Background: We've owned our '23 EQS 580 SUV a whopping 4 weeks now and have put about 1200 miles on the clock.

Early Review: We absolutely love the car and it is MORE than what we were hoping for! I plan to go into a more complete reviw after 60 days or so!

Curiosity Question: For those of you who have owned both the EQS SUV and the Sedan, how would you compare them?

1) Handling
2) Overall Ride
3) Other

Thanks!

 

I've been fortunate to get extensive seat time across the entire EQS Sedan range ('22-'24 models, 450 to 580) and have also driven '23/'24 EQS 450 SUV loaners for extended periods.

My take is that the sedan is the superior driving machine in almost every measurable way, and it's by design. The SUV is a phenomenal luxury vehicle, but it's engineered for a different mission.

Here’s my granular breakdown:

1) Handling

This isn't a fair fight, and it comes down to pure physics. The sedan has a much lower center of gravity (CG) and is hundreds of pounds lighter (approx. 5,600-5,900 lbs for the sedan vs. 6,000-6,200+ lbs for the SUV).

When you drive the sedan, you sit low, and the car feels like a single, heavy block of granite bolted to the road. The steering is direct, and it corners completely flat. The SUV, for its massive weight and high CG, is an engineering marvel in its own right, but you can't defy physics. You feel its mass and a touch of body roll in a way that simply doesn't exist in the sedan.

2) Overall Ride

Again, I give the edge to the sedan, primarily for one data-driven reason: aerodynamics.

The sedan is one of the most aerodynamic cars in the world (Cd 0.20), while the SUV is a Cd 0.26. That 0.06 difference is massive at highway speeds, and it translates directly to wind noise.

The SUV is exceptionally quiet. But the sedan is in another league. At 80 mph, the sedan is a sensory deprivation tank. There is a total absence of wind noise around the A-pillars. The SUV is quiet, but you can hear the wind rushing past in a way you simply don't in the sedan. To me, that silence is the platform's greatest luxury.

From my personal experience, this total silence creates a different phenomenon. The "noise floor" is so incredibly low that you do perceive tire and road surface noise more clearly. I attribute this entirely to the fact that there's no engine rumble to mask it. It's not a flaw—it's just a byproduct of hearing things that were always there, but were previously covered up by an ICE.

3) Other (My Stated Exceptions)

This is where I'll make two big exceptions to my own "sedan is superior" rule—the very two areas where the SUV is meant to win:

• Ride Height: This is the most obvious advantage and the SUV's entire mission. Ingress/egress is practical and effortless. Getting into the low-slung sedan is more of an "event."
  
• Burmester Sound: The audio is definitively better in the SUV. The simple acoustic reason is that the SUV's larger, boxier cabin volume creates a much bigger "sound stage." The audio has more room to breathe, and the bass sounds fuller.
  
• My "Other" (Sedan): The "Cockpit" feel. Because you sit so low in the sedan, the MBUX Hyperscreen (which I have in my EQS) feels like it's wrapping around you. It's an immersive, futuristic experience. The SUV's dash is just as functional, but it feels more like an open "command center"—less focused on the driver.
  

Ultimately, the sedan is the ultimate expression of the EQ platform's dynamics and silence, while the SUV is the ultimate practical expression of its comfort and utility.


P.S. A quick tidbit on that aero data: At its introduction in 2021, the EQS sedan was the most aerodynamic production car in the world, setting a new benchmark with a drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.20.

That title doesn't stand today, though. The battle for aerodynamic supremacy, especially among luxury EVs, is incredibly fierce. Since the EQS's launch, a few production cars have just barely beaten its record.

Here is the current "leaderboard" for the lowest drag coefficients in a production vehicle:

• Lightyear 0 (Cd 0.175): This was a Dutch solar-electric car that did go into production in December 2022. It holds the official record. However, the company went bankrupt a month later and production was halted, so it's a bit of a technicality (only about a dozen were made).
  
• Xiaomi SU7 (Cd 0.195): The new electric sedan from the Chinese tech giant, which started production in 2024.
  
• Lucid Air (Cd 0.197): This is the EQS's most direct competitor. While some trims are higher, the Lucid Air (Grand Touring, Pure, etc.) just edged out the EQS to claim the title for a major-volume production car.
  

So, while the EQS sedan is no longer the absolute record holder, it is still in the top tier and remains one of the most aerodynamic cars ever made—beating the Tesla Model S (Cd 0.208) and the Porsche Taycan (Cd 0.22).

 

At 120 mph, I still don't hear any wind noise at the A-pilar. I think I will take shelter in my car when a hurricane or tornado comes.

 

If you can keep the nose into the wind, you could do fairly well. Just don't get caught in storm surge.

Still, I recommend you leave the area - the wind carried debris will be a problem even in a very slippery car. (Most people caught in floods don't drown, they are battered to death by the debris picked up by the flood.)

 

You're right. I forgot the bullet proof option. The laminated glass stuff won't do a single thing. OK. Back to the house and under the staircase then.

 

Any body recpmenr front seat cover or evwn all seat cover for 2024 for EQS450X4 I bought from amazon, not even close.
Thank You

 

HUH? x 3