2 weeks with my EQS 450+ with Hyperscreen
01-14-2022, 11:33 AM
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2022 EQS 450+
2 weeks with my EQS 450+ with Hyperscreen
I picked up my EQS 450+ from my San Jose, California dealer on January 31st. My goal is to touch on the topics that I was scouring the web for when I was making my purchase decision and I hope this can help someone like all the other information helped me!
The car had an MSRP of $117K and a $10K dealer markup. The car is quite loaded, with almost all the features I would have spec'd from the factory (only missing HUD). I called a dozen dealers in the bay and this was the cheapest price I found. I also called a few dealers in AZ and they were the same or higher as well. As far as the 'current' market price, it seemed like this was the best I was going to get given the lack of 450+ with hyper screen. I also was able to get the $7500 tax credit for 2021 since I bought it on 12/31. One thing to note to potential buyers is that this crazy market goes both ways. I was able to trade in my heavily used 2018 Tesla Model X with 50,000 miles for $78K (I paid 90K 4 years ago after incentives). Last year when I was exploring selling, I was offered $60K. Net-net, I was happy with the transaction. FWIW, MB of WC was offering any one of their three 450+ on the lot for MSRP; they didn't have the hyperscreen, and when I drove it, I found that the experience I was looking for was not worth the price without the screen.
My experience in electric
Have had a 2018 Model X, 7 seater, for four years and 50K miles. I took that car everywhere, and while I'm a big car guy (mainly Porsche) and enjoy the sound of a beautiful engine, going to the track, and AX, the model X was my favorite car of all time because it was a rolling computer. I loved how every month new features were added that made the car better. Build quality didn't bother me because I knew they were new at it, and the tech and the fact of being electric outweighed those issues. I went camping every month with my young kids in that car, and it still remains the best large electric vehicle in the world today. In fact, I would say it is better than most ICE machines, since even with seven seats being used the frunk and trunk offer significant cargo room. I let it go because a) my range had diminished significantly. We have a ranch 215 miles from my house, and on 100% charge I couldn't get there. No hills, driving at 75MPH. b) my warranty ran out, and I would have happily paid the $5K for the extended warranty, but then I started seeing the next-gen of EVs from other manufacturers.
Range / Charging
This is the #1 reason I traded in the model x. I use my cars, and my model x was my long-distance commuter. While I didn't mind stopping every 180 or so miles, my wife did
When I saw Bjourn's videos about these long-distance experiences in the EQS, I was very intrigued. Long story short, all the claims are TRUE. I am used to range figures being wildly inaccurate, with the max distance dropping precipitously if I go 75 or use the AC. The EQS software is miles ahead (pun intended) of Tesla in this regard. The car consistently projects about 375 miles of range if I were to take it to zero, and as I go from 80% to 30% the remaining mileage figures remain consistent. This is absolutely huge. I love the ability to know I could go 350-375 miles in the car driving normally, and potentially exceed 400 if I cruise. I know the newer model S claims it can do this going 55MPH, but I drive 70-75, and love that the range figures hold up. one thing that's very cool in the software is that you have an optimization screen, which shows you what features to turn off to extend your range. As of now, I've only charged at home. I bought a tesla to J72 connector, so I could use my old Tesla cable to charge the EQS with a 220V. Works like a charm.
Exterior appearance
I won't spend too long on this. The car, to me, looks horrible in pictures. It looks very elegant in person. It's like that extremely beautiful/handsome person you know that photographs horribly. I don't know how better to explain it. I get compliments all the time on my dark gray metallic build. The paint is spectacular, and the lines are very elegant. It's not an S-Class, its a EQS, and IMO it looks great.
Interior experience
I used the word experience vs. appearance here on purpose. The EQS interior is an experience. However, you need the hyperscreen to have it. To be clear, I'm not talking about looks. There are people who prefer the look of the car without the HS, and I get it, to each their own. However, the experience with and without the HS is huge. I drove both and figured if I'm dropping 120-140K (including CA tax) on a car, I don't want something to be lacking. There's just something unique about getting into the car, it greets you, seeing this beautiful dash that is unlike any other car, the elegant ambient lighting illuminating the dash and the seats, hit the power button, and here the futuristic 'on' sound of the car. There's nothing else like it on the market today, which is why I call it an experience. Two weeks in, and I still love it. My toy car is a 2015 Boxster GTS, and other than my old Gt3, nothing beats that audible experience, but this is just on the other end of the spectrum. The GTS is raw driving glory, the EQS is a pure driving luxury.
Other great touches about the interior. It can actually have two phones running at the same time. I have an iPhone and a pixel, and both are running simultaneously. I can actually choose on the fly whether to run android auto or apple carplay. If I keep on the standard MBUX, then either phone will ring through the car. The phone charger is nice and deep, and hugs either phone well. Lots of room down underneath the center console for my wife's bag, and the armrest goes plenty deep for lots of knick-knacks. Seats are crazy comfortable, and almost too many options on how to adjust them. There are two different interfaces for adjusting the seats. You get the traditional mechanical controls, and then on the MBUX you can adjust lumbar support digitally (as well as other settings). The seat heaters work great, and I haven't tried out the seat cooling yet.
At night the ambient lighting is just so cool, you have to experience it; there's that word again
Things that could be better? The processor is too slow, there are random lag moments which could easily be handled with a faster processor. I would like the ability to change the map from digital to satellite, like is now common on most computers (and teslas). The dash does sit high, but at 5'11", I've gotten used to it, and realize now that the driving dynamics aren't impacted.
