Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV

The largest of Mercedes' new electric SUVs builds on the luxurious EQS saloon with extra practicality On sale Now Price from £129,470

- Dan Jones

IN BUSINESS, YOU can be a first mover or a late mover, and while the former comes with the advantage of having no competition, the late movers get to learn from the mistakes of those who came before. Perhaps that's why Mercedes-Benz took its time when launching its EQ range, waiting in the shadows while the likes of Audi and BMW navigated the complex jungle of pure electric vehicles (EVS).

Since then, Mercedes has launched a number of EVS, and the EQS SUV is the latest model to join the range. It uses the same underpinnings as the luxurious EQS saloon, aiming to deliver all the luxury, technology and comfort of its stablemate, but with the additional space and practicality that an SUV body brings.

Power options differ slightly from those of the saloon. The entry-level 450 4Matic feeds 355bhp from two electric motors to all four wheels and can sprint from 0-62mph in just 6.0sec, matching the equivalent Audi Q8 e-tron 50 Sport's time. This model has more than enough performance for most people's needs.

If you do want more power, though, you can choose the 580 4Matic. This version comes with 537bhp and can cover the same sprint in 4.6sec - around a second quicker than the Q8 e-tron 55 and identical to the BMW iX xDrive50's time. That kind of pace from something this heavy is impressive.