Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV drive review: How much luxury is too much luxury?

The Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV has arrived on Indian shores as the third all-electric option from the German manufacturer in as many months. To say Mercedes is serious about its electric portfolio would be an understatement considering the vast number of options now available for someone with a big budget and a bigger conscience for a greener planet. So while the one end of the spectrum has the likes of EQA and EQB, the other end of the portfolio includes the Maybach EQS 680 and now the EQS too.

But what is the EQS really like and is it truly an electric alternative to the GLS SUV? Does the EQS justify its ₹1.41 crore price tag and can it really offer the same level of absolute indulgence that its combustion engine alternatives promise. To find the answers to all of these - and more, we landed in Hyderabad, the city of Nizams, to get a feel of Mercedes' take on sustainable mobility with a high degree of luxury and opulence.

Here is the first-drive review of Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV:

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV: How is it to look at?

Not a GLS, that's the quickest answer to the most obvious question that many of you may have. Do not walk into the Mercedes showroom expecting an SUV that is massive, imposing or massively imposing to look at. Instead, the Mercedes EQS SUV, much like almost every single model under the 'EQ' nomenclature, emphasis on an aerodynamic profile.

The aerodynamic profile of the Mercedes EQS SUV is quite evident from the side.

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The aerodynamic profile of the Mercedes EQS SUV is quite evident from the side.

Sure, the EQS SUV measures 5,136 mm in overall length and has a wheelbase of 3,210 mm. Of course, the EQS SUV stands 1,718 mm tall and is 1,965 mm wide. And while these are some very large proportions for sure, to the naked eye - and especially in comparison to the GLS, this all-electric model does not have an extremely dominant road presence. But all of the styling goes a mile and a half to make up for it.

The EQS SUV boasts of a handsome face that is proportioned to impress. The contour lines on the hood add a bit of extra character to the visual appeal of the EV.

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The EQS SUV boasts of a handsome face that is proportioned to impress. The contour lines on the hood add a bit of extra character to the visual appeal of the EV.

A closed black panel radiator grille, AMG specific bumper and digital LED light with projection lend the Mercedes EQS SUV a very stylish face, instead of a bully-ish profile that is what best describes the GLS. On the side, the EQS SUV stands on 21-inch wheels with a very sophisticated alloy design. Flush door handles and large windows are great additions while the solitary charging flap and inlet is located on the side rear right portion of the vehicle.

The large dimensions of the EQS SUV is best judged from its side profile. Do not miss the charging flap located in the side rear section of the vehicle.

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The large dimensions of the EQS SUV is best judged from its side profile. Do not miss the charging flap located in the side rear section of the vehicle.

At the back, there is some semblance of the much-smaller EQB due to the stretched LED light bar on the trunk while the bottom half has an interplay of high-gloss black and high-gloss chrome treatment. The Mercedes EQS SUV comes in eight colour options including this shade of Emerald Green.

The Mercedes EQS SUV gets a clean rear profile with the tri-star logo, EQS 580 lettering and 4MATIC badge placed neatly here.

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The Mercedes EQS SUV gets a clean rear profile with the tri-star logo, EQS 580 lettering and 4MATIC badge placed neatly here.

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV: How does it feel to sit inside?

Imagine a plush sofa set inside a palace. But the palace also moves. And that sofa set heats up at the press of a button, has multiple massage functions, is surrounded by half a dozen entertainment screens and windows with glasses that reflect back the heat. That, in a nutshell, is Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV cabin for you.

If you are buying the EQS SUV, chances are you would mostly spend time on the seats in the middle. And here is where Mercedes has devoted most of its focus and attention.

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If you are buying the EQS SUV, chances are you would mostly spend time on the seats in the middle. And here is where Mercedes has devoted most of its focus and attention.

Is there really any point in highlighting the quality of materials, the stitching, the fit and the finish? Mercedes once again aces all of these but it is the over-indulgence really that stands out in the White-coloured cabin of the EQS SUV. Triple-screen unit on the dashboard as part of Mercedes Hyperscreen system plonks a 12.3-inch driver display, a 12.3-inch passenger display and a humongous 17.7-inch OLED central display in what is an exercise in brazen technological opulence.