Rear seating is very nice, though a little too upright. Leg room for days, and if you have young ones, I can easily fit three car seats side by side with no one complaining about room. The rear trunk is really large and if you're coming from a traditional seda it will be an upgrade. I wish there was a Frunk, but haven't missed it yet.
Driving Experience
As a long-time Porsche driver, there's nothing special about the MB EQS driving experience. However, I should note that I wasn't expecting it to be. This is a luxury cruiser, and it excels at that in every way. It's not a 911 or a Taycan, its a Benz. I really love driving this thing because it is so different. With the noise isolation and the interior experience, I find myself just turning off the radio and listening to the silence. The suspension is fantastic, and you just glide over the road. The noise insulation is fantastic; there's actually a downside to it. When my kids are yelling in the back seats, the noise is now amplified because the car itself is so quiet; it's a real thing (if you have young ones). The turning radius is as impressive as advertised; a car this big shouldn't turn so easily. Yes, the car is big, its actually huge. I didn't realize the wheelbase was so much bigger than my model X or my wife's RR Discovery. The car does a great job hiding it with the tech, but you never really get away from the size. As a cruiser, again, it's not a big deal to me.
The autopilot, in relation to how Tesla uses the word, is very impressive. It is not tesla caliber. I use autopilot all the time on longer drives, and the Tesla can handle almost any freeway situation. The EQS can not. It does 80% of the situations as good or better than Tesla though. It is very smooth. For example, if I want to change lanes, and the system doesn't think its clear to do so, I can take over and make the change, but never disconnect the autopilot. When I've put the car in the middle of the lane, it automatically resumes keeping me in the lane. I also haven't experienced any of the Tesla's phantom braking. Again, the tesla handles 99% of freeway situations as a 80% driver, whereas the EQS drives 80% of the situations 90% well. I actually prefer the EQS version while driving straight with really small curves, but I always need to be paying attention.
Regenerative braking deserves some mention here as well. It is far superior to Tesla's version. We actually have four flavors vs. Teslas two (standard or none). MB EQS has four: heavy, standard, none, or adaptive. The adaptive regen is like magic. Ok, not really, but it is like always having adaptive cruise control on; very cool. Essentially, it maps the braking based on what's around you. Cruising on a standard road with someone in front of you? Depending on your speed, it will oscilate between heavy and standard regen to keep your distance. No one in front of, it basically turns regen off, and 'watches' how hard you are pressing the brake pedal to decide how much regen to use. It's difficult to really explain, go drive one and prepare to be impressed (if you haven't driven electric before it may take you a few miles of city driving to adjust).
This matters to some so I will mention it. This car is plenty fast, but not a performance car. Do I wish I had the extra power of the 580? Only when I'm not driving, i.e. I never miss it, but I want it because I paid close in price to a 580 This car will never touch a Porsche in a similar price point for driving dynamics or acceleration, and because I wasn't buying it for that, the fact that this car does 0-60 in double the time of a Model S plaid I don't care. Its the reason I never really maxed out my enjoyment of my E63? It accelerated great and made me weak in the knees at startup, but try to throw it around a corner on a track and a mid-engine porsche is infinitely more fun (for me). Much the same way, I find a unique pleasure in just cruising in this car that I don't get from a Porsche. This is a different machine for a different use case. Because the pricing of a 450 and 580 are so close when factoring in options, go for the 580 every time, but in 2022 that's not an option because its very hard to get a 580 or 450 with hyperscreen at the price that MB intended. If money is an issue at current market pricing, get the 450+; its absolutely fine for what it's meant to be. Plus, you do get more range, which is more important to me than performance in this car.
Final Thoughts
I will probably go back and edit this post periodically based on feedback as well as more impressions after having driven more, but so far I REALLY enjoy this car. It is better than my Model X in almost every way, save for space and acceleration. I would do the deal again 10/10 times, and the extra $10K markup didn't bother me when I figured I got $18K more for my car than I would have gotten in a regular year, as well as a $7500 tax credit. I plan on keeping this car for about 2-3 years, depending on how the range holds up. Side note; I believe part of the reason my Tesla range went down so drastically is that I only supercharged for the first two years since I had unlimited free charging and only a 110 charger at home. Knowing what I do now, I only use the superchargers on longer trips and do all daily charging at home. In CA, its very economical, as it only costs us $0.15 per KwH to charge at night (I know this is expensive to some in the country, but compared to $0.32 - $0.50 at superchargers its quite economical). Charging an EQS from 0%-80% costs me about $12, which gives me about 300 miles of range.
So impressed by what MB have done with their first EV, and I always give Tesla credit for making this tech mainstream for luxury cars. So excited to enjoy this car for the next 24-36 months, and where cars go into the future. Side note 3; if you like to drive, hang on to your NA non-turbo corner huggers; they don't make them like they used to, but what they do make now is amazing too
- Details on the deal
- My experience in electric
- Range / Charging
- Exterior appearance
- Interior experience
- Driving experience
- Final thoughts
The car had an MSRP of $117K and a $10K dealer markup. The car is quite loaded, with almost all the features I would have spec'd from the factory (only missing HUD). I called a dozen dealers in the bay and this was the cheapest price I found. I also called a few dealers in AZ and they were the same or higher as well. As far as the 'current' market price, it seemed like this was the best I was going to get given the lack of 450+ with hyper screen. I also was able to get the $7500 tax credit for 2021 since I bought it on 12/31. One thing to note to potential buyers is that this crazy market goes both ways. I was able to trade in my heavily used 2018 Tesla Model X with 50,000 miles for $78K (I paid 90K 4 years ago after incentives). Last year when I was exploring selling, I was offered $60K. Net-net, I was happy with the transaction. FWIW, MB of WC was offering any one of their three 450+ on the lot for MSRP; they didn't have the hyperscreen, and when I drove it, I found that the experience I was looking for was not worth the price without the screen.
