If the other Mercedes-Benz EQ-series SUVs/crossovers don’t cut it for you and your family, look no further than the newly unveiled EQS SUV.
This is the most luxurious EV crossover that Mercedes-Benz offers (that isn’t a Maybach), topping the range the same way the EQS sedan does for its more conventionally shaped products.
And speaking of looks, the EQS SUV carries over some of the sedan’s styling elements but redesigned a little, like the blacked-out grille panel, the headlight and taillight design, and the overall smooth silhouette to minimize drag. You can also opt for the AMG Line exterior for a more aggressive appearance, which we think works better with the larger shape of the SUV.
New to the SUV is the triangular DRLs, the wheel arch cladding, the optional running boards, and the aerodynamic wheels that can be sized from 20-22 inches.
Inside, you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish this from its sedan counterpart. Obviously, expect to be swathed with the best interior materials, like real wood, aluminum, and seats made of nubuck leather and neoprene.
You can configure the cabin to either seat five or seven people. If you choose the former, you’ll be able to carry up to 880L of cargo with all seats up, which shrinks down to 195L with all three rows up.
It also comes with “circular ambient lighting,” the Mercedes Hyperscreen (the base 450 gets a 12.8-inch portrait infotainment), an optional panoramic sunroof, and Burmester surround-sound system with Dolby Atmos.
The EQS SUV will be offered in two trims: the 450 and the 580.
The 450 is either offered in single-motor form (mounted on the rear axle) or dual-motor (for all-wheel drive). This trim pushes out 355hp and 568Nm, while the dual-motor spec bumps the torque figure to 800Nm. Opt for the 580 (which comes in dual-motor only), and things are boosted to 536hp and 858Nm.
There’s a 107.8kWh lithium-ion power pack that’s capable of “up to 660km” (for the rear-wheel-drive EQS450). And when it’s time to top up, the EQS can fast-charge at rates of up to 200kW, allowing the battery to go from 10% to 80% in 31 minutes (at a DC fast-charging station).
Underpinning this luxury barge is the modular EVA2 platform, the same one used in the brand’s other EV models. As expected from an “S” level Mercedes, it comes with air suspension with adaptive damping (including an off-road driving mode for all-wheel-drive variants) and an optional 10° rear steering to aid with maneuverability and stability (it comes standard with 4.5° rear steering). And of course, it comes with all the advanced driver-assist options in a modern car.
While there’s no pricing announced at the moment, the SUV will begin production in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. This means if we do see these arrive locally, expect a hefty premium as it is coming from the United States. But has that ever mattered to the people who will be buying this vehicle?
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