Mercedes-Benz on Tuesday unveiled the latest addition to its growing family of EQ electric vehicles in the form of the 2023 EQS SUV.
As the name suggests, the EQS SUV is a high-riding counterpart to the 2022 EQS hatchback, with both vehicles based on the same EVA dedicated EV platform. The mid-size 2023 EQE sedan is also based on the EVA platform, and it too will spawn its own EQE SUV counterpart shortly.
The EQS SUV is due later this year, in EQS 450+ and EQS 580 4Matic grades. The EQS 450+ will come with a single motor at the rear, rated at 355 hp and 419 lb-ft of torque. The EQS 580 4Matic will have a dual-motor all-wheel-drive system good for 536 hp and 633 lb-ft. Acceleration and top speed figures haven't been announced.
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
We also don't have en EPA range estimate, though the standard 107.8-kilowatt-hour battery should be good for more than 300 miles on a charge in the EQS SUV's most efficient configuration. Charging the battery at a rate of 110 kilowatts can deliver a 10-80% charge in 31 minutes, according to Mercedes.
The EQS SUV fits into the full-size category. At 202 inches in length, the vehicle is slightly shorter than the EQS hatchback, though the two share a 126.4-inch wheelbase. The EQS SUV, which is 7.8 inches higher than the EQS, has the advantage of having an available third row. The standard wheels are a 20-inch set.
The styling, inside and out, clearly follows the path of the EQS hatchback. The design is softer than what's found on the internal-combustion GLS-Class, helping to create a new character for a full-size Mercedes SUV. This is also reflected in the driving experience, which I'll get to later.
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV
Inside, there's an intense battle between between luxury and technology. The EQS SUV seems poised to relegate other electric SUVs to coach class: The Benz not only has the gizmoriffic 56-inch Hyperscreen system of digital displays, it also has available Dolby Atmos sound, a HEPA cabin-air filter, even its own distinct scent for its fragrance dispenser, an earthy concoction dubbed No. 6 MOOD mimosa.
It does that all with the ability to carry up to seven passengers and up to four sets of golf clubs, according to Mercedes, surrounded by metallic-ringed round air vents, wood-paneled console and doors, and synthetic leather or true leather upholstery, not to mention the live streaming entertainment available via multiple screens, including the main infotainment hub. The streaming is a permitted feature thanks to a driver-side camera that shuts off the display whenever the driver’s eyes veer to watch it.
With all of this on offer, the EQS SUV is likely to outshine the GLS-Class in most buyers' eyes. Why? It’s simple: the power of batteries is better suited for the entire range of SUV driving. EVs make for the ultimate drift machines because of the copious controllable power, as we’ve witnessed in Porsche Taycans and Ford Mustang Mach-Es alike; at the other end of their operational spectrum, very fine and precise power control also makes EVs ideal off-road machines.
Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV hot weather testing
I haven't driven the EQS SUV just yet, but I was given a ride in a prototype earlier this year. The EQS SUV teased at its potential as my Mercedes pilot José picked his way between pines, ascended gravel paths, and forded a small stream as we cruised a basic off-road trail setup in the woods south of Mercedes' plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, where the EQS SUV is built. I say cruise because the EQS SUV seemed essentially unflustered. It’s raised in an off-road mode, but its adaptive suspension and especially, its 10-degree rear-steer technology, made threading between the trees an anxiety-free trip. That latter talent will give the EQS SUV great parking-lot maneuverability, too. It also moved so silently the twigs snapping under its wheels made more noise than its hard-working motors.
The well-damped ride and tight turning circle are critical to its luxury mission because, with an electric G-Class coming for hardcore off-road clients around 2024, the EQS SUV will cater to the softer side of the brand’s reputation. While I was chauffeured through some Alabama woods I probably hiked when I worked at this very plant in 1996, the EQS SUV absolutely smothered a raft of six-inch logs lashed together as a makeshift bridge. Even though it had home-court advantage, it still points toward a serene driving experience on any surface.
Cushioned from whatever ground it rolls on by air springs, padded over with close-grained leather, glossed to a high polish with square feet of digital displays, the EQS SUV isn’t done yet—not with a probable Maybach edition already in the cards, if concept-car dreams play out in reality. That Maybach EQS SUV concept offered up two regal rear seats, 24-inch wheels, two-tone paint, power-extending door handles, white and blue leather, and enough chrome to resuscitate the Pontiac brand almost single-handedly.
Concept Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV
If our first ride-along indicated anything, it’s that the forward propulsion here isn’t just a part of the EQS SUV drivetrain—it’s becoming embedded in the bona fides of the Mercedes brand itself.
The EQS SUV will arrive at dealerships in late 2022. Pricing information will be announced closer to the on-sale date, but as a guide, the related 2022 EQS hatchback starts from $103,360, including a $1,050 destination charge.
