Mercedes-Benz EQS Review: Insights from Tomorrow’s Automotive Landscape

Operating an EQS is filled with instances of sudden understanding and complete bewilderment. I doubt we’ll be reverting our choice anytime soon.

Operating in the future is a challenging endeavor. No one understands this better than Mercedes-Benz. This German firm has earned a reputation as a pioneer in automotive technology, setting trends that will become standard features in vehicles over the next decade or two. From antilock braking systems to electronic stability controls and even superchargers—their innovations span an extensive range.

However, this method carries significant risks. Get it right, and you’ll always be remembered as the pioneer who revolutionized the industry. But get it wrong, and you could end up burdened with perplexing, untested technology and considerable wasted resources.

No car embodies this quite like the
Mercedes-Benz EQS
Sedan. Praised as the vanguard of the electrified age, it debuted with lukewarm receptions and disappointing sales figures. Given this knowledge, Mercedes is shifting focus away from those oval-like aesthetics.
ditching the EQ names
And moving forward with hybrid alternatives. The upcoming electric S-Class will indeed be one of those—
an electric S-Class
In terms of both name and appearance, it isn’t a separate model like this one.

However, the EQS has arrived now, and
Available as a steal on the pre-owned market as well.
. It also got a light facelift for 2025, with a slightly more traditional front-end faux grille and a bigger battery for more range. Let’s look at what it gets right and what it gets wrong about the future.

(For full transparency: Mercedes provided me with a 2024 EQS for a week to use during this evaluation. Upon arrival, it was completely charged.)

Mercedes EQS: Driving Experience

Hop into any electric vehicle (EV), and you’ll understand why luxury carmakers invested heavily and early in this technology. The electric powertrain offers effortless, quiet rides. While the S-Class’ inline-six and V8 engines are impressively smooth, they fall short compared to the EQS’ exceptionally refined drive system.

The EQS offers four variants: 450+ rear-wheel drive, 450 4Matic all-wheel drive, and 580 AWD.
AMG
AWD. The EQS 450+ model I tested produced 355 horsepower along with 419 lb-ft of torque using just one motor. In comparison, the AWD variant delivers identical horsepower but boosts torque up to 590 lb-ft. While these numbers may not seem extraordinary today due to increasingly high-power vehicles, keep in mind that electric cars operate silently; thus, even under heavy acceleration, they do not exhibit the typical sounds associated with engine effort.

A gasoline engine with 335 horsepower might struggle to propel the 2,500-kilogram EQS. However, the electric motors face no such issues. Given that you typically wouldn’t utilize a luxurious sedan for sprint races, its acceleration of zero to 60 miles per hour in 5.9 seconds is sufficiently swift; thus, your personal comfort rather than the performance of the engine will likely dictate how fast you can go.

For those seeking additional horsepower, consider the EQS 580 which delivers 516hp and 611lb-ft of torque. If you’re inclined towards extremes, the outrageous AMG EQS Sedan offers a staggering 649hp and 700lb-ft of torque. However, since I found ample power with my test drive of theEQS 450+, priced at $117,375, upgrading to higher-power models seems unnecessary. The standard engine proved more than sufficient and enjoyable.

Betting on electric motivation, then, was a smart play. Yet in offering a car with more weight, different weight distribution and a trick rear-steer system, somewhere along the way Mercedes lost sight of making it ride like an S-Class. The marque’s signature buttercream ride is the main reason I’d recommend one. The new gas-powered S-Class is the best-riding car this side of a Rolls-Royce.

The EQS doesn’t fall short in comfort. It remains an outstanding choice for long-distance driving. However, navigating through city streets and traversing potholes reveals that even advanced air suspension technology cannot mask the vehicle’s bulkiness. The car moves ponderously across hills and lands heavily into dips. These descriptions might sound severe—considering it still offers a smoother ride compared to most cars—but those seeking absolute excellence on the road will not find it with this model. Hence, our initial caution from the specter of Mercedes’ future: As you pursue innovation, remember where you started.

I also think the Germans’ reluctance to offer a true one-pedal driving mode is bizarre, if only because they keep offering “configurable” options that get close, but not all the way there. In the EQS, you can crank up regen so it almost feels like one-pedal driving. But the car will never come to a complete stop on its own. That’s self-defeating. Bet on one-pedal or don’t. Skip the half-steps.

