With regards to electrification, Mercedes-Benz is surging forward of different luxurious automakers. And nowhere is that extra obvious than the EQS580 SUV, which is without doubt one of the most serene experiences I’ve had behind the wheel in years.

I fairly favored the EQS sedan’s spaceshippy design when it first debuted, and I feel that look is each bit pretty much as good when tailored to an SUV. Certain, it is not as aerodynamic because the sedan, however the EQS SUV’s form remains to be mighty slippery with a drag coefficient of 0.26. The tail finish of the roofline would not taper that a lot, so the EQS retains a robust SUV form. The hood has some creasing, however the remainder of the physique is usually devoid of harsh angles or different visible noise that may solely get in the way in which of effectivity.

Inside, the cockpit is almost a carbon copy of the EQS sedan — once more, not an issue, as a result of it is nice. It isn’t exhausting to inform that quite a lot of thought went into this inside. The construct high quality is great, with my tester’s $1,370 Nappa leather-based improve extending this comfortable upholstery to just about each floor. The wooden trim on the middle console is my favourite half, although, because it options steel three-pointed stars embedded inside. Three rows of seats can be found, however you can even go for a two-row configuration, which provides oodles of rear legroom.

There’s nonetheless loads of practicality hiding behind this plushness. The door pockets are giant sufficient for many water bottles, though huge ol’ Nalgenes will nonetheless have a tough time discovering a spot to sit back. Underneath the middle console’s sliding door are a set of retractable cup holders and loads of area for tchotchkes and the like. The storage tray beneath the console is large, and there is some additional area underneath the armrest, as nicely. Out again, there’s about 31 cubic toes of cargo space, which is lower than what the BMW iX provides, but it surely’s nonetheless sufficient for a household’s value of procuring luggage.

The 580 is the beefiest mannequin within the EQS SUV lineup, and it’ll possible keep that means, as Mercedes doesn’t intend to launch an AMG variant in the meanwhile. A pair of electrical motors, one at every axle, mix to supply 536 horsepower and 633 pound-feet of torque, which is sufficient energy for this SUV to succeed in 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. The instantaneous nature of electrical torque means acceleration hits like a sack of bricks at most speeds, pushing me again into that comfortable Nappa leather-based as sound coming by way of the audio system offers a refined but futuristic soundtrack.

Because the EQS SUV is not as aerodynamically environment friendly as its sedan sibling, there is a barely bigger quantity of wind noise at velocity, however the automotive nonetheless stays largely sealed away from the weather, aided partially by my tester’s $1,010 Acoustic Consolation package deal, which provides thicker glass. The SUV’s commonplace air suspension system soaks up nearly each inch of nastiness on the highway, and whereas it can stiffen up and hustle round, this automotive is finest left in its softer settings. Normal rear-axle steering makes city traversal easy regardless of the EQS SUV’s bigger footprint.

Regenerative braking is fascinating right here, simply as it’s on the EQS sedan. There are a number of totally different strengths to toggle by way of, however there isn’t any true one-pedal mode — simply Clever, which mixes with the automotive’s myriad security methods to maintain an excellent tempo with low-speed visitors. The brake pedal additionally strikes as regeneration kicks in, to supply a predictable braking pressure any time my foot touches the pedal. Actually, I like the way in which it really works; it is by no means caught me off-guard, though it does really feel unusual after exiting an EV with out this setup. The pedal is somewhat mushy, too, which is ok for sluggish, easy stops, but it surely’s not as confidence-inspiring on heavier, extra panicked purposes.

The EQS SUV does sacrifice some vary for its bigger, much less environment friendly physique. The EPA charges the EQS580 SUV at 285 miles per cost, or about 2.4 miles per kilowatt-hour. Downsizing to the EQS450 Plus SUV improves vary to 305 miles, however nothing can match the outright effectivity of the sedan with its estimated 340-mile vary. However, the EQS SUV remains to be fairly good at sipping electrons, and my efforts behind the wheel return numbers that meet (and sometimes beat) the feds’ finest efforts. When it comes time to juice up, the EQS SUV will settle for as much as 200 kilowatts of juice, going from a ten% state of cost to 80% in about half an hour.

I feel the EQS SUV is finest loved at evening, as a result of its commonplace 64-color ambient lighting is a real sight to behold. LED strips prolong throughout practically each floor of the automotive, and there are distinctive animations for altering the temperature or when the “Hey, Mercedes” voice assistant engages. There’s additionally a setting to vary the lighting because the automobile accelerates.

After all, there’s way more cabin tech within the EQS SUV than simply some fancy lights. The 580 comes commonplace with Mercedes’ Hyperscreen, a dash-spanning piece of glass that homes an enormous 17.7-inch central display, along with the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the passenger. The biggest show can present a large map with overlays for the radio, massaging seats and different options. The navigation does a superb job of guaranteeing a route consists of loads of chargers, and each wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included. USB-C ports are inside attain of each seat, guaranteeing everyone’s gadgets keep topped off. The EQS SUV additionally comes commonplace with a complete host of lively and passive security methods, together with adaptive cruise management, lane-keep help, lively steering help, computerized emergency braking, computerized lane modifications and blind-spot monitoring.

Considerably surprisingly, the 2023 Mercedes EQS SUV is not that rather more costly than an equal EQS sedan. A base EQS450 Plus SUV begins at $105,550, together with $1,150 for vacation spot, however the beefier EQS580 SUV brings that worth as much as $127,100. With some tasteful choices like $1,100 massaging entrance seats, $860 four-zone local weather management and $450 for quicker seat heating, this instance rings in at $132,880. It is a tall worth to pay, but it surely’s according to the section, which is not actually about scrimping or saving — a BMW iX M60, for instance, will set you again about $109,000 earlier than choices.

For this a lot cash, expectations may be excessive, however the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS580 SUV exceeds them. It takes the whole lot the automaker has realized about constructing a cushty, fascinating luxurious SUV and adapts it to an electrical future, and the ensuing EV feels each bit as futuristic because it appears to be like.