There’s so much to like about luxurious SUVs. They cram in additional niceties than most homes, are full of pristine finishes and include extra cutting-edge tech than you’ll be able to shake a stick at. Now, after spending a weekend with the newest providing from Mercedes-Benz, I’m right here to inform you that luxurious automobiles must also include an electrical motor as an alternative of a loud, uncivilized engine.

Full Disclosure: Mercedes-Benz lent me a gleaming blue EQS 580 4Matic SUV with a totally charged battery for a weekend driving round upstate New York.

What Is The EQS 580 4Matic SUV?

The EQS 580 4Matic SUV sits at the highest of Mercedes’ present lineup of electrical autos. It’s a glossy wanting SUV that manages to face out from the ocean of bland, boxy utility autos regardless of its pretty understated styling. It’s a easy wanting automotive, however is among the uncommon examples of an SUV that appears higher than its lower-riding sibling, because the sedan jogs my memory of a techno dolphin whereas that is sleeker and, dare I say it, classier.

Below its shiny bodywork, which on my take a look at automotive is completed in a lush Twilight Blue metallic coloration, the EQS SUV packs twin motors that create 536 hp and are powered by a 108.4 kWh battery, which Mercedes says is sweet for 285 miles of vary. That battery additionally powers all the posh equipment that Mercedes crammed into this automotive, which incorporates an expansive display screen that makes up the sprint, therapeutic massage seats and even a bespoke perfume that wafts across the cabin.

With all of these options packed in, the EQS SUV clocks in at $142,095, together with vacation spot. This places it squarely in competitors with automobiles just like the new Vary Rover or a fully-specced BMW iX.

How Does The 6,000 LB SUV Drive?

Off the road, the EQS SUV feels quick for a automotive of its dimension and weight, which is 6,228 lbs. Mercedes charges it as having a zero to 60 mph time of 4.5 seconds and whereas it’s fast at getting in control, you do discover the automotive’s mass if you hit the accelerator. There’s a lurching sensation because the automotive shoots ahead, which is exacerbated within the Sport mode. This setting ups the automotive’s throttle response and is joined by Consolation, Eco and Customized settings that allow you to personalize the way in which the EQS drives.

I couldn’t get onboard with the Consolation mode because it softened the whole lot up slightly an excessive amount of, that means that the EQS SUV rolled about everytime you glanced on the wheel. This did nothing to please my journey sick street journey buddy. In Sport, the firmer suspension does job at mitigating this whereas remaining very comfy, and the slower acceleration you get in Eco is buttery easy and restricts any extreme movement.

These settings additionally alter the way in which the EQS corners. On the undulating roads round New York’s Finger Lakes the SUV rolls round turns in Consolation whereas the suspension works time beyond regulation to manage its mass. A swap to Sport, as soon as once more, sharpens up the dealing with with out making the automotive too aggressive. Due to this, I discovered myself sticking to Sport for many of the drive, or Eco once I wanted to spice up the vary.

Mile After Mile Of Silent Driving

With reference to vary, I used to be impressed with that of the EQS SUV. Mercedes charges it for 285 miles per cost, and I used to be truly exceeding that in my time with the automotive. On the 190-mile journey from New York to a cost port in Binghamton, I used simply 45 % of the battery. After I plugged into a quick charger to check the automotive’s 200 kW charging speeds, the automotive’s show claimed it nonetheless had sufficient cost to cowl one other 100 miles. Regardless of this, I nonetheless plugged in for 50 minutes to take the automotive again as much as 100%.

When you end up restricted to AC ports, you’ll be ready a very long time to succeed in full energy. Whereas out for a four-hour hike, I plugged in at one such port and arrived again on the automotive to see simply 26.4 kW had been added, which equates to 21 % of the automotive’s battery. A cost from zero to full at such speeds would take greater than 12 hours.

Fortunately, the EQS SUV does have a few methods up its sleeve to increase your vary. The Eco setting can restrict sure features to eke out battery life, and regenerative braking helps harness your stopping energy. On the EQS, you’ll be able to alter the extent of regen from none, which makes it really feel like each automated Mercedes, to full one-pedal driving. To do that, there are two paddles that enhance or lower the regen. However, in a merciless twist, the minus paddle ups the regen and the plus takes it away.

Extra Screens Than My House

In addition to the tech protecting you underway, Mercedes has crammed some wonderful options into the cab of the EQS SUV, beginning with the heads up show. It’s simply one of many smartest I’ve used and in addition to telling you the standard stuff like velocity and navigation directions, it comes with an augmented actuality contact. There’s a blue arrow that shoots off down the street to point out you the place you must flip and it’ll even spotlight which lane try to be in.

That show is one in every of 5 on this automotive. The whole sprint is dominated by one thing Mercedes calls the “hyperscreen,” which includes a touchscreen in entrance of the passenger and a second as the middle console. There’s a 3rd show behind the wheel providing up digital dials. Flanking this huge show are two turbine-like air vents, that are very pleasing to twist into place and even include slightly circle within the center that reveals off the automotive’s ambient lighting coloration.

The settings for the automotive’s local weather and lighting are managed through these two touchscreens, which additionally handle issues like driving modes and the automotive’s therapeutic massage seats. These heated and vented massaging seats have been a pleasant contact, with totally different applications readily available to maintain you cozy on a protracted drive.

In the case of the seat management itself, that is discovered within the door in a neat-looking management panel that mirrors the design of the door deal with. They’re tremendous simple to customise and will be shortly molded to suit your physique and guarantee most consolation. And whereas the therapeutic massage perform didn’t fairly make it to the rear seats, these are additionally very cozy and include quantity of legroom. There’s even a center seat that may match an actual grownup or fold all the way down to reveal two cup holders, a wi-fi charging pad and the fifth and last display screen within the EQS.

Behind the second row is a good-sized trunk that had greater than sufficient area for 4 peoples’ baggage for a protracted weekend, in addition to a grocery run and some baggage of apples picked recent from the bushes. When you’re touring solo and want extra room, the rear seats electronically fold flat to disclose 74 cubic toes of bags area.

All of that is ensconced in a very pretty inside. In my take a look at unit this included light-colored leather-based that was delicate to the contact, and stained walnut detailing within the heart console and alongside the doorways. One other great touchpoint was the column stalks, that are unbelievably satisfying. Every is capped with a stunning steel finish that’s textured and really pleasing to flick up or down. Whenever you try this, there’s a satisfying clunk because the stalk clicks into place and the light faucet of the indicator sound is type of refined. Ten out of ten, Mercedes.

The EQS SUV Affords Consolation Above All Else

This was the general feeling I used to be left with after masking almost 800 miles within the EQS SUV. Whether or not you’re driving the automotive or fortunate sufficient to be chauffeured round in it, it’s an EV that places consolation on the high of its priorities.

In the suitable drive setting, the automotive floats alongside the freeway and its gentle steering makes navigating busy metropolis streets a breeze. And, with electrical energy at its coronary heart, any journey you make goes to be calm, peaceable and serene with simply the light hum of the street and the automotive’s built-in scent wafting over you as you eat up the miles.

This left me considering that if all of the tech inside runs on electrical energy and electrical energy affords up such a easy and silent trip, most luxurious cruisers like this could most likely run on battery energy. So, if you’re the type of wealthy individual that’s available in the market for a swanky automotive to run round city, then the EQS SUV will do an excellent job at protecting you comfy and feeling higher about your life decisions wherever the street could take you.