The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV joins the Tesla Model X and Rivian R1S as the only practical (but not impractically expensive) battery-powered crossoverver SUV can be up to 7 seats.
The latest three-row electric crossover comes from an automaker that helped kickstart the internal combustion engine revolution, rather than just hasten its demise. Much more to come, including the Kia EV9 and VinFast VF 9, alleged. The Mercedes EQB and Tesla Model Y can be equipped with seven seats, but we recommend not stowing passengers like a Solo cup.
The Built by Alabama The EQS SUV feels like the most familiar car in the subgroup, even though it’s only related to the gas-powered GLS in concept. Aerodynamic curves, dignified cabin, S-Class designation and cutting-edge technology have oriented the three-star model to the electric age.
It is the fourth vehicle for the United States in Mercedes’ budding EQ family, and the third and largest Mercedes vehicle to run on the brand’s EVA2 dedicated electric platform. It shares many things with the EQS upgrade — the ultimate successor to the S-Class — including a 108.4 kwh battery pack, a base 450+ model with single-motor and single-motor rear-wheel drive. 580 different all-wheel drive twin silks. Unlike the EQS sedan, Mercedes is equipped with a midsize 450 dual-engine, but does not offer an AMG version.
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
Big body, good movement
With standard air suspension and rear-wheel drive, all three 2023 Mercedes EQS SUV the variant hustles and handles like a car one size smaller.
The base EQS 450+ SUV uses a single 265 kW motor to power the rear wheels. It makes 355 hp and 419 lb-ft of torque, hitting 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. It doesn’t turn off as quickly as an electric number, but it does come forward when called.
The other two variants use permanent magnet motors on both axles for four-wheel drive. According to Mercedes.
The EQS SUV 580 uses two 400 kw engines to produce 536 hp and 633 lb-ft of torque. It sheds 6,228 lb curb weight with a bump on the road to 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds, but what’s most impressive is the way it’s driven. The smooth linear rise of the EQS 580 is still characteristic of a three-row SUV instead of cramming people like in twitchier electric cars.
Despite its strong potential, Mercedes built the EQS SUV to deliver comfort. The performance SUV in the EQ family will debut next month alongside the smaller EQE SUV AMG. But with standard air suspension and adaptive damping that automatically adjusts through a series of four driving modes, the EQS SUV has enough changeability to both cushion road occupants from cracking and help occupants. more confident when pushing it than many other three-row SUVs. The lower center of gravity and heavy weight give the car a stable and solid feel, while the dampers help counteract lateral movements so the driver rarely leans against the door.
Rear-wheel steering is also standard and it can rotate the rear wheels up to 10 degrees. At speeds above about 35 mph, I couldn’t help but push it over the long winding sweeps of cars and feel it cut into fictional peaks with precision equal to its size. Thick A-pillars reduce some visibility to the outside, but a suite of advanced driver-assistance functions, including automatic emergency braking and a blind-spot monitor, help detect cars and pedestrians at intersections. crossroads, providing a third eye.
With the rear-wheel steering turning the rear wheels facing the front wheels, it effectively eliminates the three-point turn. In a cramped trailhead parking area, with parking spots on one side and a fence on the opposite, I was able to turn 180 degrees without going backwards, effectively shaving off the end of the way. The wheelbase is 126.4 inches long, incidentally about three inches longer than the GLS’s wheelbase.
That trailhead turn leads to a brief off-road trip outside an old Rocky Mountain mining town. All-wheel drive models add an Offroad mode that automatically raises the suspension by an inch to create a ground clearance of about 9 inches. The rear-wheel steering system helps cut corners with lots of trees or bushes and slides the rear of the car out to let the EQS SUV make sharp turns at random. The downhill control system works like off-road cruise control at speeds up to 11 mph, and the available camera system uses roof-mounted cameras as well as cameras in the front, rear and side mirrors for projection. loads of viewing angles, including one under the front axle. Its off-road capabilities are limited only by the lack of all-terrain tires from the factory.
