Mercedes EQS SUV

Richard _ Ingram@autovia.co.uk @rsp_ ingram

THE Mercedes EQS SUV is arguably one of the most exorbitant and ostentatious new cars of 2022. But to dismiss it as a fancy, frivolous and irrelevant stagecoach for the world’s super-rich would be unfair. Merc’s very own S-Class has always been a springboard for new tech, and the EQS is no different. Kit trialled here will filter down to more affordable models in time.

The car’s huge battery is good for 379 miles of range, Merc says, while the EQS can replenish its cells at speeds of up to 200kW, which means a 10-80 per cent charge takes just 31 minutes. However, weighing more than 2.7 tonnes, the EQS SUV isn’t all that efficient. Figures we saw equate to a usable range of between 250 and 270 miles.

Then there’s the cabin. Even without the circa-£8,000 Hyperscreen, the EQS represents the very best of Mercedes’ craftsmanship. It feels genuinely luxurious. No corners have been cut when it comes to fitting out the brand’s flagship SUV.

However, it’s the configuration shown here that we’d recommend. Sure, the threescreen layout is the EQS’s party piece, but few will truly use the myriad functions – and the passenger display feels like little more than a gimmick. The regular two-screen set-up will save you thousands, and it’s still full of trick features, responsive and quite intuitive.

At 70mph, the cabin is all but silent, and even on 22-inch wheels, there is very little road noise. Wind noise is only noticeable at three-figure speeds, and the ride – save for the odd sharp jolt or pothole – is sublime. Comfort is what the EQS SUV does best.

The EQS will be sold only with seven seats in the UK, although the 450-badged model we drove was fitted with the five-seat configuration offered in other markets. We did manage to try the third row in another car, however, and while there’s more space than in a Tesla Model X, it’s still best left for kids.

Boot space is generous, though – as it should be in a 5.1-metre-long car. There’s 565 litres with the very back seats folded

Essentials

Mercedes EQS 450 4MATIC

Price: £130,000 (est)

Powertrain: 108.4kWh battery, 2x e-motors Power/torque: 355bhp/800Nm Transmission: Single-speed automatic, four-wheel drive 0-62mph: 6.0 seconds

Top speed: 130mph

Range: 379 miles

Charging: 200kW (10-80% in 31mins)

ONSALE Mid-October

PRACTICALITY The EQS SUV is a big car, and feels incredibly spacious in any one of the five front seats. UK cars will come with two more seats in the boot, but fold these flat and there’s 565 litres of luggage capacity

“There’s little road noise and the ride is mostly sublime. Comfort is what the EQS does best”

flat, and this can expand to 2,020 litres when the second row is tucked away.

Given the strong refinement and supple ride, it’ll be no surprise that the EQS SUV is a fantastic long-distance cruiser.

Those who want to experience the anyspeed instant torque often associated with high-power EVs might want to take a look at the top-spec EQS 580. The 450 4MATIC is brisk from a standstill, but performance tails off at higher speeds. It’s still quite capable of quick overtakes, but won’t pin you to your seat like the flagship will.

Yet while it’s easy enough to disguise the car’s weight in a straight line, it’s not so simple through the corners. And

Merced

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