Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV: The one that wears mink on the inside

The silhouette initially reminds one more of a compact 4.6-meter Asian-something SUV, and even when we enter the hall at the Frankfurt fair, the EQS SUV seems unusually discreet and compact for its size. Nevertheless, with a width of 1.95 meters without mirrors and a height of about 1.6 meters, the EQS still maintains a noticeable respectful distance from the GLS.

This discretion is intentional, explains head of exterior design Robert Lesnik afterwards, because Mercedes SUVs should indeed be confident but never aggressive or threatening. This has been achieved with the newest addition to the range, in which we were able to sit extensively for the first time in all three rows!

Granted, the back row, which still has to be folded or raised mechanically, is really only suitable for soccer kids up to 1.5 meters tall. To facilitate their entry, the second row, and thereby also the front row, moves forward electrically, after which rows one and two have to accommodate row three – note: an SUV is not a minivan, even if it is huge – we had the same experience with the Ford Explorer and others.

However, even in the very back, one enjoys luxury – with two USB-C ports per side, effective air outlets, and good seats. The seats are even better in rows two and one. Naturally, they are air-conditioned, and in the front, they come with massage function. Additionally, there are soft-closing doors with an electric pull-in aid and an electric charging flap, which our Tesla-accustomed U.S. colleagues greatly appreciate: if you forget to close it and start driving, the EQV SUV automatically closes it after a few seconds.

The trunk volume starts at 195 liters in the seven-seater and can be expanded to 565 or 2020 liters. In the five-seater, it ranges from 645 to 2100 liters – which should be more than sufficient for (almost) all contingencies. Inside the 450 model, you'll find 12.3 plus 12.8-inch screens, while the Hyperscreen is standard in the 580 4Matic. Unlike the EQE, Mercedes-Benz uses a lot of open-pore wood and thick leather inside here, with optional vegan trims or various exclusive Nappa leather upgrades.

Also suitable for long-distance travel in the U.S.: Up to 200 kW charging capacity

Otherwise, in terms of material quality and haptics, it clearly stands a notch above the upper mid-range – even considering itself the first in the "Large electric luxury SUV" segment – you just have to define the niche narrowly enough. Underneath, it also features the EVA-2 platform with a large 107.8 kWh battery. It starts with the 450+ generating 245 kW and 568 Nm, followed by the 580 4Matic with 385 kW and 855 Nm. Above that, there should be similar AMG escalation stages as with the sedan, namely the AMG 53 S with 484 or even 560 kW, which then deliver 950 or 1020 Nm to all four air-suspended wheels. Unlike the sedan, the SUV also has an off-road mode, which raises the EQS SUV by another 20 millimeters. Charging can be done with up to 200 kW here as well.

The underbody is completely smooth, and the optional step board on the side has an edge at the bottom: The aerodynamics experts would have preferred it lower, which the designers thought made the whole car look too low to the ground, so the 150-kilogram-supporting step board now goes down a bit further back, invisibly. Rear-axle steering improves maneuverability, standard at 4.5 degrees, but upgradable to ten degrees over the air. This should allow the giant to turn in a relatively small turning circle diameter of eleven meters.

The drag coefficient: Still 0.25  

Visually, the EQS at the front quotes its EQ sedan brothers but opts for a flatter (non-opening) hood with power domes and a steeper windshield, so no One-Bow... combined with a noticeably larger frontal area, resulting in a drag coefficient of around 0.25, which, according to WLTP, still allows for a range of about 500 kilometers, which in reality should shrink to around 350 kilometers plus or minus a few.

Our US colleagues already predicted that Mercedes will make "bundles of money" with the SUV – production started in April at the US plant in Tuscaloosa, from where the first EQS SUVs will also be delivered to the USA. Europe is expected to follow in the autumn and by the end of 2022, the more compact EQE SUV, which appears significantly more compact and lighter than the visually sleek behemoth, should also be introduced.

What does that mean?

As bold as Daimler was with the One-Bow design of the sedans, they took a more discreet approach with the EQS SUV, which, in terms of proportions and sheet metal design, could have possibly come from anyone else, except for the lights. Somehow, the side profile of the Ford Edge comes to mind, even though it looked quite different, but why? No matter – the EQS SUV is meant to appeal to as many people as possible who need space and, hopefully, often travel with seven people. And not think about the fact that they are putting a good 2,700 kilograms into motion for their 70 kilos plus their child's 27 kilos every time – even though Mercedes-Benz has truly cleverly concealed it!