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
Regenerative brake
The regenerative braking system is curious. Mercedes calls the settings three plus one, with the Smart or automatic function, which, when accessed via the paddle shifter, tells the driver the optimal time to take his foot off the accelerator and the system adjusts. tweak the regen based on what’s ahead. Otherwise, the three main settings include a D-Coast function that works similarly to a car. The default normal D setting gives way to a strong D + regen mode that can be stopped.
There’s nothing unusual about any of that. It is unusual that the regen brake setting affects the feel of the accelerator pedal. D+ mode accelerates the accelerator, so changing the regen setting from D to D+ requires more force on the accelerator to keep it going at the same speed. There’s no technical reason for it, says VP of EV Architecture at Mercedes-Benz Christoph Starzynski Green car report. It is meant to provide consistency in pedal feel between modes and remind the driver of the selected mode. It’s easy enough to assimilate, but it’s still a weird one.
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
Charging and efficiency
The EPA hasn’t certified the three-row electric SUV’s performance in any engine configuration, but Mercedes pegged the 450+ with a range of 305 miles and an estimated 85 MPGe combined and 2.5 miles per kWh. The dual-engine variants have a range of 285 miles. Mercedes estimates the 450 4Matic at 79 MPGe combined and 2.3 miles/kwh, while the 580 and its 21-inch wheels hit 77 MPGe combined and only 2.3 miles/kwh.
In terms of efficiency, it breaks down the difference within a limited sample size. Tesla Model X with 20-inch stock wheels goes about 3.0 mph/kwh. The Rivian R1S three-row SUV has a performance rating of just 2.0 mph.
The current EQ series has a 400 volt architecture that limits fast charge times compared to the upcoming 900 volt architecture that is expected to launch with Electric EQG G-Wagen. Mercedes rates the battery pack for DC 200 kw fast charging and promises at 110 kw that quick charge sessions will stabilize, that the battery can be recharged from 10% to 80% in 31 minutes. On a Level 2 240 volt outlet and with a built-in 9.6 kw charger, it takes 12.5 hours to fully charge from 10% to full charge.
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
The space of three rows of luxurious Mercedes-Benz seats
With a starting price in excess of $105,000 for the EQ SUV 450+ Premium, Mercedes has decked out the cabin with the refinement and refinement that have made the brand no less than an internal combustion engine. Power-adjustable leather seats with heating and cooling are standard at the front, and magnolia wood trim lined with laser-engraved steel slats or steel Mercedes stars grace the cabin. Small but important touches, such as the way the leather-wrapped armrests on the door cushions the elbows before the surface curves into a wooden contour where the wrist flexes, guaranteeing a Mercedes unequaled when it comes to a complete interior. benevolent. Throw in massage chairs, quick seat heaters, and a 56-inch screen, and the EQS SUV 580 Pinnacle starts to justify its $133,350 price tag. Probably.
The so-called Hyperscreen kaleidoscope includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch central touchscreen with excellent 3D map graphics and enhanced navigation, as well as a display 12.3-inch touch screen for passengers to search the internet and other entertainment options. The last bit is overkill in my opinion and would be better served by a gorgeous wooden display. Lower models have a less distracting layout with a 12.8-inch central touchscreen and no passenger display.
Five seats are standard and the electrically adjustable second row can slide and tilt forward in lockstep with the front row seats, so no worries about having to fold the headrests or move the front seats. . At its longest, there’s more than 41 inches of legroom there. The optional third-row seat won’t fit larger Americans in comfort, but kids will be fine with armrests, cup holders, and USB ports. Fold the seats down with the electric option available and cargo space increases to 31 cubic feet behind the second row. A heat pump for the HVAC system won’t arrive after the EQE SUV launches, but subsequent EQ models could be fitted with it.
The EQS SUV lacks the Rivian R1S’s adventurous lifestyle approach, as well as the Model X’s performance and technology cache, but it also lacks the X’s packaging complexity. It’s a triple electric SUV rows of seats are more familiar, built on luxurious comfort while not saving on ability. From a automaker that popularized internal combustion engines over a century ago, the EQS SUV is a promising reboot.
Mercedes-Benz pays for airfare and accommodation for Green car report to prepare this direct report.
