV aims to recharge the sport-utility vehicle with battery power and a slippery shape.

What kind of vehicle is the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV? What does it compare to?

The full battery electric EQS SUV carries up to seven people, loads up on standard comfort and convenience features, and showcases the brand’s technological evolution. It rivals vehicles such as the Tesla Model X, the Audi E-Tron, Rivian R1S, and the BMW iX.

Is the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV a good SUV?

The three-row electric SUV marries comfort, luxury, and class with cutting-edge technology and characteristic elegance. The lack of tailpipe emissions help boost its TCC Rating to an 8.4 out of 10, pending a safety score. (Read more about how we rate cars.)

What's new for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV?

Everything, though the EQS SUV shares its powertrain with the EQS sedan. With the same skateboard platform beneath it, the first SUV in the EQ electric family draws out a more proportional and attractive shape than its sedan counterpart, and one that looks distinct from the gas-powered GLS.

Four inches shorter in length than the GLS but with a longer wheelbase, the EQS SUV tucks in its big proportions to visually slim down the fact that it is the biggest vehicle to be built on Mercedes’ EVA2 electric-car platform. A softly tapered roofline and sculpted side panels smooth as much of the body as possible as Mercedes reaches for aerodynamic efficiency with every line. The Mercedes logo features prominently on the solid panel black grille, and it can be illuminated to complement the light bars spanning the front and back ends. Mercedes takes the light show inside, with ambient lighting and the brand’s available Hyperscreen, which consists of three screens under a pane of glass stretching 56 inches across the dash.

For performance, the EQS SUV adopts a 108.4-kwh battery pack and a rear 265-kw motor or dual motors front and rear with a total output of 400 kw. The permanent magnet motors ratchet the output from 355 hp and 419 lb-ft of torque on the single motor 450+ to up to 536 hp and 633 lb-ft of torque on the EQS SUV 580. At the top end, Mercedes quotes a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds.

It hustles and handles smaller than its three-row SUV size, thanks in part to a standard air suspension with adaptive damping, as well as rear-axle steering of 10 degrees that all but eliminates the three-point turn. The dual-motor setup has an estimated range of 285 miles and a 200-kw DC fast-charge time of 31 minutes to get to 80% capacity.

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Styling

A cool exterior and warm interior marry to make the EQS SUV appear smaller than it is.

Is the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV a good-looking car?

Like the color black, it hides its generous proportions well. Compared to the Mercedes GLS seven-seat SUV, the EQS SUV measures four inches shorter at 202.0 inches long, yet the wheelbase is 3.0 inches longer at 126.4 inches. Not only does that translate to greater interior space, but the short overhangs and aero-minded design give it more distinct appeal over the more traditional GLS SUV and the related EQS sedan that has a dolphin-like roofline. The cool exterior earns the EQS SUV a point, but its exceptional interior earns it two more to an 8.

As the biggest vehicle to be built on the EQS/EQE platform, the EQS SUV has a crossover-style silhouette with a star-studded black band spanning the nose. Adorned with available tri-star shapes, the front panel is solid, and houses radars and a camera that supplement the roof-mounted camera. Signature LED light bars bookend the front and rear, with a helix shape corkscrewing around the rear fenders and stair-stepped DRLs climbing over wheel arches that house 20-inch or available 21-inch wheel designs in a multitude of shapes. Everything conveys aerodynamics, from door handles that fold flush, to available running boards with air fins mounted low to direct air around the car.

Inside, the lavish and glowing treatment can be paneled in synthetic leather and magnolia wood studded with laser-etched steel Mercedes stars. Circular vents flank the ends, and a gorgeous wood-covered console sits atop another open lower shelf. Then there’s Hyperscreen, with its wall of screens capped by a thin rib of ambient LED lighting that can be shifted across a spectrum from pure white to vivid purple. The wood paneled dash on the 450s feels like a better use of the space than the passenger touchscreen.

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Performance

The EQS SUV shrugs off its size with both quickness and comfort.

The EQS SUV can be had three ways, and with a standard air suspension and rear-axle steering, they all hustle and handle with an alacrity that belies its 6,000-lb curb weight. Planted handling and impressive acceleration earn a point each to a 7 here.

How fast is the EQS SUV?

It depends on the model. The base EQS SUV 450+ uses a single 265-kw motor to power the rear wheels. It makes 355 hp and 419 lb-ft of torque, and hits 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. It’s not as quick off the line as some electrics, but it surges ahead when called upon.