A closer look at the dashboard layout inside the Mercedes EQS SUV.

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A closer look at the dashboard layout inside the Mercedes EQS SUV.

There are two more screens - each measuring 11.6 inches - for passengers at the back with the entire unit hooked to a 15-speaker, 710-watt Burmester sound system with Dolby Atmos. Somewhere, Mercedes forgot this is a car and not a home theatre. So it then went ahead and even added a seven-inch tablet on the rear armrest and two noise-cancelling wireless headphones.

Complete with an air-purification package, multi-zone climate control, air-aroma package, ambient lighting, wireless phone charging and a panoramic sunroof, the EQS SUV is every bit as well-kitted as you would expect it to be. This is probably why its shortcomings also stand out significantly. Firstly, the massage function I mentioned earlier is reserved for the driver and front passenger seat only. The owner of such a vehicle is more likely to be chauffer-driven and this is quite a miss. Secondly, there are three rows of seating but in reality, make it two and a quarter. Getting into that last row of seats in itself is a task but even here, space is at a high premium.

The last-row seats inside the EQS SUV are too generic in comparison to anywhere else inside the cabin. While space and comfort are lacking, even getting in and out is a task.

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The last-row seats inside the EQS SUV are too generic in comparison to anywhere else inside the cabin. While space and comfort are lacking, even getting in and out is a task.

Overall though, the EQS SUV cabin deserves rich accolades for being extremely luxurious, often more than what may be needed.

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV: How does it drive?

For all the appeal on the outside and the luxury within, the EQS SUV is a machine meant to move. And it does minus the guilt of emissions. At its very core is a mammoth 122 kW battery pack which helps this Mercedes underline a claimed range of over 800 kilometres. To put that into context, the EQS SUV can do Chennai to Bengaluru, and back. Or Delhi to Udaipur with some charge still left for sightseeing in the City of Lakes.

A typical driving delight, the EQS SUV benefits enormously from a planted drive character regardless of varying speeds.

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A typical driving delight, the EQS SUV benefits enormously from a planted drive character regardless of varying speeds.

Range anxiety isn't something the EQS SUV is bothered with but push it around and the electrifying fun is palpable. Capable of going from zero to 100 kmph in just 4.7 seconds, the Mercedes all-electric SUV offers 858 Nm of torque and has a top speed of 210 kmph. As can be expected, this torque delivery is instant and the responses to aggressive throttle inputs is good enough to make the chauffeur never risk asking for a salary hike. Driving the EQS SUV itself should be a bonus.

Notice the front and rear wheels turning in opposite directions? This is the rear-wheel steering system which allows the EQS SUV to take tight turns and corners more effectively.

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Notice the front and rear wheels turning in opposite directions? This is the rear-wheel steering system which allows the EQS SUV to take tight turns and corners more effectively.

But when charting its daily course within city limits, the EQS SUV has a genial drive trait that makes it a fairly comfortable car to move around. Rear-wheel steering obviously helps with the turning radius but a superbly insulated cabin manages to keep the drive and ride quality in perfect check. The adaptive damping system is at play at all times, ensuring that the nefarious Indian city roads are gentle motions from within the vehicle. Additionally, an array of safety features - highlighted by Level 2 ADAS or Advanced Driver Assistance System - promise to keep all occupants protected in case of any adversity.

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV: Is it for you?

If you have been eyeing a luxury SUV and have the big bucks to afford an EQS SUV from Mercedes-Benz, buy it. At upwards of ₹1.41 crore, it isn't exactly for everyone and that itself will be a major pull factor. But this electric machine does not cut any corners in terms of offering the pinnacle of what Mercedes has on offer at present. If you can ignore those last-row seats and do not mind an SUV that - in comparable terms - does not have a ginormous road presence, the EQS SUV deserves a place in your garage. And your garage too deserves an EQS SUV.