avilent

I flew to Atlanta with my wife to attend the EQS test drive event this weekend (our drive slot is on Sunday). After dinner, my wife indulged my curiosity and we drove to Alpharetta where the event is held so I could have my 1st EQS sighting. We arrived after the Friday event ended (after sunset) and the MBUSA team was prepping the cars for Saturday morning. Several 450s, one 580, very few cars with Hyperscreen. Mix of AMG/non-AMG packages. None of the cars had the premium AMG 21" wheels. Most cars were pre-production (VIN#s up to 1500s)

Given the darkness, I have limited cosmetic observations about the external.
1) Taillights look amazing !
2) Turn signals are orange (I love it - so much better than all red!)
3) Front lights and front bar look fantastic and actually dim/brighten as you approach and leave the vehicle
4) Illuminated door handles have amazing presence
5) Dark colors (black/blue) look better IMO to lighter (white/silver) - I ordered Magno Grey so curious how it will look
6) American cars have (weird) bumper protectors (big pucks to the left/righ of license plate) - Don't know if this is a pre-production or series feature

Interior (at night)
a) You won't find another car that looks better at night!
b) Hyperscreen is stunning at night - Especially if you sit in the back
c) Non Hyper Screen looks out of place in this car (like from a decade ago)
d) Rear seating is very roomy and comfy (compares favorably to our Alpina B6 series front seating)

In summary very impressed with my 1st sighting and will post more insights on Sunday.

The MBUSA staff is very nice and accommodating, especially the team leader who flew from the SF Bay Area where she is based.

js_cls

Nice insights, very interested to hear your impressions when you drive one this Sunday. Still waiting for the DC date over here in the MD area to get behind the wheel of one.

I think that's Nautical Blue by the looks of it, definitely agree that darker colors help, I think its also because the lower rocker panels are black and we don't get the night package in the US, so chrome works better with a dark color.

As for the bumper guards, that is indeed a US specific design in compliance with stupid and outdated license plate regulations. You'll notice this on many MB coupe designs where the plate is in the lower bumper (CLA, CLS, C, GT, E, etc.), its the only thing I don't like about my CLS - which got screwed over more compared to other vehicles bumper guards, but I still love it. We need to get rid of some of these stupid regulations, hell that's one of the reasons why Europe gets superior headlight technology that is still not accepted in the US!

stealth.pilot

I was able to get the test drive of the EQS580 this morning. I showed up 2 hours late since I had the family photo shoot. They were super nice and accommodating.

Most of the cars are 450 models but since I had ordered the 580 they made sure I got to drive the 580.

I LOVE THIS CAR.

Was amazing to drive. Incredibly smooth but also very sporty. Felt almost as sporty as my previous $218k Porsche Panamera Turbo S. And actually I likes this car a lot more than the Panamera.

A few highlights:
1) Superb ride quality. Like a magic carpet.
2) Handles really well. I took it on a curvy road and I was impressed with the traction, the lack of body roll and the general grip. It felt more like the Porsche than the E63 in that it was very responsive and had good feel, but not at the expense of ride quality.
3) The steering feels silky smooth. This is the smoothest steering feel of any car I have ever experienced. It is truly remarkable.
4) Love the hyperscreen. It’s was very responsive and well implemented. Navigation is intuitive. Much faster than previous MBUX products. Wireless CarPlay with largest CarPlay display ever.
5) The car looks great. I thought white and black looked best. Especially Black. Not a fan of silver. They didn’t have matte gray which is what I ordered. It isn’t Porsche beautiful but it is a good looking car. Looks expensive.
6). Range seems like it may be better than EPA. The car I was driving had 82% charge and estimated remaining range of 358 miles. So that implies a range of 436 miles.
7) These cars were Premium Trim (base trim) so I was surprised there were pillows on the rear headrests. They told me that is standard and not just on the Pinnacle.
8) The design of the dash and center console looks great. I like the open storage under the center console. It is the ideal spot for putting a handbag if you are a woman, or putting your lunch if you picked something up at a drive through. My wife usually has to put her handbag on the floor where it slides around and that is not an appropriate solution for a Chanel or Hermes handbag. So this design is a big win IMO regardless of what Streamliner thinks.
9) Simulated Engine Sound is not my thing. It almost makes the car sound like an AMG engine. I turned it off completely, and the car was much better with the silent power.
10) Regen braking is good - at least as good as Tesla, but better if you have different tastes. I tried all the Regen settings including the intelligent setting. My favorite setting was the maximum Regen setting which is very similar to what you experience with Tesla. With the intelligent Regen setting I found that it didn't react to a red traffic light - not sure why, but I thought that was sub optimal so I turned it off. I generally prefer predictable regeneration than variable intelligent regeneration.

