For those who just like the status worth that comes with possession of something with a three-pointed star and also you’re able to take plunge into the all-electric world, however need the dimensions and practicality of the model’s largest crossover – meet the 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 4Matic SUV.
To not be confused with the AMG EQS 53, which is at present Benz’ flagship EV sedan and significantly dearer than its battery electrical SUV sibling, but affords significantly much less people-moving capability.
The EQS 450 SUV will get three rows of seats for as much as seven occupants, mixed with top-level luxurious and all of the cutting-edge expertise that Mercedes-Benz can cram into the household chariot.
Measuring greater than 5.1m in size, virtually 2.0m huge and practically 1.8m in top, this flagship EV SUV is a giant heavy unit. It’s additionally longer, wider and taller than the five-seat EQE Sedan which shares the identical EV platform.
Crucially, although, it will get an extended wheelbase (by 180mm) to raised accommodate its extra passengers by providing stacks of headroom and legroom – no less than for the primary and second rows.
It’s additionally a correct, ground-up EV, too. One which’s constructed on Benz’s devoted Electrical Car Structure (EVA), identical to the EQS and EQE sedans, thereby maximising inside area and packaging.
Thoughts, it’s not probably the most fashionable of luxurious SUVs, with its bulbous silhouette and innocuous styling, however no less than Australian examples include the ‘AMG Line’ styling bundle that provides an AMG entrance bumper with high-gloss black inserts, wheel arch linings, aspect sill panels and a rear apron.
Capping off the styling is a set of 21-inch multi-spoke light-alloy wheels, which whereas not gifting away any clues to its all-electric energy, nonetheless look good.
Nevertheless, if cash is not any object and also you merely need the final word electrical SUV whereas nonetheless staying inside the model’s steady, you would possibly wish to maintain out for the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV attributable to lob right here by mid-2024 – although pricing continues to be unconfirmed.
How a lot does the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 4MATIC SUV price?
The EQS 450 4MATIC SUV is the one full-size crossover from Mercedes-Benz in Australia from launch, and is priced from $194,900 earlier than on-road prices.
There are additionally three choices packs supplied; the Unique Package deal ($4300), the Consolation Plus Package deal ($11,700), whereas the tech-heavy MBUX Hyperscreen Package deal prices $6700 (CarExpert’s decide)
Moreover, consumers can select the $2900 rear-axle steering improve, which will increase the usual rear-axle steering angle from 4.5 levels to 10.0 levels. For those who don’t thoughts a sedan and have fairly a bit extra to spend on a battery-electric household chariot with AMG-levels of poke, check out the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+. It’s yours from an eye-watering $328,400 plus on-road prices.
However, rivals to the EQS 450 SUV embrace the BMW iX xDrive50 Sport ($174,900) or you possibly can have the ballistic M60 xDrive from $222,900. Audi has the Q8 55 e-tron Launch Version priced from $165,900 – all costs exclude on-roads.
What’s the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 4MATIC SUV like on the within?
Contained in the EQS SUV it’s all about area, tech and first-class luxurious and there’s oodles of all three – apart from these within the third row, no less than relating to legroom. It may be a bit tight in that space.
However, small youngsters will get pleasure from being out attain of fogeys, however long-legged teenagers and full-size adults gained’t discover it practically as comfy again there, particularly throughout longer drives.
Nevertheless, relying in your people-moving necessities, the EQS SUV affords good flexibility with the second row capable of slide fore and aft by as a lot as 130mm on the contact of button. Moreover, middle-row passengers are additionally capable of recline their backrests for added long-haul consolation.
It’s bought loads of stowage capability, too, because of a big boot with as much as 2100 litres of load area out there when the second and third rows folded down. Even with the third row in its upright place, there’s nonetheless 195 litres of capability – greater than sufficient for the weekly grocery store.
Importantly, the EQS SUV additionally has one of many widest and unencumbered apertures for straightforward loading.
Climb aboard and also you’ll instantly discover the EQS 450 SUV is an opulent place to be. You gained’t fairly imagine how comfy these leather-wrapped, multi-contour entrance seats might be – particularly once you lean your head again and expertise the softest down-filled headrests. It’s all so, so plush.
Chilly mornings gained’t be a difficulty both with the EQS SUV given there’s heated and cooled seats for all three rows must you select Consolation Plus Package deal. However, even commonplace fare contains heated and cooled entrance pews.
The usual tech within the EQS 450 SUV is really one thing to marvel. Mercedes-Benz does a number of the greatest huge screens within the enterprise; distinguished by their super-sharp color and graphics, to not point out the fast touchscreen response charges.
There’s a 12.3-inch digital driver’s show that’s endlessly configurable, which from behind the wheel all the time appears bigger than the measurement suggests. The readability and color of this unit is just excellent, although understanding which touchpad you might want to use to alter stuff might be generally difficult for brand new customers.
Entrance and centre is a 12.8-inch tablet-style infotainment touchscreen with OLED expertise identical to these costly TV screens you might need at house. It’s merely very good, particularly once you’re utilizing smartphone mirroring.