The two other variants employ motors on both axles for all-wheel drive. The dual-motor setup in the 450 4Matic makes the same 355 hp but it twists out 590 lb-ft of torque, which helps launch it to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, according to Mercedes.

The two motors conspire for 400 kw in the EQS SUV 580, which outputs 536 hp and 633 lb-ft of torque and a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds. It’s impressive given its curb weight of 6,228 lb, but the power delivery is even more impressive. There are quicker electric vehicles, but the smooth linear surge of the EQS 580 stays in character for the three-row SUV instead of slamming occupants back as is the case in twitchier electric cars.

Is the EQS SUV 4WD?

The 450 and 580 4Matic models are all-wheel drive, and all models employ permanent magnet motors that deliver higher efficiency than having an induction motor up front, as is the case in other dual-motor electric vehicles.

On its EQS-derived architecture, the EQS SUV also adopts an air suspension and adaptive damping that automatically adjusts through a range of four drive modes. The damping fights back against lateral motions so the driver rarely leans into the door. It feels stable and planted, even when pushed, and at speeds of about 35 mph, the rear-axle steering turns the wheels in phase with the front ones for greater agility on sweeping roads.

Overall, it’s tuned for comfort but the variability allows for more fun than in other vehicles this size. Thick A-pillars limit outward vision, and the available 21-inch wheels can pick up some of what the road is putting down. Acoustic glass and other sound-deadening materials mostly keep the cabin an oasis of calm.

All-wheel-drive models add an Offroad mode that automatically raises the suspension an inch to make about nine inches of ground clearance. The rear-axle steering helps clip corners dense with trees or brush, and slide the rear end out so the EQS SUV can make turns that might not seem possible. A hill-descent control function acts like an off-road cruise control at speeds up to 11 mph, and an available camera system triangulates up to four cameras for a multitude of views, including one under the front axle. It has genuine off-road capability, in our brief testing, but keep in mind that no all-terrain tires are offered from the factory.

Regenerative braking

Three settings for regenerative braking can either bring the EQS SUV down to stop without needing to press the brake pedal, or can coast and rely on friction braking, the same as in a gas-powered car. One curiosity to note is that the differences in the three settings affect both the brake and throttle pedal feel. If you were to change the regen setting from normal to strongest, the accelerator firms up, so you need a bit more foot pressure to keep it going at the same rate. It’s odd, but easy to assimilate to.

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Comfort & Quality

Class, comfort, and quiet commingle in the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.

Available as a seven-seat sleeper car but best with five seats, the EQS SUV proves that stately comfort doesn’t need to be sacrificed to utility. Comfy front seats, roomy back seats, ample cargo space, seating versatility, and fit and finish that once again proves Mercedes is peerless when it comes to interiors, the EQS SUV earns a perfect 10.

The power front seats include 4-way lumbar support as well as heating and cooling of the leather upholstery, all standard. The standard Burmester 3D sound system dials the cabin into soundscapes of rainforests and oceans or you can rock out to Rachmaninoff in sublime serenity. Options include power headrests, massaging seat backs, and a HEPA air filtration system.

Rear seat riders can get most of those creature comforts as well, but they come standard with power folding that shifts the front seats forward in lockstep so they can fold flat without having to manipulate the headrests. The leg room extends to 41.3 inches, though that wouldn’t leave any room for third-row riders. Still, the EQS SUV easily fits four full-size Americans, and a family of five could do without the available third row of seats.

The usable space in the wayback relies on the kindness of second-row riders. It’s possible to stack three 5-foot-9 passengers but it would require precise adjustments. The third row gets armrests, cup holders, and two USB ports, but it’s best folded flat to extend the cargo space to 31 cubic feet.

The 60/40-split second row can be split off again into a 40/20/40 set up to collapse the middle for skis or to create a barrier to sibling bickering.

The EQS SUV has roughly 74 cubic feet of room behind the front seats, and it can be accessed with full arms via the hands-free liftgate.

Mercedes' blend of magnolia wood, leather, and steel, the precise lines and lack of anything extraneous, the way the leather armrests curve into wood trim, all shows an attention to detail unrivaled by other automakers. The only misstep in our eyes is the 64-color ambient lighting that flashes more neon than this side of a vice district. But other people must like it, and it can be dialed up or down as you please.

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Safety

The EQS SUV lacks crash-test ratings, but comes equipped with tech meant to avoid crashes.

How safe is the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV?