My experience in electric
Have had a 2018 Model X, 7 seater, for four years and 50K miles. I took that car everywhere, and while I'm a big car guy (mainly Porsche) and enjoy the sound of a beautiful engine, going to the track, and AX, the model X was my favorite car of all time because it was a rolling computer. I loved how every month new features were added that made the car better. Build quality didn't bother me because I knew they were new at it, and the tech and the fact of being electric outweighed those issues. I went camping every month with my young kids in that car, and it still remains the best large electric vehicle in the world today. In fact, I would say it is better than most ICE machines, since even with seven seats being used the frunk and trunk offer significant cargo room. I let it go because a) my range had diminished significantly. We have a ranch 215 miles from my house, and on 100% charge I couldn't get there. No hills, driving at 75MPH. b) my warranty ran out, and I would have happily paid the $5K for the extended warranty, but then I started seeing the next-gen of EVs from other manufacturers.
Range / Charging
This is the #1 reason I traded in the model x. I use my cars, and my model x was my long-distance commuter. While I didn't mind stopping every 180 or so miles, my wife did
When I saw Bjourn's videos about these long-distance experiences in the EQS, I was very intrigued. Long story short, all the claims are TRUE. I am used to range figures being wildly inaccurate, with the max distance dropping precipitously if I go 75 or use the AC. The EQS software is miles ahead (pun intended) of Tesla in this regard. The car consistently projects about 375 miles of range if I were to take it to zero, and as I go from 80% to 30% the remaining mileage figures remain consistent. This is absolutely huge. I love the ability to know I could go 350-375 miles in the car driving normally, and potentially exceed 400 if I cruise. I know the newer model S claims it can do this going 55MPH, but I drive 70-75, and love that the range figures hold up. one thing that's very cool in the software is that you have an optimization screen, which shows you what features to turn off to extend your range. As of now, I've only charged at home. I bought a tesla to J72 connector, so I could use my old Tesla cable to charge the EQS with a 220V. Works like a charm.Exterior appearance
I won't spend too long on this. The car, to me, looks horrible in pictures. It looks very elegant in person. It's like that extremely beautiful/handsome person you know that photographs horribly. I don't know how better to explain it. I get compliments all the time on my dark gray metallic build. The paint is spectacular, and the lines are very elegant. It's not an S-Class, its a EQS, and IMO it looks great.
Interior experience
I used the word experience vs. appearance here on purpose. The EQS interior is an experience. However, you need the hyperscreen to have it. To be clear, I'm not talking about looks. There are people who prefer the look of the car without the HS, and I get it, to each their own. However, the experience with and without the HS is huge. I drove both and figured if I'm dropping 120-140K (including CA tax) on a car, I don't want something to be lacking. There's just something unique about getting into the car, it greets you, seeing this beautiful dash that is unlike any other car, the elegant ambient lighting illuminating the dash and the seats, hit the power button, and here the futuristic 'on' sound of the car. There's nothing else like it on the market today, which is why I call it an experience. Two weeks in, and I still love it. My toy car is a 2015 Boxster GTS, and other than my old Gt3, nothing beats that audible experience, but this is just on the other end of the spectrum. The GTS is raw driving glory, the EQS is a pure driving luxury.
Other great touches about the interior. It can actually have two phones running at the same time. I have an iPhone and a pixel, and both are running simultaneously. I can actually choose on the fly whether to run android auto or apple carplay. If I keep on the standard MBUX, then either phone will ring through the car. The phone charger is nice and deep, and hugs either phone well. Lots of room down underneath the center console for my wife's bag, and the armrest goes plenty deep for lots of knick-knacks. Seats are crazy comfortable, and almost too many options on how to adjust them. There are two different interfaces for adjusting the seats. You get the traditional mechanical controls, and then on the MBUX you can adjust lumbar support digitally (as well as other settings). The seat heaters work great, and I haven't tried out the seat cooling yet.
At night the ambient lighting is just so cool, you have to experience it; there's that word again
Things that could be better? The processor is too slow, there are random lag moments which could easily be handled with a faster processor. I would like the ability to change the map from digital to satellite, like is now common on most computers (and teslas). The dash does sit high, but at 5'11", I've gotten used to it, and realize now that the driving dynamics aren't impacted.
Rear seating is very nice, though a little too upright. Leg room for days, and if you have young ones, I can easily fit three car seats side by side with no one complaining about room. The rear trunk is really large and if you're coming from a traditional seda it will be an upgrade. I wish there was a Frunk, but haven't missed it yet.
Driving Experience
As a long-time Porsche driver, there's nothing special about the MB EQS driving experience. However, I should note that I wasn't expecting it to be. This is a luxury cruiser, and it excels at that in every way. It's not a 911 or a Taycan, its a Benz. I really love driving this thing because it is so different. With the noise isolation and the interior experience, I find myself just turning off the radio and listening to the silence. The suspension is fantastic, and you just glide over the road. The noise insulation is fantastic; there's actually a downside to it. When my kids are yelling in the back seats, the noise is now amplified because the car itself is so quiet; it's a real thing (if you have young ones
). The turning radius is as impressive as advertised; a car this big shouldn't turn so easily. Yes, the car is big, its actually huge. I didn't realize the wheelbase was so much bigger than my model X or my wife's RR Discovery. The car does a great job hiding it with the tech, but you never really get away from the size. As a cruiser, again, it's not a big deal to me.The autopilot, in relation to how Tesla uses the word, is very impressive. It is not tesla caliber. I use autopilot all the time on longer drives, and the Tesla can handle almost any freeway situation. The EQS can not. It does 80% of the situations as good or better than Tesla though. It is very smooth. For example, if I want to change lanes, and the system doesn't think its clear to do so, I can take over and make the change, but never disconnect the autopilot. When I've put the car in the middle of the lane, it automatically resumes keeping me in the lane. I also haven't experienced any of the Tesla's phantom braking. Again, the tesla handles 99% of freeway situations as a 80% driver, whereas the EQS drives 80% of the situations 90% well. I actually prefer the EQS version while driving straight with really small curves, but I always need to be paying attention.