And whereas the usual gear stock is beneficiant in EQS SUV, you’ll most likely wish to go forward and verify the non-compulsory ‘Hyperscreen Package deal’ field, if just for its bigger 17.7-inch OLED central show. A part of the bundle additionally offers the entrance passenger with their very own 12.3-inch OLED show with haptic suggestions.
Whereas Mercedes-Benz infotainment infotainment expertise has been overly complicated up to now with far too many display layers to navigate earlier than you truly bought to the perform required, the second-generation MBUX interface options ‘zero layer’ presentation – which means the entire important controls and capabilities are positioned on the principle display as an alternative of getting to deep dive into sub-menus.
There’s additionally loads of processing energy behind the Hyperscreen, not the least of which is a pc with 24GM of RAM, in addition to eight CPU cores to course of over 46GB of reminiscence – it’s very spectacular.
And it’s not simply the tech you need right here, it’s as a lot in regards to the aesthetic values this bundle delivers. With out the total array of screens throughout the sprint, you’re merely left with an enormous slab of wooden trim that appears… effectively, a bit naff.
Not solely does the EQS SUV supply the total gamut of platforms together with AM, FM, DAB+ radio, however there’s additionally on-line radio streaming, and each Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functions take up your entire show when wirelessly mirroring. It’s very spectacular and a fantastic person expertise.
And, in your final listening pleasure the massive Benz comes with a wonderful 15-speaker Burmester sound system full with Dolby Atmos encompass – no higher place to expertise this audio triumph than within the all-quiet EQS SUV.
What’s beneath the bonnet?
Properly, there’s no thumping AMG V8, that’s for certain.
As a substitute, the EQS SUV encompasses a dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up with mixed system outputs of 265kW of energy and 800Nm of torque – and all of that from the get-go.
Powering the electrical motors is a 107.8kWh lithium-ion battery pack, whereas it claims a variety of as much as 592km in line with extra lenient NEDC requirements.
The EQS 450 SUV has a most DC fast-charging fee of 200kW, and a peak AC charging fee of 11kW or 22kW utilizing three-phase energy. The distinction in charging instances between the 2 energy models is both 10 hours or 5 hours.
Utilizing DC energy on the most charging fee of 200kW, charging time for a 10-80 per cent cost is round 31 minutes. An 11kW onboard AC charger is commonplace fitment, whereas a 22kW unit is non-compulsory for these with entry to three-phase energy at house.
How does the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 4MATIC SUV drive?
The very first thing that hits you once you climb aboard the EQS SUV is simply how stupidly comfy the entrance seats are. I really doubt Fanuli’s high-end furnishings institution in Sydney’s elite suburb of Cremorne would inventory a extra luxurious pew than these on this electrical Benz.
Then once you take off down you’ll shortly realise simply how insulated you’re from the surface world – and never simply within the regular EV method, it’s such as you’re in a soundproof recording studio.
It’s useless silent. No tyre roar or certainly the sound of wind bouncing off the aspect mirrors. You merely can’t hear something – not even the B-Double beside us. Clearly the ‘Acoustic Consolation Package deal’ isn’t only a advertising and marketing spin.
The driving place sees you perched comparatively excessive for what’s a very commanding view of the highway forward, however not a lot as to really feel disconnected. You’re nonetheless very a lot sitting within the car moderately than on prime – once more, put that right down to the luxurious armchair seats, which simply envelop you.
It would stretch virtually 5.2 metres in size however because of its rear-wheel steer characteristic the EQS household hauler is an absolute breeze to manoeuvre in tight spots at low speeds.
In commonplace guise it permits as much as 4.5 levels, however choose the non-compulsory model and it widens to 10 levels angle of adjustment. That makes mild work of mid-city U-turns.
That very same tech that enhances low-speed manoeuvrability additionally improves the dealing with. As a substitute of the rear wheels handing over the wrong way to shorten the turning radius, at increased speeds they flip in the identical path which improves rotation and common stability although turns.
Regardless that our time behind the wheel of the EQS 450 SUV was barely condensed, it didn’t take lengthy earlier than you felt the automobile shrink round you. It’s nonetheless enormously spacious inside, but it surely feels so much much less gargantuan than it seems to be to drive.
However whereas it’s no slouch off the road, it’s not the quickest luxurious EV barge we’ve pushed both. BMW’s similarly-sized however cheaper iX xDrive50 Sport makes far more energy with comparable torque output, but it surely’s a whole bunch of kilos lighter and crushes the punishingly heavy Benz out of the blocks.
However, it’s punchy sufficient round city and shows sound physique management at native pace limits via the twisty bits when in Sport – doing effectively to disguise its large 2.8-tonne heft.
That stated, the EQS 450 SUV isn’t the kind of car that cries out to be pushed spiritedly, it’s extra about first-class luxurious and having fun with top-of-the-line sound programs within the enterprise in a complete noise-cancelling area – it does that brilliantly.
Nevertheless, regardless of its excellent refinement, stopping this luxury excessive rider in a clean method in cease/begin site visitors requires some getting used to, given the not-so-linear brake pedal really feel on the prime of the journey.