Don’t assume that all this new chassis technology goes to waste. Mercedes introduced a rear-wheel-steering system in the EQS that utterly surpasses similar systems from competitors. Although
Cybertruck
Utilizing its fairly assertive rear-wheel steering, the vehicle enables a heavily tire-equipped pickup truck with poor wheel clearance to achieve just adequate maneuverability. Mercedes’ technology transforms how this EQS navigates through parking areas as smoothly as a subcompact car would. Executing U-turns on regular urban roads poses no challenge either. However, the sole difficulty lies in adjusting my mind to this new setup; hence, I often ended up making parking attempts overly tight and had to correct them afterward. This indicates success: Technology advanced enough to require your sensory readjustment.

Mercedes EQS: Mileage, Power Capacity, and Recorded Energy Use

All 2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS models come equipped with an 118 kWh battery, providing up to 390 miles (628 km) of range for the EQS 450+ variant. While this might fall short compared to vehicles like the Lucid Air or Tesla Model S, it still outperforms much of the traditional rivals. The one I tested featured larger wheels and was actually from the 2024 model year, sporting a smaller, earlier version of the battery which resulted in a range of 352 miles (566 km). In my view, this figure represents just about right.

Here are the range breakdowns for the other trims in 2025:

• EQS 450 4Matic: Up to 367 miles (590 km)
• EQS 580 4Matic: Up to 371 miles (591 km)
• AMG EQS: Up to 316 miles (509 km)

These numbers are impressive and indicate that Mercedes is committed to providing the kind of extended-range electric vehicles that American luxury car shoppers want. During my test drive involving both highway and city roads, I recorded an efficiency rate of 2.9 miles per kilowatt-hour. This suggests a practical range of approximately 342 miles under normal conditions. It’s quite notable considering I also took a trip with five people onboard along with their golf equipment.

Mercedes EQS: Charging Experience

Unfortunately, due to some charger-side issues, I wasn’t able to record a clean 10-80% time for the EQS. I can say I saw charging speeds close to Mercedes’ claimed peak rate of 200 kW. The car also automatically preconditioned the battery for fast-charging when I selected a charger in the navigation menu. I was also impressed by how long the EQS held a high charging speed—it was still pulling 137 kW at around 65%, which is on the high end of normal for a 400-volt system.

Mercedes states that the EQS Sedan can charge from 10% to 80% in 31 minutes. From my observation, this seems credible. However, there are definitely quicker-charging vehicles within its segment.
A Porsche Taycan can accelerate from 10% to 80% battery charge in approximately 16 minutes.
, and a
The Lucid Air can achieve this in 20.
—however, I find this performance satisfactory enough.

Mercedes EQS: Interior

Here is where taste plays a crucial role. The interior quality of the Mercedes EQS Sedan remains impeccable. The brand employs high-quality materials and enhances the look effectively. However, the traditional use of leather and wood has been replaced by an abundance of black plastic within the EQS model. This shift stems from the car’s emphasis on its massive “Hyperscreen,” which features a continuous end-to-end screen setup comprising three individual displays.

It is impressive, but it’s also basically all there is to look at. The biggest slab of wood in the cabin is the lid that covers the cupholders and wireless charging pad. Given that you’ll probably be using that area to hold your keys and phone, I don’t think you’ll ever see the wood. The rest, then, is a lot of piano black trim and real estate taken up by the screen.

Those who want a car that wows them with technology will certainly find it here. But if you expect the sort of old-world-luxury interior of an older Mercedes, you’re going to be disappointed here. Mercedes is all-in on screens, voice commands and tech. That’s the bet the company has made, and it isn’t backing down. At least the seats are still wonderful, even if the driving position is a bit awkward due to the car’s high beltline and awkward proportions.

Technology, Infotainment & UX

Mercedes believes that technology is the future. That’s why when it built the EQS, it basically bet on all of them at once. It has the expected massaging seats and high-end Burmester stereo. But it also has Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos Support (this rocks). It can vibrate your seats along to the music. It has a conversational voice assistant that can turn all of these features on, and provide you with restaurant recommendations along the route.

This device includes a web browser for video streaming. It features “augmented reality” navigation, which superimposes directional arrows over live footage captured at the vehicle’s front, proving quite diverting. The system comes equipped with integrated music streaming services yet also supports CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Essentially, it presents an extensive array of choices akin to a Cheesecake Factory menu displayed across a large 17.7-inch display, complemented by dual 12.3-inch screens positioned alongside.

In summary, it’s quite complex. To me, it feels overly complicated. Despite the system being very swift and reliable, there are numerous menus and settings that left me constantly perplexed. Additionally, I was not impressed with the voice assistant. It always starts with “How may I assist you?” which disrupts your request and offers only a brief moment for you to speak. Surprisingly, it often failed to understand even simple queries.

Tech-savvy owners will ultimately get the hang of it. However, being 27 makes me roughly three decades younger than your typical purchaser of an upscale $100,000 saloon car, which left me feeling somewhat daunted.