Regenerative braking deserves some mention here as well. It is far superior to Tesla's version. We actually have four flavors vs. Teslas two (standard or none). MB EQS has four: heavy, standard, none, or adaptive. The adaptive regen is like magic. Ok, not really, but it is like always having adaptive cruise control on; very cool. Essentially, it maps the braking based on what's around you. Cruising on a standard road with someone in front of you? Depending on your speed, it will oscilate between heavy and standard regen to keep your distance. No one in front of, it basically turns regen off, and 'watches' how hard you are pressing the brake pedal to decide how much regen to use. It's difficult to really explain, go drive one and prepare to be impressed (if you haven't driven electric before it may take you a few miles of city driving to adjust).
This matters to some so I will mention it. This car is plenty fast, but not a performance car. Do I wish I had the extra power of the 580? Only when I'm not driving, i.e. I never miss it, but I want it because I paid close in price to a 580
This car will never touch a Porsche in a similar price point for driving dynamics or acceleration, and because I wasn't buying it for that, the fact that this car does 0-60 in double the time of a Model S plaid I don't care. Its the reason I never really maxed out my enjoyment of my E63? It accelerated great and made me weak in the knees at startup, but try to throw it around a corner on a track and a mid-engine porsche is infinitely more fun (for me). Much the same way, I find a unique pleasure in just cruising in this car that I don't get from a Porsche. This is a different machine for a different use case. Because the pricing of a 450 and 580 are so close when factoring in options, go for the 580 every time, but in 2022 that's not an option because its very hard to get a 580 or 450 with hyperscreen at the price that MB intended. If money is an issue at current market pricing, get the 450+; its absolutely fine for what it's meant to be. Plus, you do get more range, which is more important to me than performance in this car.Final Thoughts
I will probably go back and edit this post periodically based on feedback as well as more impressions after having driven more, but so far I REALLY enjoy this car. It is better than my Model X in almost every way, save for space and acceleration. I would do the deal again 10/10 times, and the extra $10K markup didn't bother me when I figured I got $18K more for my car than I would have gotten in a regular year, as well as a $7500 tax credit. I plan on keeping this car for about 2-3 years, depending on how the range holds up. Side note; I believe part of the reason my Tesla range went down so drastically is that I only supercharged for the first two years since I had unlimited free charging and only a 110 charger at home. Knowing what I do now, I only use the superchargers on longer trips and do all daily charging at home. In CA, its very economical, as it only costs us $0.15 per KwH to charge at night (I know this is expensive to some in the country, but compared to $0.32 - $0.50 at superchargers its quite economical). Charging an EQS from 0%-80% costs me about $12, which gives me about 300 miles of range.
So impressed by what MB have done with their first EV, and I always give Tesla credit for making this tech mainstream for luxury cars. So excited to enjoy this car for the next 24-36 months, and where cars go into the future. Side note 3; if you like to drive, hang on to your NA non-turbo corner huggers; they don't make them like they used to, but what they do make now is amazing too
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01-14-2022, 04:38 PM
#3
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AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
Thanks! Excellent review especially with your extensive Tesla driving background. Your comparison regarding adaptive cruise and regen braking is interesting. Over here we have only heard how people don't like the brake feel, simply comparing it to ICE's instead of other EV regen modes.
01-14-2022, 04:45 PM
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When you drove the Taycan did you notice a faint but audible high pitched whine while on the highway? Based on your review I assume the EQS is nearly silent under the same conditions.
01-14-2022, 05:44 PM
#5
MBWorld Fanatic!
I picked up my EQS 450+ from my San Jose, California dealer on January 31st. My goal is to touch on the topics that I was scouring the web for when I was making my purchase decision and I hope this can help someone like all the other information helped me!
The car had an MSRP of $117K and a $10K dealer markup. The car is quite loaded, with almost all the features I would have spec'd from the factory (only missing HUD). I called a dozen dealers in the bay and this was the cheapest price I found. I also called a few dealers in AZ and they were the same or higher as well. As far as the 'current' market price, it seemed like this was the best I was going to get given the lack of 450+ with hyper screen. I also was able to get the $7500 tax credit for 2021 since I bought it on 12/31. One thing to note to potential buyers is that this crazy market goes both ways. I was able to trade in my heavily used 2018 Tesla Model X with 50,000 miles for $78K (I paid 90K 4 years ago after incentives). Last year when I was exploring selling, I was offered $60K. Net-net, I was happy with the transaction. FWIW, MB of WC was offering any one of their three 450+ on the lot for MSRP; they didn't have the hyperscreen, and when I drove it, I found that the experience I was looking for was not worth the price without the screen.
My experience in electric
Have had a 2018 Model X, 7 seater, for four years and 50K miles. I took that car everywhere, and while I'm a big car guy (mainly Porsche) and enjoy the sound of a beautiful engine, going to the track, and AX, the model X was my favorite car of all time because it was a rolling computer. I loved how every month new features were added that made the car better. Build quality didn't bother me because I knew they were new at it, and the tech and the fact of being electric outweighed those issues. I went camping every month with my young kids in that car, and it still remains the best large electric vehicle in the world today. In fact, I would say it is better than most ICE machines, since even with seven seats being used the frunk and trunk offer significant cargo room. I let it go because a) my range had diminished significantly. We have a ranch 215 miles from my house, and on 100% charge I couldn't get there. No hills, driving at 75MPH. b) my warranty ran out, and I would have happily paid the $5K for the extended warranty, but then I started seeing the next-gen of EVs from other manufacturers.