js_cls

Great to hear your feedback on the car, especially since I know you've been excited for day one, sounds like a winner, especially in terms of range. I hope that a lot of the redeeming qualities you found make their way to the EQE, as I would be interested in that for the next daily driver.

stealth.pilot

EQE is going to be great too once they announce a dual motor version.

mmmamg

Also took a test drive Saturday morning. Probably right before stealth pilot!
Had silver 450. Car was kind of basic model: no massage seats, leather didn't feel premium, no HUD...
Sorry, but I wasn't impressed. It was like any other electrical car I drove but cost more than 100K.
Just nothing special,

stealth.pilot

This is more a function of what you drove. I drove the 580. My one had HUD and better leather. That said the models they had were all the Premium trim so they didn't have all the goodies. I didnt bother to test if it had massage seats because I am already familiar with Mercedes massage seats and I know my ordered car has them.

Obviously anyone wanting a well equipped $100k car with nice leather would be better off waiting for the EQE. At $100 you will get a very basic EQS. But if you had in mind a well equipped 580, then its a different story. Mercedes massage seats are the best in the industry, as is the AR HUD. The Nappa leather is very nice too. You could always go back and ask to drive the 580 like I did. I agree the 450 is not particularly appealing.

stealth.pilot

I added more details above which may help.

wings1969

I appreciate the comments from all the lucky test drives. I have my test drive on Thursday in Chicago. But I am surprised that nobody comments on the DOT required yellow safety reflector on the forward front fender. I am so disappointed that we have this requirement for US autos. I think it distracts from the overall look and hope I can pull it off or paint it black to match my obsidian order color.

stealth.pilot

I didn’t comment on it because it is an issue on almost all cars. The ones which don’t have it on the bumper have it built into the headlight which is even worse. At least on the bumper you can have it painted or smoke tinted.

avilent

My family and I attended the Atlanta EQS event earlier today.

Vehicle tested
580 with minimal accessories (no HUD) but 21" wheels

Driving Impressions

• Surprisingly Powerful - Appeared more powerful than my Tesla Model S 100D and comparable to my Alpina B6 (600Hp) albeit without the turbo lag
• 4 Wheel Steering is a game changer - The kind MBUSA member who joined my test drive allow me to perform so aggressive circles and we were are mesmerized at how this 5.2m vehicle can turn on a dime
• Visibility is surprising good
• Seating is highly comfortable and provides near sport seat support
• I made several lane changes at ~50mph and was amazed at the precision of the steering and agility. Much better than my Tesla a comparable to my B6.
• Hyperscreen is awesome and I did not experience abnormal glare (it was nice sunny day)
• I played with the 3 regen modes - I preferred the most aggressive mode that was similar to my Tesla and did not experience any weird brake pedal issue
• My wife sat in the rear seat (something she normally never wants to do) and did not experience any nausea (which she normally does when I drive my other cars)
• I have no doubt my EQS will be an awesome daily driver and a vehicle we'll take on road trips

Visual Observations

• The car does not appear as big in reality as it actually is. You only realize how long it is when you are next to a normal car
• Non AMG exteriors look dull
• Dark colors look best (especially black)
• White/Silver look odd due to black lines on rear roof
• Star pattern grill (or the AMG grill) is a must
• Front looks great day/night
• Side looks a bit like a Banana
• Rear looks great at night and so/so in daylight
• Dash material (some kind of neoprene) is awesome
• Giant bumper pucks (US cars only) are not as ugly as I feared - I looks similar to Porsches from the 80s/90s

Supply chain observations

• I lost the comfort doors and soft close on my car due to supply chain issues - bummer
• I learned that US configs won't get the rear screen MBUX - bummer
• Wished MB pre wired the vehicles so that retrofits could be possible

Test Event Observations

• We spoke to about 5 different MBUSA folks and they were each delightful, not pushing us to buy and very insightful - Ola is doing something right with his troops !
• The MBUSA chaperon was quite pleasant - wished however she would have sat in the back to allow family up front
• These events are very well attended - they had 8-10 EQS and they were all continuously in use
• Driving time is limited (~20min) - less than what I had hoped but much better than watching YouTube
• MBUSA's lawyers are way too conservative! They forbid any passenger below the age of 21 - My 19 year old son flew from college to join the event with us but wasn't allowed ride as a passenger (he was not happy).
• Great way to introduce a new car - but don't bring you kids along!