The IIHS and the NHTSA have yet to crash test the EQS SUV, and Mercedes hasn’t finalized the curb weight of this prodigious electric SUV, but we expect it to rank highly in safety based on those factors as well as all its standard driver-assist technology.

Every EQS SUV comes with automatic emergency braking front and rear that detects not just pedestrians and cyclists but cross-traffic at intersections. Active lane control maintains the center of the lane at autobahn-like speeds up to 130 mph, but it also works at low speeds on back roads without center lane markings. Adaptive cruise control has speed-limit recognition that’s easy to override, as well as stop-and-go functionality at speeds of up to 35 mph and can restart from a longer stop with a tap of the throttle. The blind-spot monitors have steering assist that will nudge dismissive drivers back in their lane when necessary, and when parking it’ll sound a warning if there’s a cyclist or traffic coming up on a side where the door is opening.The standard surround-view camera system conspires with rear-axle steering to simplify parking lots.

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2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Features

Mercedes’ electric SUV flagship dazzles with a wall of screens and lounge-like conveniences.

With a starting price exceeding $105,000, Mercedes loads the EQS SUV with standard luxury features. The options take it to near ultra-lux levels, at least until the Maybach EQS SUV arrives next year. The next level technology earns it another point to an 8 on our scale.

It misses a point when it comes to value, even though it’s so well equipped. Six figures will do that. Mercedes neglects to include scheduled maintenance on its otherwise robust 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty; what maintenance does an EV need, we wonder. A 10-year/155,000-mile battery warranty promises that the battery will remain at 70% capacity. Yet Mercedes discourages owners from opening the hood because, like most other EQ models, the EQS SUV lacks a hood latch or any other way to open it aside from force and tools. You’re allowed to refill your own wiper fluid, however, via a slot on the driver’s front fender.

Mercedes equips the EQS SUV with a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 12.8-inch central touchscreen with wireless smartphone compatibility and charging, a surround-view camera system, heated and cooled leather front seats, ambient lighting, Burmester audio, six USB-C ports, a panoramic sunroof, 20-inch wheels, and power second-row seats. Navigation with augmented reality promises to never miss a turn, with camera projections of the approaching intersection overlaid with arrows popping up over the map view, but nothing is foolproof, as proven by this fool.

Optioned with Mercedes’ Hyperscreen, the EQS SUV can overwhelm and amaze with all the pretty lights and data dumps.

Which Mercedes EQS SUV should I buy?

It’s so well equipped we’d stick with the 450 4Matic in base Premium trim for $108,550. For $4,250 more, the Exclusive trim adds massaging front seats, four-zone climate control, the illuminated three-pointed star up front, and the choice of two different head-up displays.

Hyperscreen comes standard on 580 models, and stitches together the instrument cluster with a 17.7-inch touchscreen with excellent 3D map graphics. The passenger gets their own 12.3-inch touchscreen with internet search and other entertainment options. This tech showcase can be a lot, but it can be as endearing to the digital savvy as it can be distasteful to the digitally averse.

How much is a fully loaded EQS SUV?

The Pinnacle trim adds $6,250 over the base Premium on any model, but it’s more for those who prefer to be driven. It has twin 11.6-inch touchscreens in the seatbacks, an MBUX tablet that can be removed from and operated outside the car, heated second-row seats, comfort headrests, and other refinements. The EQS 580 Pinnacle tops the lineup at $133,350.

2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Fuel Economy

The dual-motor EQS SUV has an estimated 285 miles of range.

Is the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV good on energy?

The single-motor 450+ has an estimated 305-mile range, while the heavier dual-motor iterations extend to 285 miles. We base our rating of 9 on the 450 4Matic and 580 4Matic.

The EPA hasn’t certified the efficiency of the three-row electric SUV in any motor configuration, but Mercedes estimates 85 MPGe combined and 2.5 miles per kwh for the 450+; 79 MPGe combined and 2.33 miles per kwh for the 450 4Matic; 77 MPGe combined and 2.27 miles oer kwh for the 580 4Matic. That’s average efficiency for a limited sample size. The Tesla Model X with 20-inch stock wheels gets 3.02 miles per kwh. The Rivian R1S three-row SUV has an efficiency rating of just 2.04 miles per kwh.

On a 240-volt Level 2 outlet, it takes 12.5 hours to go from 10% to full charge. Mercedes rates the battery pack for 200-kw DC fast-charging, and promises at 110 kw the battery can be recharged from 10% to 80% in 31 minutes; the 400-volt architecture limits the fast-charge speeds, but Mercedes is rolling out a 800-volt architecture on its next EQ iteration.