Mercedes apparently knows its customers very well – including those in Asia and the USA. And here, for some, the all-wheel drive, which is indispensable in itself, seems to be quite dispensable. Therefore, the surprise is limited that the Mercedes EQS 450 SUV is also available with rear-wheel drive alone. Makes a price advantage of around 4,000 euros. In this vehicle class, however, all-wheel drive should be mandatory on board, because even if there is little rain, snow and ice in regions like Beijing or Miami, all-wheel drive has significant advantages in terms of driving dynamics and safety. That starts with the weight, because the EQS is a mighty colossus of 2.8 tons, regardless of its engine power, so after a moment’s thought you should not decide on the cheaper version with rear-wheel drive and let the EQS crawl on all fours as a 450 .
The Mercedes EQS 450 SUV 4matic is an electric four-wheel drive behemoth closely related to the EQS sedan. Its design is a little more pleasing because the front in particular stands for sovereignty and status awareness, and the rear of the EQS SUV also looks more pleasing than the plump sedan. The space available is good at the front and rear, not least because of the 3.21 meter long wheelbase, and the seats can be adjusted electrically in a variety of convenient ways. The third row – which can only be folded out manually – is intended more for children, because getting in and out is a little comfortable climbing even with a height of less than 1.70 meters. A little more length would do the Mercedes EQS SUV good with a focus on the main markets in the USA and Asia. Depending on the seat configuration – the rear seats can be divided in a ratio of 40:20:40 – the load compartment holds between 565 and 2,100 liters.
But is every 265 kW / 360 hp and 800 Nm of maximum torque enough to carry the 2.8-ton all-wheel drive vehicle quickly over the streets of this world? It’s enough anyway – so far in advance. Somewhat surprisingly, however, the rear-wheel drive version has the same engine power as the four-wheel drive. The maximum torque alone is noticeably lower at 568 Nm, but still sufficient. But the enormous weight makes you quickly feel that 360 hp is not much if you are accelerating at low speeds or want to add more fuel from high speeds during intermediate sprints. But isn’t the Mercedes EQS SUV a cruiser anyway, with which you would rather glide casually over country roads or set the cruise control on the motorway? The 265 kW / 360 hp are always enough and if you have to accelerate, then the 800 Nm torque do the rest to be with the music.
Thanks to the all-wheel drive, the power is brought to the ground in the best possible way, even on slippery slopes or dirty roads, so once again a brief reminder to quickly scrap the idea of the cheaper rear-wheel drive vehicle. Anyone who often travels long distances, travels with several people or wants to have real driving fun cannot avoid the top version of the EQS 580 SUV 4matic with an impressive but not gigantic 400 kW / 544 hp / 858 Nm. In contrast to many a competitor from China or the USA, the currently offered maximum performance is not all that opulent anyway. The weaker 450 also locks at a maximum of 210 km/h – not much for an electric SUV and certainly not much for a luxury model that ultimately also has to be measured against combustion models. The range does not cause any problems, at least in warm temperatures – on the contrary. With the 108 kWh battery pack, thanks to an average consumption of 20.5 kWh, up to 600 kilometers are possible. At least as important: the right loading speed. Here, the EQS does not offer a charging turbo with 800 volts, but at least a recharging with up to 200 kilowatts, which allows the battery pack in the belly of the whale to be strengthened by 250 kilometers in 15 minutes.
The shortcoming of the Mercedes EQS 450 SUV, which costs at least 114,466 euros, is its weight, because the much more powerful 580 cannot cover that up and its little brother is even more noticeable. The good, albeit smooth-running steering with a ten-degree all-wheel angle or the extremely comfortable chassis do not change that. In fast corners, which quickly turn into hairpin bends in the mountains, the lack of roll stabilization is also noticeable, which should at least be an option on board.