With some luck I might get my EQS before X-Mas (production started last week) and will post Tesla Model S v EQS extended drive impressions!

js_cls

Thanks for the in-depth observations. Just curious if like Stealth.Pilot you happened to take notice of the range indicated on the gauge cluster?

Very excited to see a lot of what makes the EQS great transition into the EQE.

avilent

On the range front - Vehicle was ~ 80% SOC and indicated 300+mi range
I got the sense that the estimated range in miles was using a very conservative computation - whereas my Tesla is keeps displaying the highest possible estimated range. We’ve done several 3000+mi trips with the Tesla and it overestimates range by 15-20% in most circumstances

Soulman

Thanks for the review Stealth and Avilent, well done! I'm glad I switched to Black on my order.

wings1969

I just got back from my test drive in Chicago. There were 10 cars in various colors and configurations. I agree with most people that the dark colors looked better IMHO.

I thought the car was awesome in looks and build quality.
I was fortunate since I was the first to the site when they opened. I drove a 450 first and then the 580. The drives were longer than they usually do since nobody was waiting for a drive.
I was totally impressed with the handling for such a large car, it equaled or surpassed my S63 coupe. I pushed the car hard on a few turns and may have made the MB rep a little nervous.
The acceleration in the 450 was fine for me but I am not planning on racing teenagers at the stoplight. The 580 was almost too much performance for me but was equal to my S63.
This auto is extremely quiet. I have never in my life driven an auto this quiet and I have the laminated safety glass and infrared which should be even better.
Funny thing about the demographic, most showing up for the test drives were old fogies like me (73). Not too many youngsters looking at this car.
I am excited that my car is in Bremerhaven waiting for the crossing to Brunswick VPC.
I am still disappointed about the yellow reflector on the front fender and you won't be able to peal them off, the quarter panel has an indentation for the reflector.
I will keep my build and probably lease for two years if the terms are favorable and trade or buy an AMG when they become available with all the chip issues under control.

stealth.pilot

It's interesting. We saw a broader range of age groups driving the car - a lot of 40s-50s when I was there in ATL.

With the reflector, you have three options:
1) Tint it which lessens the appearance.
2) Have a body shop paint the reflector to match the bumper.
3) Have a body shop remove it, fill the indentation, and repaint the bumper which will give you a clean Euro look.

I generally do Option 1. That works very well on dark cars. On light cars, paint is usually the best option.

boltonblue

patiently impatiently waiting for Friday to come around for my test drive. I like the idea of the dual model double dip.
I do intend to drive the car. although the chestnut hill and route 9 areas are rather congested areas.

stealth.pilot

You can always do a double dip of same car. Just go back later or next day. They offered that to me.

js_cls

You guys are super lucky to get to drive the car this early, sadly DC is the last stop on the "tour" with no date as of yet.

Radman991

I will be test driving the EQS on Friday as well. My appointment is at 2:30. Not looking forward to driving back home to RI in the rush hour traffic. Thursday was all wait listed. I’m flying to Florida for the winter on Saturday so I was lucky to get an opportunity to see and drive the car before they get to dealers.

Prago

Just had my drive this morning. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Hated it in silver, loved it in darker colors. The back seat is indeed not as comfortable as the S-class but still good. Isolation was top notch. I was caught off guard by the ride difference from the S-class; less floaty and more firm. Hyperscreen is worth the hype and the customization is endless. I can feel good about dumping the Model S now.

Everyone there was at least 10 years older than me so they’re definitely capturing the interest of the usual S-class crowd.

JoeMa

The EQS AMG 53 will appeal to a younger demographic when it goes on sale.

boltonblue

I suspect that while there may be some that consider me younger.at 64, I prefer the driving characteristics of AMGs.
In fact the new SL63, might become a competitor to the EQS as next in the queue.

Prago

Honestly doubt it. Big sedans aren’t really young people magnets. It’s not a bad thing, older people need cars too and are frequently the only ones with enough money to buy a car that sits comfortably in the $100k+ price range.

JoeMa

Pretty sure it's not just older people buying Tesla Model S's or S Class AMG's? The EQS AMG 53 will no doubt pull some of those buyers who are tired of half a steering wheel and a bland interior to a large sedan that's way more comfortable and offers much higher tech.