This comes down to personal preference. For quite some time, I’ve believed that luxury isn’t solely about adding features; it’s also about selective removal. Providing an extensive list of options might seem appealing, but having a single cohesive software product where everything feels purposeful across all menus is more valuable. This is something Tesla and Rivian excel at, staying ahead of Mercedes in this regard.
Mercedes has started incorporating over-the-air updates similar to these competitors and recently introduced ChatGPT integration through “conversational navigation” powered by Google Gemini. However, considering their past focus on continuously introducing new elements throughout the last twenty years, I genuinely wish the upcoming version of MB.OS would adopt fewer features.

Safety & ADAS

At this point, Mercedes performs much better. The EQS features an excellent highway driving assistant along with a comprehensive set of advanced driver assistance systems. This lane-assist feature can manage steering, braking, and acceleration completely, including smoothly switching lanes to overtake slower vehicles.

I appreciated the car’s adherence to Germany’s disciplined driving style, quickly returning to the correct lane after overtaking. However, it frequently switched lanes on California’s congested, high-speed five-lane highways. The vehicle would sound alerts to notify me of these shifts, which muted my music, and this happened often enough during four-minute songs that I grew slightly annoyed when they were disrupted multiple times. Still, having a warning before each lane change seems essential, making it likely worth the interruption. For a calmer drive, though, I’d prefer turning those automatic adjustments off.

The
EQS also provides Mercedes Drive Pilot.
The sole driver aid system permitted in the U.S., allowing drivers to look away from the road under particular conditions. Such “Level 3” technologies as defined by SAE International surpass Level 2 systems such as Tesla’s Autopilot and GM’s Super Cruise, both of which demand constant attention. However, this capability has strict limits; motorists may remove their hands and gaze from the steering wheel solely when they’re caught in low-speed traffic, up to 40mph, on predefined highways in California and Nevada.

My press car didn’t have Drive Pilot, and despite consistent attempts, I’ve never been able to actually sample the technology in the real world.

Mercedes EQS: Pricing

Pricing for the Mercedes EQS 450+ starts at $105,550 including the destination charge. Like all German cars, you’re going to end up spending a lot on options, even if the base EQS is reasonably well-equipped. My $117,375 tester didn’t have a heated steering wheel, as the Mercedes voice assistant politely told me when I asked her to turn it on. That’s silly considering it came standard on my Chevy Blazer EV, but cars in this segment have never been generous with standard kit.

Among the additional choices available for my tester were the $2,150 Exclusive package which features massage functionality for the front seats, the MBUX “Interior Assistant,” and a four-zone automatic climate control system. There was also an optional perfume diffusion system priced at $450.

The pricing for the AWD EQS 450 4Matic starts at $108,550. The EQS 580 has a base price of $128,500, and the top-of-the-line AMG EQS Sedan comes in at $148,700.

Mercedes EQS: Verdict

With the EQS Sedan, Mercedes took a gamble, seeing the shift to electric vehicles as an opportunity to reinvent itself—not just as a tech pioneer but entirely shaped by technological advancements. If you examine the resale prices of pre-owned EQS models, it’s clear that strategy paid off. You can often find two-year-old examples of this vehicle, which originally cost between $100,000 and $150,000, being sold for around $45,000.

The market has delivered its verdict, and unfortunately, it wasn’t very flattering when it came to these automobiles. However, this assessment might be somewhat harsh. The EQS is indeed a fairly dependable vehicle, yet it seems to lack clear direction. As an electric vehicle, it holds up well enough, though it doesn’t lead the pack within its category. In terms of luxury, it performs adequately; however, compared to the S-Class in the same dealership, it falls short with respect to overall refinement. Furthermore, as a technological exhibit, it certainly captures attention, but coming from a manufacturer that hasn’t quite matched up to the seamless user experiences offered by fully software-driven models, it comes across as less impressive.

Above all, it serves as a testing ground. Several aspects perform well: the impressive spatial audio system, the responsive display, the seamless drivetrain, and the decent range. However, some elements fall short: the ungainly design, the mediocre ride quality, and the overwhelming presence of its extensive feature set.

This was an experiment. Mercedes dove directly into this market and appears to have gained significant insights rapidly. While the company didn’t create a unified, attractive offering, in a landscape where numerous car manufacturers are cautiously easing their way into the electric vehicle sector, I must commend Mercedes for having the audacity to fully commit.

Although it didn’t pay off this time, over an extended period, the market eventually favors businesses bold enough to embrace significant risks.

Contact the author:
Mack.Hogan@insideevs.com
.

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