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2024 Mercedes EQS SUV Review - The Luxury Electric Family Barge For The Road
The electric revolution at Stuttgart is continuing to make its way into India. Less than two months after launching the EQA, Mercedes has updated its EV portfolio in India once again with the launch of the EQS SUV.
And while the Maybach version is the be-all and end-all of all things German electric luxury SUVs for the Uber rich, the regular version of the EQS SUV - the EQS SUV is no slouch either.
So when Mercedes invited us over to test out its new flagship electric SUV, we were quite willing to drop everything to experience it for ourselves. Here are our thoughts about the all-electric 2024 Mercedes EQS SUV after a few hours behind the wheel...
2024 Mercedes EQS SUV Review: Design & Features - Different Yet Familiar & Feature Packed
When Mercedes first brought the EQS (sedan) to the Indian market, we commented on how different it was from its ICE-powered stablemates in terms of its looks. Well, the EQS SUV follows in its sibling's footsteps quite well with its extremely aerodynamic shape.
The blanked-out fake grille with the smaller Mercedes three-pointed stars surrounding the oversized version of the firm's logo has been carried over from the EQS sedan and is larger than ever. This faux grille is flanked on either side by Matrix LED headlights connected by an LED lightbar that runs atop the grille.
The sides are rather muted down with brushed aluminium surrounds (not chrome) for the windows and 21-inch, 10-spoke lightweight AMG alloy wheels, flush door handles and the illuminated running boards the stars of the show.
At the rear of the new EQS SUV, you'll find the connected LED taillights, a small spoiler element along with the EQS 580 and 4Matic lettering flanking the Mercedes badge. The rear bumper is finished off in gloss black with chrome inserts to add to the bling factor.
Step inside the new 2024 Mercedes EQS SUV and the muted look of the exterior makes for a cabin that is opulent and out there as can be and redefines electric luxury for the uber-rich Indian family unit.
The cabin of the EQS SUV, which is offered in the EQS 580 trim level for India is dominated by the MBUX Hyperscreen that runs from one edge of the dashboard to the other.
This massive 56-inch Hyperscreen, which is a combination of three displays- a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and a 12.3-inch front passenger screen - all under a single pane of glass, still looks like it came out of a Star Trek starship's deck and controls almost every aspect of the car's interior.
The ginormous Hyperscreen setup comes connected to a 15-speaker Burmester sound system that makes your tunes sound divine inside the cocoon of the EQS SUV's cabin.
The front seats are heated, and electrically powered with multiple adjustment settings, extensive lumbar support and three programmable seat profiles. They also offer a hot-stone massage function that makes every drive a stress-free one for those at the front.
The second row of seats is the place to be, if you want to experience the full glory of the EQS. There are 11.6-inch displays for each of the rear passengers and the seats themselves are heated and have enough room (leg knee and head) which along with the quietness aided by the double-glazed windows make you forget that anything else even exists.
The third row of seats is best kept occupied by children as they don't offer that much room for a full-sized adult. They can be kept folded down which in turn opens up more boot space, which goes from a scarcely usable 195 litres to 645 litres when the third row of seats disappears into the floor.
Other highlights of the EQS SUV's interiors include a Nappa leather-wrapped steering wheel (the material is the same as the one on the seats), two wireless charging pads (one at the front and one at the rear), a 7-inch tablet to control the car's functionality for the rear passengers, a heads up display, a glass roof, an insane ambient lighting setup and an air filtration and ionization system.
The EQS SUV comes packed with safety features including 9 airbags, along with the Mercedes Pre-Safe safety setup and Level 2 ADAS suite that includes features like Active Distance Assist and Active Blind Spot Assist among others.
2024 Mercedes EQS SUV Review: Specs & Dimensions - Big And Bonkers
The 2024 Mercedes EQS SUV is a massive car that measures 5,125mm long, 1,959mm wide and 1,718mm tall and features a 3,210mm long wheelbase. The car weighs in at 2,845kg (unladen).
The weight which translates to over three tonnes (gross) is mostly thanks to the massive 122kWh battery pack which delivers an ARAI-certified range of 809km on a single charge.
The ginormous battery pack supports fast charging up to 200kW. If you find a DC charger that supports that charging speed, the EQS SUV will charge its battery pack from 0-80% in just 31 minutes. A full charge with a 22kW AC charger takes 6.25 hours.
The battery powers a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup that sends 536bhp and 858Nm of peak torque to all four wheels. This allows for a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 4.7 seconds and a top speed of 210km/h.
The Mercedes EQS SUV comes with the firm's Airmatic air suspension system and rides on 21-inch alloy wheels shod with 244/45 tyres.
2024 Mercedes EQS SUV Review: Driving Impressions - Physics-Defying Silkiness
The 2024 Mercedes EQS SUV, like its sedan sibling, can push you into its seats, if you select 'Sport' mode and plant your foot to the floor. That 0-100km/h time of 4.7 seconds is easily believable if you drive with a leaden foot and only the current lot of supercars will bother you if you decide to put the posers in their place on the go.
For every other situation, the best way to drive the EQS SUV is in comfort mode. The EQS SUV glides through the roads and rolls over bumps and ruts with consummate ease.
However, push it into tight bends and the EQS SUV does roll slightly, despite the air suspension, which can be rather bothersome and just makes you want to go back to driving the electric Merc with a more laid-back relaxed approach.
The EQS SUV also features an off-roading mode, which we didn't have enough time to test out to its fullest. In this mode, the 2024 EQS SUV raises up the ride height to the maximum possible position, which should make it quite usable when our roads become rough (which is most of the time here in India).
2024 Mercedes EQS SUV Review: Verdict & Final Thoughts - The Luxury Electric Family Barge For The Road
The 2024 Mercedes EQS SUV redefines what it means to glide across the roads in absolute luxury with the entire family. It is big, comfortable and offers more than enough power if you like to boot it around a bit.
So, if you have a big wad of cash lying about (Rs 1.41 crore, ex-showroom) and need a new land barge to take the family around in style, you can't go wrong with the 2024 Mercedes EQS SUV.
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