2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is a Taller Luxury Flagship EV

Not an electrified GLS; but a taller EQS, with an optional third row.

Mercedes-Benz on Tuesday took the wraps off the latest member of its budding EQ family. As the name implies, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is a tall-roof, high-riding electric vehicle, standing as the flagship of the sub-brand.

The connection to the existing EQS sedan is more than just the name, too. The EQS SUV rides on the same platform, with the long, 126.4-inch (3,211-millimeter) wheelbase keeping the wheels out at the corners of the vehicle. The SUV has a nearly 8.0-inch (203 mm) vertical growth spurt, however.

That newfound height does give the SUV a different look than the sedan. The nose is very familiar, including a slightly taller version of the “grille,” complete with a thin LED strip at the top connecting the two headlights. The hood and window line rise up, with a stronger shoulder line than the pebble-smooth sedan, and thin bits of gloss black cladding for the proper SUV look. Around back, a tailgate sits at an angle closer to the GLE’s hatch than the GLS’ upright tail. A full-width taillight treatment ties it all together with the existing EQS, EQB, and EQE.

While Mercedes won’t talk aerodynamic figures, the SUV should be one of the slipperiest shapes of its kind.

Inside, the EQS SUV offers two rows of seats as standard, with a third optional. The middle row can slide fore and aft up to five inches, providing knee room ranging from 32.7 to 37.8 inches (831 to 960 mm). Headroom is a healthy 40.7 inches (1,034 mm) with the standard sliding sunroof, though that drops by over five inches for folks in the optional way-back. Speaking of, ticking the third-row box results in just 6.8 cubic-feet (193 liters) of storage space. Keep to the five-seat layout, however, and you’ll find 28.2 cubic-feet (799 L) of space; that balloons to 74.2 cubes (2,101 L) with the 40/20/40 second row folded flat.

Mercedes hasn’t changed much of the interior for SUV duty, which is just fine by us; the EQS has one of the fanciest, most luxurious EV interiors out there. There are multiple leather and texture options, as well Merc’s Hyperscreen. Standard on the EQS 580 SUV and optional on the EQS 450 Plus SUV, Hyperscreen groups three separate digital displays under one pane of glass, stretching from pillar to pillar. It runs the latest version of Mercedes’ well-liked MBUX infotainment system, which includes a digital assistant (“Hey Mercedes”), wireless smartphone integration, augmented reality navigation, and other goodies.

Additional tech upgrades include standard 10-degree rear steering, air suspension, and a whole suite of driver assists, such as adaptive cruise control, 360-degree camera, active parking assist, and road sign recognition.

Like the sedan, the EQS SUV will come in two flavors at launch: the EQS 450 Plus SUV and EQS 580 SUV. Both utilize an 107.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The former features a single motor acting on the rear axle, producing 355 horsepower and 419 pound-feet of torque. The EQS 580 adds another motor onto the front axle, for through-the-road AWD with 536 hp and 633 lb-ft. With the on-board 9.6-kW charger, Mercedes estimates AC charge times of a little over 11 hours. DC fast charging can hit a rate of 200 kW, which equates to an ideal 10-to-80 percent recharge of 31 minutes. Mercedes won’t talk exact North American ranges yet, but says that depending on trim, the EQS SUV should be capable of 373 miles (600 km) on the WLTP cycle.