2025 Mercedes-Benz EQS-Class SUV Expert Review
Reviewed by Willis Kuelthau
Mercedes-Benz has been working hard on its range of all-electric cruisers, and the 2025 EQS SUV sits at the very top of the heap. As the most luxurious and expensive EV offered by the three-pointed star, the EQS brings nearly overwhelming amounts of opulence and technology. It’s not a perfect car, but it’s definitely a premium experience.
The EQS SUV competes against three-row luxury EVs including the Rivian R1S, Lucid Gravity, and Tesla Model X.
What’s New
- Newly standard features include soft-close doors and four-zone automatic climate control
- A new 22-inch AMG wheel design is on the options list
- A feature Mercedes calls Energizing Air Control Plus with HEPA filtration is now included when you select the Exclusive and Pinnacle trims
- An Automatic Comfort Door package can automatically open or close the front and rear doors for you
What We Think
“S” is a special letter in the world of Mercedes-Benz. It’s reserved for the pinnacle of technology and luxury: the S-Class, GLS-Class, EQS sedan, and now the EQS SUV.
The EQS brings all the luxurious materials and tech wizardry we’ve come to expect in these flagship fortresses. Expect to be whisked along in a cabin decorated by copious screens and insulated from any outer disturbance.
This model is even quieter than most Mercedes cars thanks to its electric powertrain. The EQS SUV can travel up to an impressive 323 miles between stops, and every trim feels quick off the line. Four-wheel steering aids maneuverability, and the suspension does a good job soaking up bumps.
The EQS SUV doesn’t do as well in the corners, where the Mercedes fails to hide its prodigious bulk. Handling isn’t inspiring, and the EQS feels ponderous and clumsy from behind the wheel. Brake feel is unrefined, too. We encountered a few flaws in everyday use, including slow power-folding seats and an optional third row that makes entry hopelessly inconvenient.
What does it all add up to? An impressive, if flawed, machine. It’s hard not to respect the EQS SUV, or even be impressed by it. But do we like it? That’s a harder question.
Performance and Fuel Economy
The EQS SUV is available with four powertrains, all of which draw power from a 118-kWh battery pack.
Buyers looking for the best range should stick to the base EQS450+, which manages an EPA-estimated 323 miles. 355 hp and 419 lb-ft of torque offer plenty of shove, and in our testing the base model went from 0 to 60 in 5.8 seconds.
The all-wheel-drive EQS450 4Matic makes the same horsepower but even more torque (590 lb-ft). That’s enough to knock a few tenths off acceleration times, and range remains a respectable 312 miles.
The next step up is the EQS580 4Matic, which sings to the tune of 536 hp and 633 lb-ft. When we drove this model, it managed the 0–60 sprint in just 4.1 seconds. Surprisingly, the 580 outperforms the 450 in range testing, earning an EPA-estimated 317 miles.
The range-topping powertrain is only available in the palatial (and pricey) Mercedes-Maybach EQS680. It’s a doozy: 649 hp, 700 lb-ft, and 302 miles of range.
How Much Screen Is Too Much?
The first thing you notice upon sliding into the 2025 EQS is the dashboard-spanning screen. It’s actually three screens in a row, but its flashy graphics flow from one to the next nearly seamlessly.
The infotainment arms race has been in progress for years, but at some point, we feel the need to ask: Have we gone too far? For some basic vehicle functions like adjusting the volume, it remains hard to beat a simple knob. We would argue that luxury brands like Mercedes actually lose opportunities for unique trim materials when so much real estate is devoted to glass.
In practice, the Hyperscreen (as Mercedes calls it) feels like excess for excess’ sake, and we found it more distracting than useful. Even with all that screen space, we found ourselves resorting to voice commands to avoid navigating nested menus.
Safety Ratings and Features
As the flagship SUV of Mercedes-Benz’s electric lineup, the 2025 EQS SUV comes with all the bells and whistles. That means automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, and a host of sophisticated driver aids. Automatic high-beams and rain-sensing wipers keep tabs on the weather, while a 360 camera and active parking assist make tight spaces that much easier.
The only options not included are an integrated dashcam, heated wiper nozzles, and illuminated seat belt buckles.
Cargo Space and Interior Room
The EQS SUV is available in five- or seven-seat configurations. The only exception is the four-seat Mercedes-Maybach variant, which swaps in a center console for the middle seat of the second row.
Cabin space is competitive for the class, though rivals like the Tesla Model X still come out ahead on cargo capacity.
Cargo space (behind first/second rows):
- 2025 EQS SUV: 74.0/23.0 cubic feet
- 2024 Model X: 85.1/37.1 cubic feet
Legroom (first/second rows):
- 2025 EQS SUV: 40.6/41.3 inches
- 2024 Model X: 41.1/38.7 inches
Technology
The EQS SUV gets just about all of Mercedes-Benz’s latest and greatest technology. Infotainment runs through a massive 17.7-inch OLED Hyperscreen, which dominates the dash. The glass continues to either side in matching 12.3-inch displays for the driver and passenger. Audio plays over a Burmester surround sound system, and the navigation software will overlay your directions on an augmented feed of the road ahead. Your preferred memory settings are paired to your fingerprint, which is recorded by a biometric scanner. Wireless smartphone compatibility, wireless charging, and six USB charging ports come standard.
For maximum road-trip entertainment, in-car Wi-Fi and a rear-seat entertainment system are available as options. Also on the menu are an augmented-reality head-up display, a tablet that docks in the rear center armrest, and a gesture-activated assistant.
Trim Levels
There’s no bad choice in the EQS lineup, which starts just above $100,000. The base model offers enough power for most drivers, and so many luxury features come standard that it’s hard to complain. We like the EQS580’s combination of power and range, but it asks more than $20,000 over the EQS450+. We’d probably stick to the latter, then use the savings to add some extras like massaging front seats. Before signing for an EQS450+, however, we’d also make sure to check out the Lucid Gravity, a three-row electric SUV.
The Mercedes-Maybach trim will be out of budget for most buyers, but it guarantees extraordinary levels of opulence. Second-row neck heaters? But of course. Handcrafted silver champagne flute holders? Why not. It’s a level of automotive privilege few get to experience—chiefly because it will set you back nearly $200,000.