Range / Charging
This is the #1 reason I traded in the model x. I use my cars, and my model x was my long-distance commuter. While I didn't mind stopping every 180 or so miles, my wife did When I saw Bjourn's videos about these long-distance experiences in the EQS, I was very intrigued. Long story short, all the claims are TRUE. I am used to range figures being wildly inaccurate, with the max distance dropping precipitously if I go 75 or use the AC. The EQS software is miles ahead (pun intended) of Tesla in this regard. The car consistently projects about 375 miles of range if I were to take it to zero, and as I go from 80% to 30% the remaining mileage figures remain consistent. This is absolutely huge. I love the ability to know I could go 350-375 miles in the car driving normally, and potentially exceed 400 if I cruise. I know the newer model S claims it can do this going 55MPH, but I drive 70-75, and love that the range figures hold up. one thing that's very cool in the software is that you have an optimization screen, which shows you what features to turn off to extend your range. As of now, I've only charged at home. I bought a tesla to J72 connector, so I could use my old Tesla cable to charge the EQS with a 220V. Works like a charm.
Exterior appearance
I won't spend too long on this. The car, to me, looks horrible in pictures. It looks very elegant in person. It's like that extremely beautiful/handsome person you know that photographs horribly. I don't know how better to explain it. I get compliments all the time on my dark gray metallic build. The paint is spectacular, and the lines are very elegant. It's not an S-Class, its a EQS, and IMO it looks great.
Interior experience
I used the word experience vs. appearance here on purpose. The EQS interior is an experience. However, you need the hyperscreen to have it. To be clear, I'm not talking about looks. There are people who prefer the look of the car without the HS, and I get it, to each their own. However, the experience with and without the HS is huge. I drove both and figured if I'm dropping 120-140K (including CA tax) on a car, I don't want something to be lacking. There's just something unique about getting into the car, it greets you, seeing this beautiful dash that is unlike any other car, the elegant ambient lighting illuminating the dash and the seats, hit the power button, and here the futuristic 'on' sound of the car. There's nothing else like it on the market today, which is why I call it an experience. Two weeks in, and I still love it. My toy car is a 2015 Boxster GTS, and other than my old Gt3, nothing beats that audible experience, but this is just on the other end of the spectrum. The GTS is raw driving glory, the EQS is a pure driving luxury.
Other great touches about the interior. It can actually have two phones running at the same time. I have an iPhone and a pixel, and both are running simultaneously. I can actually choose on the fly whether to run android auto or apple carplay. If I keep on the standard MBUX, then either phone will ring through the car. The phone charger is nice and deep, and hugs either phone well. Lots of room down underneath the center console for my wife's bag, and the armrest goes plenty deep for lots of knick-knacks. Seats are crazy comfortable, and almost too many options on how to adjust them. There are two different interfaces for adjusting the seats. You get the traditional mechanical controls, and then on the MBUX you can adjust lumbar support digitally (as well as other settings). The seat heaters work great, and I haven't tried out the seat cooling yet.
At night the ambient lighting is just so cool, you have to experience it; there's that word again
Things that could be better? The processor is too slow, there are random lag moments which could easily be handled with a faster processor. I would like the ability to change the map from digital to satellite, like is now common on most computers (and teslas). The dash does sit high, but at 5'11", I've gotten used to it, and realize now that the driving dynamics aren't impacted.
Rear seating is very nice, though a little too upright. Leg room for days, and if you have young ones, I can easily fit three car seats side by side with no one complaining about room. The rear trunk is really large and if you're coming from a traditional seda it will be an upgrade. I wish there was a Frunk, but haven't missed it yet.
Driving Experience
As a long-time Porsche driver, there's nothing special about the MB EQS driving experience. However, I should note that I wasn't expecting it to be. This is a luxury cruiser, and it excels at that in every way. It's not a 911 or a Taycan, its a Benz. I really love driving this thing because it is so different. With the noise isolation and the interior experience, I find myself just turning off the radio and listening to the silence. The suspension is fantastic, and you just glide over the road. The noise insulation is fantastic; there's actually a downside to it. When my kids are yelling in the back seats, the noise is now amplified because the car itself is so quiet; it's a real thing (if you have young ones). The turning radius is as impressive as advertised; a car this big shouldn't turn so easily. Yes, the car is big, its actually huge. I didn't realize the wheelbase was so much bigger than my model X or my wife's RR Discovery. The car does a great job hiding it with the tech, but you never really get away from the size. As a cruiser, again, it's not a big deal to me.
The autopilot, in relation to how Tesla uses the word, is very impressive. It is not tesla caliber. I use autopilot all the time on longer drives, and the Tesla can handle almost any freeway situation. The EQS can not. It does 80% of the situations as good or better than Tesla though. It is very smooth. For example, if I want to change lanes, and the system doesn't think its clear to do so, I can take over and make the change, but never disconnect the autopilot. When I've put the car in the middle of the lane, it automatically resumes keeping me in the lane. I also haven't experienced any of the Tesla's phantom braking. Again, the tesla handles 99% of freeway situations as a 80% driver, whereas the EQS drives 80% of the situations 90% well. I actually prefer the EQS version while driving straight with really small curves, but I always need to be paying attention.