There’s additionally various ranges of regeneration out there – the strongest is utilized in Sport, but it surely gained’t carry the car to a whole cease, which some would possibly discover extra comfy at this finish of the market.
Trip consolation over usually poor highway surfaces is mostly excellent in Benz fashions geared up with its proprietary AIRMATIC air suspension – and largely that’s true of the EQS examined right here, however whereas larger bumps and damaged highway are summarily crushed, it’s the preliminary compliance that may generally make the suspension really feel overly busy.
Regardless of its weight, the EQS SUV is surprisingly environment friendly. Over a distance of round 130km, we averaged 23kWh/100km, which included our fair proportion of spirited driving.
Whereas we didn’t find yourself driving at evening, it’s value noting that the EQS SUV will get digital headlights that use 1.3 million LED pixels that gained’t dazzle oncoming site visitors.
What do you get?
EQS 450 4Matic SUV highlights:
21-inch AMG alloy wheelsAirmatic air suspensionRear-axle steering (as much as 4.5 levels)AMG Line exteriorAMG-specific entrance bumperHigh-gloss black decrease bumper, wheel arch linings and aspect sillsDigital Gentle headlights12.3-inch digital instrument cluster12.8-inch OLED touchscreen infotainment systemHead-up displayWireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto15-speaker Burmester encompass sound system64-colour inside ambient lightingNappa leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheelLeather Consolation seatsElectric, reminiscence, heated and cooled entrance seats
Choices
Consolation Package deal: $11,700
Twin 11.6-inch entrance headrest-mounted displaysWireless headsetsComfort armrestMBUX rear tabletRear wi-fi chargerSecond-row pillow-style headrestsHeated second-and third-row seatsHeated steering wheelEnergising Package deal PlusAir Steadiness Package deal
MBUX Hyperscreen Package deal: $6700
17.7-inch central touchscreen12.3-inch passenger touchscreen
Rear-Axle Steering: $2900
As much as 10 per cent rear steering angle
Colors
Polar WhiteSelenite Gray metallicEmerald Inexperienced metallicHigh-Tech Silver metallicSodalite Blue metallicVelvet Brown metallicObsidian Black metallic
Manufaktur Alpine Gray strong prices an additional $2230.80, whereas Manufaktur Diamond White Brilliant carries a $1691.80 premium.
Is the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 4MATIC SUV protected?
The EQS SUV hasn’t been crash examined and subsequently doesn’t get an ANCAP security ranking. Nevertheless, the EQS Sedan which shares the identical platform scored a five-star Euro NCAP ranking in assessments performed in 2021.
It scored 96 per cent for grownup occupant safety, 91 per cent for little one occupant safety, 76 per cent for pedestrian safety, and 80 per cent for security help.
Commonplace security options embrace:
8 airbagsActive steering assistActive lane-change assistAdaptive cruise controlRoute-based pace adaptionAutonomous emergency braking (AEB)Pedestrian, Bicycle owner detectionBlind-spot help incl. exit warningLane hold assistPre-Secure Plus crash preparationTraffic signal assist360-degree cameras incl. park help capabilities
Successfully the EQS SUV can steer itself via freeway bends and matches the speeds of the car forward. For context, Mercedes can also be rolling out Drive Pilot Stage 3 autonomous tech in Europe, utilizing the EQS as its first mannequin to supply the expertise, so it’s able to extra.
Extra spectacular nonetheless is Mercedes-Benz’ battery safety protocols. Utilizing an extruded aluminium course of, the carmaker created a powerful underbody housing across the battery pack described as a “crash protected space within the underbody, embedded within the physique shell” with vitality absorbing constructions absolutely encasing the battery pack.
The corporate additionally examined the battery’s sturdiness throughout each heavy shock hundreds and within the case of a overseas object penetrating the casing. Excessive temperature and overcharging situations had been additionally examined, and software program monitoring ensures the battery switches off if temperature, voltage or insulation faults happen.
How a lot does the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 4MATIC SUV price to run?
The EQS SUV is roofed by a five-year, limitless kilometre guarantee.
Service intervals are 12 months or 25,000km (whichever comes first), with service plans overlaying three, 4 and five-year phrases.
Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV service pricing:
3yr plan: $23504yr plan: $36955yr plan: $4280
CarExpert’s Tackle the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 4MATIC SUV
It’s not your typical electrified four-wheel rocket ship like a few of its rivals, nor does it profess to go head-to-head with the likes of a Porsche Taycan and even BMW’s flagship iX within the dealing with division.
Some would possibly say it lacks character or is devoid of real automotive soul – however that’s solely as a result of its degree of refinement and unadulterated consolation are merely off the charts.
No different luxurious EV blends such elegant luxurious and high-tech immersion in addition to the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 SUV.
Thoughts, it will probably nonetheless be hustled alongside a quiet mountain highway at a very good clip with strong composure, if required.
Click on the pictures for the total gallery
BUY: Mercedes-Benz EQS SUVMORE: Every part Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV