Mercedes EQS SUV 580 review

Mercedes was among the first brands to offer a luxury SUV with the ML, which debuted in the late 90s and became an instant hit. Its lineup has been expanding ever since and it’s only logical to introduce an electric SUV as well. This is exactly what we’re testing today - the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 4Matic.

Table of Contents:

• Exterior
• Interior
• Storage & practicalities
• Driving experience
• Tech features
• Ride comfort
• Cabin noise
• Acceleration and braking
• Consumption
• Charging speed
• Competition
• Verdict

The EQS SUV plays in a league of its own for now, since few other brands offer an electric three-row SUV and the ones that do, come nowhere close on the luxurious part. Inevitably closer competitors will follow, but for now the EQS SUV stands alone with its size, power and off-roading capabilities, especially in the 580 trim we have today.

The EQS SUV 580 4Matic we are testing has the bigger 118 kWh battery pack among the 2024 lineup and 536 hp output - numbers that promise great acceleration and excellent range. An even more luxurious Maybach variant is on its way and we will definitely be looking to try that when it comes, but right now this is the most expensive version of the EQS SUV there is.

Mercedes EQS SUV 580 4MATIC 2024 -

• Dimensions: 201.8 inches x 77.1 inches x 67.6 inches, 126.4 inches wheelbase.
• Drivetrain tested: 580 4Matic - AWD 400 kW (536 hp), 633 lb-ft, 118 kWh usable battery capacity
• Other drivetrains: 450+ - RWD, 265 kW (355 hp), 419 lb-ft, 118 kWh usable battery capacity
• Charging: 200 kW CCS; 10-80% in 31 min.
• Range: 408 miles WLTP
• Weight: 6,272 lb unladen; 7,540 lb gross
• Other features: Standard Hyperscreen, aerodynamic shape, double-glazed windows, OTA updates, three rows of seating.

Exterior

The outside of the EQS SUV is recognizable as part of the EQ family, but as the rest of Mercedes’ electric models doesn’t really carry many typical Mercedes features or elements. It looks bloated and cretes the impression that it’s melting. On the upside enables a solid drag coefficient of 0.25 Cd, helping reduce air resistance and improve efficiency. Make no mistake thought, the coeffient is only one part of the equation and there's still a huge front surface area that will innevitably require significant power to propell. But when dealing with a vehicle so big and heavy, the controversial design is still the practical way to go about things.

The front of the EQS SUV carries a huge Mercedes logo, which is surrounded by a massive plastic element in place of a traditional grille. This fake grille has little Mercedes logos scattered all around, which looks much better than the designs we got in the EQS and EQE we reviewed.

A major part of the design are the headlights, dubbed Mercedes Digital Light, which are matrix headlights with a wide array of functionalities. Apart from lighting up the way forward, they can also project images on the road surface. They also project little welcome and goodbye clips in front of you when you start or stop your EQS SUV.

These can also project images on the road, providing different warnings. We saw the collision warning system projecting its image on the road as we approached some slower vehicles at high speeds, but our local Mercedes dealers assured us there are several more images that can be displayed in certain situations. With the rise of automotive coding, it is a matter of time before people start modding these lights to project different texts or pictures.

We are not as keen about the way the headlights are connected with a LED bar, which looks extraordinarily cheap and tacky. In some other vehicles that offer this option it can be turned off, but in the EQS SUV it stays on the entire time, meaning you have to deal with rocking a "unibrow".

From its side profile the EQS SUV looks like a generic SUV with no distinctive features or lines, which makes it inoffensive, but bland. The door handles lay flush as you lock the vehicle. They work fine, but are more of an expensive gimmick rather than an actually useful feature in optimizing range as they are claimed to be.

A strong point of the EQS SUV that is visible from the outside is how well it's suited for off-roading. We will delve into its credibility further in the driving experience section, but with its standard clearance of 7.1 inches and optionally up to 8.3 inches the EQS SUV can go places most other EVs can't even think about. The vehicle’s overall size makes it look intimidating and capable, which we appreciate.

The wheels on our test model are a 21-inch multispoke AMG set, which are one of the many variants the EQS SUV comes in. You can choose between 20, 21 and 22-inch wheels, as well as sports, regular or run-flat tires, but in our case the test vehicle sits on winter Vredestein Wintrac Pro.

From the rear the EQS SUV is unmistakably an EQ family member with its giant LED bar spanning the entire length of the rear hatch. Its inner light signature is also the same as the EQS and EQE sedans and here it also looks tremendously cool at night.

The rear of the EQS SUV looks cool at night with its signature lighting.

Seeing fake exhausts on an electric vehicle makes us chuckle every time. It doesn't look great and is completely useless, except for being the butt of jokes among random people on the street.

The rear emblem pops out to reveal the rear-view camera when in use, which is the only element that breaks the otherwise sleek and aerodynamic back of the EQS SUV. All edges are smoothed and point downwards, which is also the reason the EQ models look lke ithey’re melting.

Interior

The interior of the EQS SUV is the main reason people will choose to buy it. Even though it shares a lot of the same parts and materials with its sedan counterparts, the EQS SUV feels better made with fewer creaks and leaves the impression of improved quality inside. Mercedes clearly took note of the complaints of customers and journalists and now delivers the build quality expected from a premium maker.

Once you enter the driver seat you notice just how roomy the cabin is. There is plenty of space inside, which is a big difference with the sedans, which feel a little bit claustrophobic despite their imposing size.

The seats are comfortable and hug you well in place, without being too tight. Just about what we expect in a massive SUV. All seats come with soft neck pillows, which makes the whole driving experience that much more pleasant and we commend Mercedes for adding these pillows to the front seats as well.

Our test model has heating, cooling and massaging seats, with the latter being a great addition. The massage is fantastic for relaxing you on a long commute. You get to pick between multiple massaging techniques, so you'll certainly find one that feels just right.

Heated, cooled and massaged seats provide ultimate comfort of travel.

The steering wheel is what all current Mercedes models with an AMG package use. We love its ergonomic design and how intuitive it is. It controls all infotainment functions both on the gauge cluster and the center screen, allowing for a comfortable driving experience without constant need to reach out to the dashboard.

The gauge cluster behind the steering wheel is superb in terms of both functionality and image quality. You can program it to display all kinds of information and get a different layout to have it just as you like it. It is part of the Hyperscreen, which connects all the displays in the front into a single unit. Sadly, you can no longer have two pieces of information on the two ends of the display like older models, but it’s still tremendously useful and pleasant. It feels truly upscale and was designed with great attention to detail.

The gauge cluster offers a plethora of unique looks.

Our test model comes without head-up display and we don’t recommend you speccing your EQS SUV like that. Especially for a taller driver the steering wheel may cover some of the gauge cluster and then you’d be much better off with a head-up display to compensate for the parts you don’t see that well. It is slightly inconvenient that in some seating positions the camera system doesn’t fully get the driver’s face, which causes a pop-up to appear regularly and distract you from driving.

Continuing the Hyperscreen is the gigantic center 17.7-inch touchscreen that controls most of the vehicle’s functions and features. It’s nice that the basic climate controls, albeit part of the screen, always remain in the same place and are therefore easy to access. While it looks fabulous, the whole unit is made out of glass and piano black surfaces, leading to a plethora of fingerprints and dust marks, which quickly degrade the initial luxurious feeling.

To the right of the main screen is the passenger display. Its addition is what primarily distinguishes the Hyperscreen from the regular one. The passenger display is active only when there is someone on the passenger seat. It vastly overlaps with the main display in terms of capabilities, yet it also offers the ability to watch movies and videos while in motion, which the driver cannot see and therefore be distracted by.

The top of the entire Hyperscreen is framed by a thin, but very powerful LED strip that is part of the extravagant ambient lighting. Mercedes was one of the pioneers of excessive interior lighting and the EQS SUV takes it another level up with active lighting that changes color based on speed, mood and many other programmable factors. You can have multiple colors at the same time in different parts of the interior, including the seat backs, while some of them pulsate to the rhythm of your music. While this sounds very cool and futuristic, it is also incredibly distracting and tremendously raises the risk of missing something on the road while driving.

The center console is divided into two parts - upper and lower. The lower part is largely empty, except for the two USB-C chargeports and is designed for storing larger items or bags. The upper one is much busier, sporting a wireless charger, two USB-C chargers and two cupholders, which can fold to create even more storage space.

The center console is versatile in functions and offers a lot of storage space.

Between the center console and the armrest is a panel that controls some vital functions. In its center is the start/stop button, with the hazard lights key directly above it. To their left are the different driving modes labeled “dynamic”, while to the right is the passenger control of the audio system. The lower left part of this panel has shortcuts for the camera system, EV functionalities and the vehicle settings, which is very standard so far.

What is not so common is that next to the start/stop button on the right is a fingerprint scanner, which, if you have setup your driver profile, automatically adjusts all your settings to your preferences. Even if you have them set on another vehicle, everything is imported to the current one you’re driving. You also get a button for muting and turning off the infotainment system.

The armrest hides a deep storage area, which can fit a big bottle of water and also features two USB-C ports. This accounts for a total of six USB-C’s only for the front passengers, which is totally an overkill, but it’s better to have them and not use them than need them and not have them, right?

The doors have deep pockets for storing items. They also host the seat controls, which look as if floating above the main door unit. The entire door looks beautiful and upmarket, but once you touch anything, you notice how all the materials are not as pleasant to touch as to look at. However, the jump in build quality compared to other recent Mercedes models is still pronounced.

Moving on to the second row of seats we find a great big bench with soft pillows and many high-end amenities. The rear seat occupants get a separate dual-zone climate control and heated seats, as well as a tablet that controls a multitude of features, much like the passenger display up front.

The rear seat occupants of the EQS SUV enjoy great luxuries.

Our reviewer is 1.95 m (6’4”) tall and fits with an abundance of head and legroom. Disappointingly, the seating position is not very comfortable. Longer drives may lead to fatigue and sore legs even though there is enough space and this is most definitely caused by the batteries, which sit directly below the seats and cause your legs to be slightly lifted while sitting.

Second row seating is spacious, yet not very comfortable.

The EQS SUV also optionally comes with a third row seating, turning it into a people carrier. However, we don’t recommend equipping them as their usefulness is questionable. First off, entering the third row is hard and you need gymnastic skills in order to slide between the door and the second row of seats. After that you’re left with the trouble of fitting. While these seats are primarily aimed for children, even they will struggle to fit with so little legroom.

The third row is hard to enter in the EQS SUV.

Let’s say you move the second row forwards to free up some space, this means you compromise its seating position tremendously and don’t gain that much space for the third row in the process anyways. This leaves you with two narrow rows of seating that are only good for very short trips with no comfort at all.

Despite the little room the EQS SUV comes with a bunch of features for its third row passengers - two USB-C charge ports, cupholders and storage areas. Optionally, you can even get heated seats and separate climate control for the third row, which is all cool and premium, but of little use when the seats themselves are barely going to see any use.

Storage & practicalities

The reason for choosing a big SUV over a sedan is primarily luggage space and the EQS SUV delivers plenty of it. With all 3 rows up the storage area is still big enough for a few suitcases, which is probably the reason why the third row is so tight and Mercedes prioritized trunk space over comfort.

Once you fold the third row you are welcomed to a spacious 31.1 ft³ trunk, which is a lot, even if slightly short of some competitors like the Tesla Model X. Plus, the EQS SUV has a boxy squared trunk that makes it easy to use all of its volume and arrange your items optimally.

The trunk has generous space.

If you need even more space and decide to fold the second row as well, then the astonishing 74.2 ft³ open up. Once again, some competitors can top that, but we can't imagine many people will need anywhere close to that anyway. The trunk is almost completely flat, which eases transportation of long and heavy objects.

Since the inside of the EQS SUV offers a variety of storage pockets, one would think that the trunk also gets a lot of hidden compartments, as well as a frunk (front trunk). That is not, in fact the case, since you only get a small storage section for the repair kit and the trunk liner and no frunk at all. You only get access to the washer fluid, which you fill in from the side.

Additional storage is almost nonexistent in the EQS SUV 580.

Driving experience

Mercedes undoubtedly has a bunch of genius engineers, but even they have to abide by the laws of physics. So obviously the 6,610 lb EQS SUV would never handle and drive quite like a mid-sized car. Or would it?

However, the EQS SUV 580 is quick and gives off the impression of a nimble vehicle with its rear-wheel steering and absurdly narrow turning radius. Parking slot requirements aside, the vehicle is superb for city driving and is a fantastic daily companion. The EQS SUV is quiet and easy to drive, with great driver aids and impressive creature comforts. The steering is light and you have enough power to win every traffic light drag race.

Once you decide you want to leave the city and go on a cross-country adventure just be prepared that the EQS SUV weighs more than twice as much as a Mercedes A-class. Braking downhill is a problem as the brakes bite and want to stop, but the humongous weight of the car just wants to roll over itself.

The corners lead to solid amounts of body roll and spirited driving is not something we enjoyed, or would recommend you to do. While the vehicle corners perfectly at low speeds with great precision, the opposite happens when you get some momentum. Up to 37 mph the rear wheels turn opposite to the direction of travel for shorter turning radius, while above that speed they turn in the direction of travel and that creates a sensation as if you’re in a continuous drift.

While this sounds like fun, it is actually rather stressing. The steering wheel is disconnected from the road and gives no feedback at all and while this makes for easy daily driving, it is not what we’d like when we push a car harder. Even in "Sport" mode the steering hardly changes, which means canyon drives are uninspiring and even unpleasant.

The highway would thus be far happier setting for the big and heavy EQS SUV, where it would eats up the miles in perfect comfort. However, while the comfort is very much there, the rear-wheel-steering creates anxiety and turning at high speeds accounts for solid amounts of body roll and understeering that keep you on your toes at all times. Even as a passenger this sensation prevents you from truly relaxing.

While we recently notice that manufacturers are heavily relying on trigger-happy assistants, it is actually refreshing to see that they are not as invasive in the EQS SUV 580 and you can easily turn off the annoying beeping sounds with the touch of a single button that stays fixed at the top of the center screen. All assistants work nicely and actually help your driving, rather than just annoying you like many other new models do.

Of said assistants we particularly appreciate the collision warnings, as the EQS SUV has a shockingly large A-pillar, which creates a vast blind spot, enough to hide a person or even a smaller vehicle.

A major selling point of the EQS SUV is the fact that it is tremendously capable off-road. We briefly mentioned that in the beginning of the review, but the capabilities of the EQS SUV are no joke and it is truly a vehicle that knows its way around rough terrains. The optional “transparent hood” camera is a great feature, and the built-in displays that show suspension settings, current angle, positioning and tire pressures are included even at the base trim.

Having so precise off-road readouts may be an overkill, but is definitely great fun!

The air suspension lifts up, allowing for impressive approach and departure angles, while the accelerator pedal behavior in “Off-road” mode is precise and accurate, making every obstacle feel easy and like driving on regular paved roads. You get the impression you can conquer everything that stands in your way, which we highly appreciate.

You can opt the EQS SUV with a tow hitch and tow up to 3,968 lb braked trailer, so enough to hook a caravan. Mercedes offers special towing assistant, which combined with the rear-wheel steering makes for a pleasant experience, but both of these features work on the subscription principle and after the first three years you have to annualy pay between $200 and $600 depending on your location for them to work. This subscription trend is becoming exceedingly popular and while for some software features we can understand it, using it for hardware features is a decision we can't support. It stings even more when you consider the price of the EQS SUV, so we really hope Mercedes reconsiders and drops this particular subscription fee.

Tech features

The MBUX system onboard the EQS SUV is one of the best systems in the automotive industry currently and combined with the Hyperscreen enable excellent user experience. We enjoy using it as everything is intuitive, all displays are big with crisp quality and there's no lag. In our Mercedes EQE 43 AMG review we covered most of its functionalities, so here we’d like to accentuate the EQS SUV specific functionalities and how the system differs from car to car.

While they look vastly similar, the Hyperscreens in the AMG models have a plethora of added performance-related featrues that the regular models like our EQS SUV 580 don’t get. However, the off-road display we mentioned only comes with the SUV variants and offers a plethora of settings and stats to facilitate offroading.

The main and passenger displays are connected and you can share content between the two. This is especially useful if the passenger enters a navigation destination. Funnily enough, you can end up in a situation where all three screens up front display the same image, which looks a bit ridiculous.

You can also get detailed augmented reality displays of where you should turn while using the navigation, but since our EQS SUV isn’t equipped with a head-up display, the artificial turning lights are included only in the center display.

Augmented reality is not as good when you lack a head-up display.

From the center display you can control not only the front climate controls, but also the second and third row ones. Controlling the climate controls through touchscreen is not our favorite, yet Mercedes have implemented it well-enough that it isn't bothersome and the most frequently used buttons remain in place at all times.

A nice luxury is the air ionisation and the built-in air freshener, which take up the cabin experience up a notch. The EQS and EQE we reviewed came with “Energizing air control plus”, which showed precisely how clean the air inside is, but here we felt no less impressed by the difference between the dirty air outside and the amazingly fresh cabin.

If you wish, you can turn on child protection for the rear seats, but if you wish to go a step further you can even disable the rear tablet and all its functionalities, so that nobody in the back can intervene with the ride at all.

In contrast the rear tablet can actually be quite useful. It not only control the rear seats, but can also be used to set navigation destinations, control the audio volume or the ambient lighting.

The rear tablet controls functions all arounf the EQS SUV 580.

If equipped, you can also enable massage feature for the rear seats and get an even more comfortable ride. One thing we didn’t have equipped on our test model were the rear TVs, which would make for a more enjoyable ride while watching your favorite shows. They can also be controlled either by touchscreen or through the tablet in the middle.

The tablet for the rear passengers is manufactured by Samsung, just like the outgoing BMW 7-Series. However, the BMW used a generic Samsung tablet you can buy for personal use, just programmed to control the vehicle as well. In the EQS SUV this tablet works can't functio as a regular tablet, which is a bit of a missed opportunity.

Our test vehicle came with the optional Burmester 3D surround sound system, which in our eyes should be high on your priority list when configuring your own EQS SUV. This system is among the very best, if not the single best in the entire automotive industry and the levels of precision, clarity and tone settings set a new benchmark.

Ride comfort

Riding around in the EQS SUV 580 is about as comfortable as it gets. The seats are soft, the suspension is even softer and all of that accounts for pillow-like wafting over the road. Small potholes are hardly ever felt and the big Mercedes hovers above everything. Only when you hit a big bump or crack do you ever feel the massive weight of the EQS SUV as it's fighting its own body. The “AirMatic” air suspension of Mercedes is notoriously comfortable and even with the behemoth size of the EQS SUV it does a fantastic job providing a smooth and comfortable driving experience.

Cabin noise

The insulation inside the EQS SUV is brilliant and our sound test results prove this. At low speeds we feel almost disconnected from the outer world and we can gladly announce that unlike the EQS sedan there were no creaks and rattles in the interior while driving, which accounts for a much quieter atmosphere at all times. At high speeds the EQS SUV remains silent, yet some wind noises come through just because of its gigantic size. Its true superpower are low speeds and city traffic, where you can truly relax inside the EQS SUV and take a break from the busy world outside.

Sound level tests are carried out with a specialized sound level meter placed in the car's cupholders. The test is conducted with air conditioning and radio off and while maintaining a steady speed.

Acceleration and braking

Even though the Mercedes EQS SUV 580 doesn’t carry an AMG badge in front of its name, its straight line speed sure is worthy of it. The manufacturer claims the acceleration from 0 to 62 mph happens in 4.7 seconds, but even with winter tires we managed to do it in just 4.4 seconds. A strong point of the EQS SUV is that despite its gigantic size and weight, it can accelerate rapidly even at higher speeds and can always grant you a swift overtake if you need one.

Braking on the other hand is a big disappointment for the EQS SUV 580. That was, perhaps, to be expected from a 3-tonne monster and the brake test in this scenario is slightly misleading. The best result for the braking from 62 mph to 0 we did is 41 m (134’ 7”), which is not great to begin with, but perhaps understandable given the size of the thing. However, as we did this test a few times the results worsened progressively and on the fourth try we did the disappointing 49 m (160’ 9”), which is borderline dangerous in an emergency situation.

Even in regular driving the brakes are not very convincing and need a lot of getting used to. Especially if you use recuperation the pedal feels unnatural and moves on its own when decelerating. The moment in which you transition from recuperation to regular brakes is also tricky as you feel an instantaneous bite, followed by a big gap of no response and then another harsh brake bite.

Acceleration and deceleration are measured with a RaceBox device inside the car. Testing is done with a single person inside the car, with air conditioning and traction control off.

Consumption

The EQS SUV has the highest consumption of all cars we've tested, but is also by far the biggest and heaviest, so that was to be expected. Thankfully it packs a huge battery - 118 kWh on 2024 models - so it can still cover a lot of ground on a charge. For a more detailed analysis of the consumption of the EQS SUV 580 check our dedicated range test.

We measure consumption by driving at constant speeds on an identical test route during the day. Testing is conducted with air conditioning, all safety systems and radio on. The data comes from the vehicle's board computer. Specific testing parameters such as ambient temperature are mentioned in the text on a case by case basis.

We now suggest you use the widget below to find out the Mercedes EQS SUV 580 range in every combination of speed and temperature you might need. We've used our real world tests and a complex model to provide an estimate that should be as close to the actual performance as possible.

Charging speed

EQS SUV 580 supports 200 kW peak input charging and promises to do the 10-80% charging in just 31 minutes. Those are solid if not class-leading numbers, but the problem is we got nowhere near that in the real world. We specifically preconditioned the battery for the fastest possible charging and even then we reached a maximum of 151 kW. This is quite disappointing, especially since we tried charging afterwards with no preconditioning at all and reached a better 175 kW of charging power.

Competition

The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 is positioned in a segment where it stands alone, even if undoubtedly many others will join it soon. Judging by conventional ICE vehicles luxurious huge 3-row vehicles are hot right now, but EV manufacturers have not caught up to this trend yet and this results in little to no competition. Concept and sizewise, the Kia EV9 comes closest to the EQS SUV, but the Mercedes costs more than twice as much, which makes these vehicles incomparable.

So the first rival we’ve chosen is the Tesla Model X. It was the first popular electric SUV and also offers seating of 5 or 7 people, with big storage areas and a great brand image. However, it severely lacks in the department of luxury and its build and material quality are nowhere near the EQS SUV. The Tesla offers more space, a frunk and a better charging network, which combined with the much lower price makes the decision between the two a matter of priorities.

The other competitor we chose is the BMW iX. It is slightly smaller than the EQS SUV and doesn’t offer seating of 7, yet it is similarly luxurious and pricing is almost the same. The Bavarian offers more traditional luxury with better material choice and a more minimalist approach, whereas the EQS SUV is more capable off-road and has a better ride.

Tesla Model X Plaid 2021 - • BMW iX M60 2022 -

Verdict

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 is an excessive vehicle that will pamper you around town in great comfort with its opulent spacious interior, and advanced tech features. It's price premium is tremendous, but at the moment this is the only option on the market that offers this much versatility in one package. Its quiet cabin is impressively luxurious for both driver and passengers.

The driving experience offers comfort in city settings but reveals severe limitations in spirited driving and braking performance. The real joy of the EQS SUV is being a passenger or conquering your local off-road trails in great fashion. While it is great for maneuvering with its impressively small turning radius, the EQS SUV fails to give enough road feedback and the driver and occupants feel disconnected from the road.

While efficiency is not its forte, the EQS SUV has a massive battery pack to ensure a long and quiet journey. The on-board technology impresses with the Hyperscreen and the integration of augmented reality, yet some of these advancements prove more distracting than helpful.

Overall, the EQS SUV sets a great benchmark in the premium electric SUV segment, but potential buyers should weigh trade-offs against slightly different alternatives or wait out a little bit to see what upcoming models are going to offer. The EQS SUV 580 definitely isn’t the best in any particular category, but there's nothing out there to beat it across the board.

Pros

• Quiet cabin.
• Soft and smooth ride.
• Variety of tech features.
• Hyperscreen elevates the level of on-board technology.
• Lots of storage space and storage pockets.
• Sublime audio system.
• Nimble in city driving.

Cons

• Tech overload distracts you from driving.
• Uninspiring to drive at speed.
• High consumption.
• Third row of seats is barely usable.
• Glossy interior that attracts a lot of fingerprints and dust.