Regenerative braking deserves some mention here as well. It is far superior to Tesla's version. We actually have four flavors vs. Teslas two (standard or none). MB EQS has four: heavy, standard, none, or adaptive. The adaptive regen is like magic. Ok, not really, but it is like always having adaptive cruise control on; very cool. Essentially, it maps the braking based on what's around you. Cruising on a standard road with someone in front of you? Depending on your speed, it will oscilate between heavy and standard regen to keep your distance. No one in front of, it basically turns regen off, and 'watches' how hard you are pressing the brake pedal to decide how much regen to use. It's difficult to really explain, go drive one and prepare to be impressed (if you haven't driven electric before it may take you a few miles of city driving to adjust).
This matters to some so I will mention it. This car is plenty fast, but not a performance car. Do I wish I had the extra power of the 580? Only when I'm not driving, i.e. I never miss it, but I want it because I paid close in price to a 580 This car will never touch a Porsche in a similar price point for driving dynamics or acceleration, and because I wasn't buying it for that, the fact that this car does 0-60 in double the time of a Model S plaid I don't care. Its the reason I never really maxed out my enjoyment of my E63? It accelerated great and made me weak in the knees at startup, but try to throw it around a corner on a track and a mid-engine porsche is infinitely more fun (for me). Much the same way, I find a unique pleasure in just cruising in this car that I don't get from a Porsche. This is a different machine for a different use case. Because the pricing of a 450 and 580 are so close when factoring in options, go for the 580 every time, but in 2022 that's not an option because its very hard to get a 580 or 450 with hyperscreen at the price that MB intended. If money is an issue at current market pricing, get the 450+; its absolutely fine for what it's meant to be. Plus, you do get more range, which is more important to me than performance in this car.
Final Thoughts
I will probably go back and edit this post periodically based on feedback as well as more impressions after having driven more, but so far I REALLY enjoy this car. It is better than my Model X in almost every way, save for space and acceleration. I would do the deal again 10/10 times, and the extra $10K markup didn't bother me when I figured I got $18K more for my car than I would have gotten in a regular year, as well as a $7500 tax credit. I plan on keeping this car for about 2-3 years, depending on how the range holds up. Side note; I believe part of the reason my Tesla range went down so drastically is that I only supercharged for the first two years since I had unlimited free charging and only a 110 charger at home. Knowing what I do now, I only use the superchargers on longer trips and do all daily charging at home. In CA, its very economical, as it only costs us $0.15 per KwH to charge at night (I know this is expensive to some in the country, but compared to $0.32 - $0.50 at superchargers its quite economical). Charging an EQS from 0%-80% costs me about $12, which gives me about 300 miles of range.
So impressed by what MB have done with their first EV, and I always give Tesla credit for making this tech mainstream for luxury cars. So excited to enjoy this car for the next 24-36 months, and where cars go into the future. Side note 3; if you like to drive, hang on to your NA non-turbo corner huggers; they don't make them like they used to, but what they do make now is amazing too
- Details on the deal
- My experience in electric
- Range / Charging
- Exterior appearance
- Interior experience
- Driving experience
- Final thoughts
The car had an MSRP of $117K and a $10K dealer markup. The car is quite loaded, with almost all the features I would have spec'd from the factory (only missing HUD). I called a dozen dealers in the bay and this was the cheapest price I found. I also called a few dealers in AZ and they were the same or higher as well. As far as the 'current' market price, it seemed like this was the best I was going to get given the lack of 450+ with hyper screen. I also was able to get the $7500 tax credit for 2021 since I bought it on 12/31. One thing to note to potential buyers is that this crazy market goes both ways. I was able to trade in my heavily used 2018 Tesla Model X with 50,000 miles for $78K (I paid 90K 4 years ago after incentives). Last year when I was exploring selling, I was offered $60K. Net-net, I was happy with the transaction. FWIW, MB of WC was offering any one of their three 450+ on the lot for MSRP; they didn't have the hyperscreen, and when I drove it, I found that the experience I was looking for was not worth the price without the screen.
My experience in electric
Have had a 2018 Model X, 7 seater, for four years and 50K miles. I took that car everywhere, and while I'm a big car guy (mainly Porsche) and enjoy the sound of a beautiful engine, going to the track, and AX, the model X was my favorite car of all time because it was a rolling computer. I loved how every month new features were added that made the car better. Build quality didn't bother me because I knew they were new at it, and the tech and the fact of being electric outweighed those issues. I went camping every month with my young kids in that car, and it still remains the best large electric vehicle in the world today. In fact, I would say it is better than most ICE machines, since even with seven seats being used the frunk and trunk offer significant cargo room. I let it go because a) my range had diminished significantly. We have a ranch 215 miles from my house, and on 100% charge I couldn't get there. No hills, driving at 75MPH. b) my warranty ran out, and I would have happily paid the $5K for the extended warranty, but then I started seeing the next-gen of EVs from other manufacturers.
Range / Charging
This is the #1 reason I traded in the model x. I use my cars, and my model x was my long-distance commuter. While I didn't mind stopping every 180 or so miles, my wife did
When I saw Bjourn's videos about these long-distance experiences in the EQS, I was very intrigued. Long story short, all the claims are TRUE. I am used to range figures being wildly inaccurate, with the max distance dropping precipitously if I go 75 or use the AC. The EQS software is miles ahead (pun intended) of Tesla in this regard. The car consistently projects about 375 miles of range if I were to take it to zero, and as I go from 80% to 30% the remaining mileage figures remain consistent. This is absolutely huge. I love the ability to know I could go 350-375 miles in the car driving normally, and potentially exceed 400 if I cruise. I know the newer model S claims it can do this going 55MPH, but I drive 70-75, and love that the range figures hold up. one thing that's very cool in the software is that you have an optimization screen, which shows you what features to turn off to extend your range. As of now, I've only charged at home. I bought a tesla to J72 connector, so I could use my old Tesla cable to charge the EQS with a 220V. Works like a charm.Exterior appearance
I won't spend too long on this. The car, to me, looks horrible in pictures. It looks very elegant in person. It's like that extremely beautiful/handsome person you know that photographs horribly. I don't know how better to explain it. I get compliments all the time on my dark gray metallic build. The paint is spectacular, and the lines are very elegant. It's not an S-Class, its a EQS, and IMO it looks great.
