It’s electrifying! Move over, Tesla Model S. The new 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS Sedan joins the luxury electric vehicle class as a top contender. It’s swanky and stylish, loaded with tech, has plenty of power and quick acceleration, and has an impressive range of at least 340 miles. All that luxury comes at a price, though, with a six-figure price tag.
Base Price: $102,310
As Tested: $125,730
Horsepower: 329
Mileage: 97 MPGe city/97 MPGe highway/97 MPGe combined
The five-passenger EQS Sedan is the first model of the new Mercedes-EQ rollout in North America. It has many features of the posh S-Class.
There are two models. The EQS 450+ starts at $102,310. The 580 4Matic starts at $119,110. Each model comes in three trims: Premium, Exclusive and Pinnacle. The top EQS 580 Pinnacle starts at $125,310 and prices can climb much more with options and packages. The EQS 450+ is only offered with rear-wheel drive while all-wheel drive is standard on the 580 4Matic.
The EQS 450+ is powered by a 107.8-kWh lithium-ion battery and a single electric motor that make 329 horsepower and 419 pound-feet of torque. The EQS 580 4Matic gets the same battery with two electric motors that produce 516 horses and 631 pound-feet.
The 450+ has the performance you’d expect in a high-end EV. It can hustle from zero to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. The EQS 580 is even quicker at just 4.1 seconds. The 450+ handles like a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Power is smooth and effortless. Steering is responsive and the 450+ glides through corners. The ride is super smooth, even over rough roads. Yep, the 450+ is a joy to drive and I enjoyed every minute behind the wheel.
There are several settings for the regenerative braking. You can employ one-pedal driving where the vehicle slows down when you take your foot off the accelerator. Or you can adjust the braking to have a more traditional response.
The range is impressive. The EQS 450+ can go 350 miles on a charge, while the EQS 580 can go 340 miles. I was able to get more than 400 miles of range by turning off climate settings and having a relaxed driving style without jackrabbit starts and stops.
You can charge the EQS with a regular household plug but that will take a long time, upwards of 20 hours or more. It’s better to set up a 240-volt electrical adapter. Or you can use public charging stations that offer Level 2 or DC Fast Charging. With a 240-volt plug, the EQS battery can go from 10% capacity to a full charge in 11 hours. That speeds up significantly with DC Fast Charging which will take about 31 minutes to go from a 10% charge to an 80% charge.
The interior is as classy as the S-Class, beautiful and stylish, and loaded with the latest tech and countless features. Materials are top notch including saddle-quality leather and optional wood trim. Both rows of seating offer sublime comfort and lots of room, and seats can be adjusted in a myriad of ways. Taller folks will have plenty of space in both rows.
The 450+ has a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and tablet-like 12.8-inch touchscreen with the MBUX infotainment system. Graphics look great and the system responds quickly to inputs. There is a learning curve but the system does become easy to use with practice. One gripe is there are no physical buttons or knobs for common functions, such as adjusting audio volume, which means you have to go through the system or access some functions via the steering wheel controls. You can also say, “Hey, Mercedes” for voice commands.
Standard features include proximity keyless entry, surround-view camera system, dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, infotainment system with 12.8-inch touchscreen and voice recognition, 15-speaker Burmester surround-sound audio system, satellite radio, HD Radio, Bluetooth, augmented-reality navigation, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, six USB ports, wireless device charging, 64-color ambient interior lighting, panoramic roof, automatic high-beam headlights, and universal garage door opener.
Available features include a head-up display, augmented-reality head-up display, quad-zone automatic climate control, heated steering wheel, sport steering wheel, Nappa leather upholstery, multicontour and massaging front seats, rapid-heating front seats, front sport seats, power-adjustable heated and ventilated rear seats, and multicontour, massaging, and rapid-heating rear seats, stainless steel pedals, infotainment gesture control, infotainment with Hyperscreen, passenger-side 12.3-inch touchscreen, rear wireless device charging, rear tablet for infotainment controls and cabin air purification and fragrance system.
Standard driver assistance technologies include forward and reverse automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, lane change assist, stop-and-go adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, front and rear cross traffic alert, pedestrian detection, automatic parking assist, speed limit recognition and limiting, driver attention monitoring, and car-to-X communication (equipped vehicles can communicate with each other).
The EQS has 22 cubic feet with both rows of seating in place and 63 cubes with the second row folded. Unlike many other EVs, there’s no front storage.
The good:
Excellent range
Quick charging
Posh interior loaded with features and tech
Nimble performance
Super smooth ride
Standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
The not-so-good:
Infotainment system has learning curve
No physical controls for things like audio volume and tuning
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $102,310. Neva Grey and Biscaya Blue Nappa Leather is $4,450. Natural grain yacht-design brown walnut with Aluminum lines are $1,515. Emergency-use 110-volt charging cable is $250. The Air Balance Package is $350. Energizing Air Control Plus with HEPA filter is $450. Dashcam is $200. Heated steering wheel is $250. MBUX Augmented Reality head-up display is $2,000. Illuminated seatbelt buckles are $300. Laminated safety glass with infrared protection is $1,010. Neva Grey microfiber headliner is $1,600. Active ambient lighting is $590. Rapid heating front seats are $450. Toll payment system is $200. The MBUX Hyperscreen Package is $7,230 and includes a 56-inch Gorilla glass surface with reflection-resistant and anti-scratch coatings, 12.3-inch driver display, 17.7-inch OLED central display with Haptic feedback, 12.3-inch OLED front passenger display with Haptic feedback, and touchscreen cleaning cloth. Front multicontour seats with massage and four-zone climate control are $1,575. Destination fee is $1,050. There’s a $50 credit for missing standard Valet/Beginner driver mode. The grand total is $125,730.
Bottom line:
The all-new 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ Sedan is one of the ritziest—or should I say electrifying EVs yet! It’s beautiful, stylish, and spacious, has an impressive range and is loaded with the latest tech. Check it out if you have more than 100-grand to spend.
