2026 Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ First Test: Polished, Plush, and Playing It Safe

Pros:

-More range
-Direct steering
-Comfortable ride

Cons:

-Barely quicker than before
-Even heavier than before
-Optioned up price higher than before

When we last tested the luxurious Mercedes-Benz EQS450+, back when it was a 2022 MotorTrend Car of the Year finalist, the big electric sedan struck us as a luxurious contrarian. It was unapologetically comfort forward, with a wind-carved silhouette some embraced as futuristic, but others dismissed as an exercise in soap-bar smooth anonymity. The EQS acted like a Mercedes first and an EV second, an electrified spacecraft of an S-Class that made silence, range, and eye-catching strangeness part of its charm. Not blindingly quick or super sporty, but deeply soothing. Bold, in its own sort of way.

Since that First Test, the EQS has been quietly, steadily updated. Power has gradually nudged upward to 355 hp and 419 lb-ft for the rear-drive-based model we just had in for testing. Mercedes also upsized the car's battery to 118 kWh and layered in new regeneration logic to provide smoother, stronger deceleration. And now, for the 2026 model year (likely the car’s U.S. swan song for now), a NACS fast-charging adapter comes standard.

So, does this massaged EQS now stand a better chance against the rival that beat it back in 2022, the Lucid Air? That’s what we’re here to find out.

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Range Gains

The little “+” on the EQS450+ still means what it always has: maximum range. It started strong when it first launched at 350 EPA-rated miles, and the new battery bumps the 2026 model’s estimate to 390 miles—a gain that checks out in the real world. In our MotorTrend Road-Trip Range test, where we run an EV from 100 percent to 5 percent charge at a steady 70 mph, the EQS450+ went 392 miles before easing to a halt, quietly exceeding the promise on its sticker.

That puts the big Benz much closer to the Lucid Air Pure RWD’s 420-mile EPA rating. The rear-drive Pure, newer to the scene and a more natural rival than the AWD Lucid we tested for 2022 Car of the Year, still goes farther on a charge. But the gap has tightened, and the EQS450+ now feels like a more legitimate contender in the long-range, luxury electric sedan arena.

Packing on Those Pounds

Thanks primarily to the extra power onboard, the EQS 450+ is a touch quicker than before, emphasis on touch. Our latest numbers show an improvement of roughly 0.1 second in both its 0⁠–⁠60-mph run (5.3 seconds) and the quarter mile (13.9 seconds at 102.1 mph). The gains are modest in part because this EQS weighs 131 pounds more than the 2022 version we tested.

The scale tilts even harder when you compare it against the 2025 Lucid Air Pure RWD, which is way, way lighter than the Mercedes (a full 1,063 pounds) and pairs that with a stronger output of 430 hp and 406 lb-ft. The result is predictable but still stark: The Air blasts to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and clears the quarter in 12.8.

Given its more relaxed pace in a straight line, the EQS450+ prefers an unbroken flow to any sort of fireworks. Its power delivery is calm, clean, and entirely sufficient for everyday driving. Sure, rivals like the Lucid are quicker, but the Mercedes never feels sluggish. Slip it into Sport, and the throttle wakes up, yet even in Comfort it gathers speed with an effortless, almost liquid ease. The EQS isn’t a lap time chaser, but on the highway, it rarely left us wanting for pace.

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Throwing Its Weight Around

Acceleration isn’t the only place you feel the mass of the EQS 450+. Push it through a corner with any real intent, and the body will lean as the car’s weight shifts across its vast footprint. Dial braking regeneration down to its lightest setting, and the friction brakes step forward, working harder to manage all that momentum.

Even so, the car’s test numbers hardly budge. The EQS stops from 60 mph in the same distance as before and only a foot longer than the Air Pure’s impressive 111 feet. It also shrugged off repeated 100-mph panic stops without drama. The pedal is short, sturdy, and confidence-building. Get too close to the system’s limits, though, and we found the ABS is eager to chime in, as it did for us.

The steering is feather-light but reassuringly precise, and its rear-wheel steering gives this big sedan unexpected agility. Paired with ample grip, it turns more tightly and neatly than its size suggests. Its skidpad and figure-eight numbers don’t meaningfully improve over the 2022 car (a 0.91 g average on the pad and 26.0 seconds at 0.70 g average through the figure eight), but they remain respectable. Still, the Lucid Air Pure stays comfortably ahead at 0.95 g and 24.5 seconds at 0.80 g.

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The Fancy Get Fancier

The EQS 450+ remains every bit the stately cruiser it was when we first tested it, but the 2026 iteration leans even harder into its premium identity, the S(-Class) in EQS. Standard upgrades introduced last year carry forward, including headrest pillows, softer rear cushions, and some formerly optional amenities (namely soft-close doors and a digital key). Last year also brought the standard Luxury Line appearance package with its model-specific grille, AMG Line bumpers, and a proper standing hood star (ironically invisible from the driver’s seat). For 2026, Mercedes added two new ambient “Sound Experiences,” Fractal Fusion and the wonderfully odd Granular Fuzz, layering a bit more theatricality onto an already lavish cabin.

The EQS’ cabin continues to feel like a rolling high-end lounge. The seats, front and rear, are beautifully sculpted and fully perforated, with massaging capability throughout the cabin. A dedicated passenger display hovers in front, while the two-tier center console offers clever storage, including an elastic strap on the lower shelf to corral loose items. In back, a removable tablet governed the rear seats of our test model, in addition to ambient lighting and an expansive sunroof, supported by a built-in phone charger. A four-passenger layout and a generous hatchback cargo area with underfloor storage round out the blend of indulgence and practicality.

The exterior feels equally considered. Our test car’s Manufaktur China Blue paint, a $6,500 flourish, pairs with additional Manufaktur touches to give the EQS a quiet, confident presence. Rear puddle lights and LED-fringed pop-out door handles act like a soft spotlight as you approach. The result is a flagship EV that doesn’t shout its luxury so much as it layers it on in a carefully considered way.

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The Bottom Line

Surprisingly, the base price of the EQS450+ has come down since 2022 (it was $103,360), but after all the add-ons to our Mercedes, our as-tested price is some $18,015 more than our previous tester. Critically, it’s also some $54,000 more than a fully loaded 2026 Air Pure.

After the incremental updates, the EQS450+ has improved but in many ways is still fundamentally the same car we tested in 2022. Range is still a real strength, the steering is pleasantly direct, and the ride remains comfortably compliant. The interior upgrades sharpen its premium feel, and day-to-day drivability is as easygoing as ever.

Yet the EQS also carries more weight than before. As a result, its acceleration gains are negligible, and it continues to trail the Lucid Air on outright performance and driving engagement. The four-passenger layout further narrows its appeal; option it up, and it can get very expensive.

For buyers who prioritize comfort and quiet above speed and athleticism, the EQS450+ will still make sense. Its longer range and polished cabin help keep it competitive, but they don’t fundamentally shift its position in the segment. Against a strong rival like the Lucid Air, the EQS is the more relaxed, less dynamic choice. The updates make it better, but not enough to change its core character or its standing in the luxury EV hierarchy.