Interior experience
I used the word experience vs. appearance here on purpose. The EQS interior is an experience. However, you need the hyperscreen to have it. To be clear, I'm not talking about looks. There are people who prefer the look of the car without the HS, and I get it, to each their own. However, the experience with and without the HS is huge. I drove both and figured if I'm dropping 120-140K (including CA tax) on a car, I don't want something to be lacking. There's just something unique about getting into the car, it greets you, seeing this beautiful dash that is unlike any other car, the elegant ambient lighting illuminating the dash and the seats, hit the power button, and here the futuristic 'on' sound of the car. There's nothing else like it on the market today, which is why I call it an experience. Two weeks in, and I still love it. My toy car is a 2015 Boxster GTS, and other than my old Gt3, nothing beats that audible experience, but this is just on the other end of the spectrum. The GTS is raw driving glory, the EQS is a pure driving luxury.
Other great touches about the interior. It can actually have two phones running at the same time. I have an iPhone and a pixel, and both are running simultaneously. I can actually choose on the fly whether to run android auto or apple carplay. If I keep on the standard MBUX, then either phone will ring through the car. The phone charger is nice and deep, and hugs either phone well. Lots of room down underneath the center console for my wife's bag, and the armrest goes plenty deep for lots of knick-knacks. Seats are crazy comfortable, and almost too many options on how to adjust them. There are two different interfaces for adjusting the seats. You get the traditional mechanical controls, and then on the MBUX you can adjust lumbar support digitally (as well as other settings). The seat heaters work great, and I haven't tried out the seat cooling yet.
At night the ambient lighting is just so cool, you have to experience it; there's that word again
Things that could be better? The processor is too slow, there are random lag moments which could easily be handled with a faster processor. I would like the ability to change the map from digital to satellite, like is now common on most computers (and teslas). The dash does sit high, but at 5'11", I've gotten used to it, and realize now that the driving dynamics aren't impacted.
Rear seating is very nice, though a little too upright. Leg room for days, and if you have young ones, I can easily fit three car seats side by side with no one complaining about room. The rear trunk is really large and if you're coming from a traditional seda it will be an upgrade. I wish there was a Frunk, but haven't missed it yet.
Driving Experience
As a long-time Porsche driver, there's nothing special about the MB EQS driving experience. However, I should note that I wasn't expecting it to be. This is a luxury cruiser, and it excels at that in every way. It's not a 911 or a Taycan, its a Benz. I really love driving this thing because it is so different. With the noise isolation and the interior experience, I find myself just turning off the radio and listening to the silence. The suspension is fantastic, and you just glide over the road. The noise insulation is fantastic; there's actually a downside to it. When my kids are yelling in the back seats, the noise is now amplified because the car itself is so quiet; it's a real thing (if you have young ones
). The turning radius is as impressive as advertised; a car this big shouldn't turn so easily. Yes, the car is big, its actually huge. I didn't realize the wheelbase was so much bigger than my model X or my wife's RR Discovery. The car does a great job hiding it with the tech, but you never really get away from the size. As a cruiser, again, it's not a big deal to me.The autopilot, in relation to how Tesla uses the word, is very impressive. It is not tesla caliber. I use autopilot all the time on longer drives, and the Tesla can handle almost any freeway situation. The EQS can not. It does 80% of the situations as good or better than Tesla though. It is very smooth. For example, if I want to change lanes, and the system doesn't think its clear to do so, I can take over and make the change, but never disconnect the autopilot. When I've put the car in the middle of the lane, it automatically resumes keeping me in the lane. I also haven't experienced any of the Tesla's phantom braking. Again, the tesla handles 99% of freeway situations as a 80% driver, whereas the EQS drives 80% of the situations 90% well. I actually prefer the EQS version while driving straight with really small curves, but I always need to be paying attention.
Regenerative braking deserves some mention here as well. It is far superior to Tesla's version. We actually have four flavors vs. Teslas two (standard or none). MB EQS has four: heavy, standard, none, or adaptive. The adaptive regen is like magic. Ok, not really, but it is like always having adaptive cruise control on; very cool. Essentially, it maps the braking based on what's around you. Cruising on a standard road with someone in front of you? Depending on your speed, it will oscilate between heavy and standard regen to keep your distance. No one in front of, it basically turns regen off, and 'watches' how hard you are pressing the brake pedal to decide how much regen to use. It's difficult to really explain, go drive one and prepare to be impressed (if you haven't driven electric before it may take you a few miles of city driving to adjust).
This matters to some so I will mention it. This car is plenty fast, but not a performance car. Do I wish I had the extra power of the 580? Only when I'm not driving, i.e. I never miss it, but I want it because I paid close in price to a 580
This car will never touch a Porsche in a similar price point for driving dynamics or acceleration, and because I wasn't buying it for that, the fact that this car does 0-60 in double the time of a Model S plaid I don't care. Its the reason I never really maxed out my enjoyment of my E63? It accelerated great and made me weak in the knees at startup, but try to throw it around a corner on a track and a mid-engine porsche is infinitely more fun (for me). Much the same way, I find a unique pleasure in just cruising in this car that I don't get from a Porsche. This is a different machine for a different use case. Because the pricing of a 450 and 580 are so close when factoring in options, go for the 580 every time, but in 2022 that's not an option because its very hard to get a 580 or 450 with hyperscreen at the price that MB intended. If money is an issue at current market pricing, get the 450+; its absolutely fine for what it's meant to be. Plus, you do get more range, which is more important to me than performance in this car.Final Thoughts
I will probably go back and edit this post periodically based on feedback as well as more impressions after having driven more, but so far I REALLY enjoy this car. It is better than my Model X in almost every way, save for space and acceleration. I would do the deal again 10/10 times, and the extra $10K markup didn't bother me when I figured I got $18K more for my car than I would have gotten in a regular year, as well as a $7500 tax credit. I plan on keeping this car for about 2-3 years, depending on how the range holds up. Side note; I believe part of the reason my Tesla range went down so drastically is that I only supercharged for the first two years since I had unlimited free charging and only a 110 charger at home. Knowing what I do now, I only use the superchargers on longer trips and do all daily charging at home. In CA, its very economical, as it only costs us $0.15 per KwH to charge at night (I know this is expensive to some in the country, but compared to $0.32 - $0.50 at superchargers its quite economical). Charging an EQS from 0%-80% costs me about $12, which gives me about 300 miles of range.
So impressed by what MB have done with their first EV, and I always give Tesla credit for making this tech mainstream for luxury cars. So excited to enjoy this car for the next 24-36 months, and where cars go into the future. Side note 3; if you like to drive, hang on to your NA non-turbo corner huggers; they don't make them like they used to, but what they do make now is amazing too
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cyber3d (01-31-2022)
01-14-2022, 06:45 PM
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Awesome - thank you for taking the time to write such an extensive review. Did you try any Electrify America charging yet? If yes how was the experience? With my 2020 Taycan had to go into the app to start a charge, the EQS should have plug-and-charge. @MBNUT1 my Taycan is definitely more noisy than the EQS. I found it very irritating - not sure if it is the pedestrian warning sound or the real front engine, but surely it was noisier at low speed than my wife's model 3. EQS is better than both.
01-14-2022, 07:07 PM
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Awesome - thank you for taking the time to write such an extensive review. Did you try any Electrify America charging yet? If yes how was the experience? With my 2020 Taycan had to go into the app to start a charge, the EQS should have plug-and-charge. @MBNUT1 my Taycan is definitely more noisy than the EQS. I found it very irritating - not sure if it is the pedestrian warning sound or the real front engine, but surely it was noisier at low speed than my wife's model 3. EQS is better than both.
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01-15-2022, 09:25 AM
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Thank you for your impressions and very in-depth thoughts on your EQS Rohitgarewal, especially since this whole forum can be a bit too quiet at times. I'm glad to hear that so far you are loving the car and look forward to any future updates you may post.
01-15-2022, 03:35 PM
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I have another Tesla on order, but based on your report I think I’ll call a couple dealerships to see if I can find a EQS 580.
I thank you for your sharing your thoughts and experience with us, @Rohitgarewal
I thank you for your sharing your thoughts and experience with us, @Rohitgarewal
01-15-2022, 07:35 PM
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2022 EQS 450+
Hi there @BeanTrader ! Just like the Tesla, it will ask you to put your hands on the wheel. However, I don’t think it’s pressure related like the Tesla’s; its using cameras I believe, because simply taking one hand and touching the wheel takes care of it. That said, I find if comfortable to just rest my hands on the bottom of the wheel; I guess I’m just too old school and keeping my hands at my side for an extended period of time would feel weird
Last edited by Rohitgarewal; 01-15-2022 at 07:41 PM.
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AppleFan1 (01-15-2022)
01-15-2022, 07:38 PM
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Definitely take a look. The tesla’s are fantastic no doubt, however if you already have had one for a while the it’s fun hopping into something new. I was just talking to my wife today about it; she was never a big fan of my Tesla, but she told me how much she loves the interior of the EQS.
01-15-2022, 07:40 PM
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Hi there! Just like the Tesla, it will ask you to put your hands on the wheel. However, I don’t think it’s pressure related like the Tesla’s; its using cameras I believe, because simply taking one hand and touching the wheel takes care of it. That said, I find if comfortable to just rest my hands on the bottom of the wheel; I guess I’m just too old school and keeping my hands at my side for an extended period of time would feel weird
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BenjaminKohl (01-16-2022)
01-15-2022, 08:00 PM
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@dtd I bought mine from MB in San Jose (on capitol expressway) and had a really good experience. They actually held the car for me for three days without a deposit just to give me time to think about, even though they had several buyers ready to go. Both Tedi (my rep) and Kris? (The sales manager) were great to talk to and work with.
01-15-2022, 11:12 PM
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Based on my time in the W223 while there are cameras its still based on whether it can sense your hands on the wheel. For the W213 facelift (for which the S and EQS use the same wheels) they introduced a touch sensative steering wheel which doesn't require movement to confirm hand are still on the wheel.
01-16-2022, 05:09 AM
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Hi there @BeanTrader ! Just like the Tesla, it will ask you to put your hands on the wheel. However, I don’t think it’s pressure related like the Tesla’s; its using cameras I believe, because simply taking one hand and touching the wheel takes care of it. That said, I find if comfortable to just rest my hands on the bottom of the wheel; I guess I’m just too old school and keeping my hands at my side for an extended period of time would feel weird
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01-18-2022, 08:37 PM
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