KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 20 — Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has just expanded its electric vehicle lineup with the launch of the EQS SUV. A taller-riding, more practical version of the EQS sedan, this new luxury crossover is a compelling option for those looking for the four-door’s creature comforts but with extra seats. That is, if you can afford it...

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Malaysia price

Fully imported from Mercedes’ SUV hub in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the EQS SUV is available in just a single variant, the EQS580 4Matic SUV, priced at RM699,888 on-the-road without insurance.

This makes the car only RM50,000 more expensive than the locally-assembled EQS500 4Matic sedan, while offering more power and seven seats. A four-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and a ten-year/250,000km battery warranty is included with every purchase.

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV performance

Sitting at the top of the EQS SUV range globally, the EQS580 4Matic is the most powerful non-AMG electric Mercedes. Its dual electric motors send 400kW (536hp) and a thumping 858Nm of torque to all four wheels, launching this 2.8-tonne behemoth from zero to 100km/h in just 4.6 seconds on its way to a top speed of 210km/h.

To make sure its occupants aren’t unduly jostled, the EQS SUV comes standard with Airmatic air suspension (which can be raised by 25mm in Offroad mode) and adaptive dampers, while rear-wheel steering with up to ten degrees of steering angle shrinks the turning circle usefully.

Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV range and charging

The EQS580 4Matic is juiced by a massive 108.4kWh battery that provides a combined WLTP range of between 515 and 615km. Given that this is a well-equipped model with the AMG Line bodykit and enormous 22-inch alloy wheels, this figure should trend towards the lower end of the scale.

You can charge the car using a DC fast charger at up to 200kW, filling up the battery from zero to 80 per cent charge in 31 minutes. The EQS SUV is also the first Mercedes EV in Malaysia to support up to 22kW of AC charging power, which gives you a full charge in five and a half hours.

Big, bulky body hides seven seats

Based on the same Electric Vehicle Architecture (EVA) as the EQS sedan (and the smaller EQE and EQE SUV), the EQS SUV is actually slightly shorter than its four-door namesake, measuring 5,125mm long, 1,959mm wide and 1,718mm tall. However, its generous 3,120mm wheelbase is identical to the EQS sedan.

The EQS SUV also shares its smooth pebble-like design language with its siblings, albeit with a taller, more imposing front end and a more upright rear windscreen. The mask-like front end incorporates a Mercedes three-pointed star pattern on the closed-off grille and the Digital Light headlamps, the latter using high-resolution projectors for more precise control of the adaptive high beam.

Moving back, you’ll find flush pop-out door handles and full-width LED taillights with a helix graphic. The AMG Line package adds larger air intakes at the front, gloss black body cladding with integrated side steps and a chrome rear valance with black inserts that somewhat simulate exhaust pipes.

Luxurious interior with MBUX Hyperscreen

Inside, the EQS SUV derives plenty from the EQS sedan, including the MBUX Hyperscreen that integrates a 12.3-inch instrument display, a 17.7-inch OLED centre touchscreen and a second 12.3-inch OLED touchscreen for the front passenger.

You also get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Qi wireless chargers at the front and rear and a 15-speaker, 710-watt Burmester 3D surround sound system. The latter supports Dolby Atmos and is the first non-Apple device to support Apple Music spatial audio. The driver, on the other hand, gets a large augmented reality head-up display, projecting navigation directions that appear to hover above the road ahead.

As befits the EQS branding, both front and rear occupants are ensconced in luxury, sitting in heated power-adjustable seats wrapped in Nappa leather, with pillow-style headrests and memory and ventilation functions for those at the front. At the rear, you’ll find twin 11.6-inch monitors, two wireless headphones and a removable seven-inch Android tablet mounted in the centre armrest. You also get a panoramic glass sunroof, visible ambient lighting and a hands-free powered tailgate.

One big benefit of going with the SUV is the inclusion of seven seats. With all seats up, the boot measures a measly 195 litres, but fold the rearmost pews and you’ll get anywhere between 645 and 880 litres depending on the position of the second-row seats. Folding all the rear seats flat boosts luggage space to a cavernous 2,100 litres. Unfortunately, there’s no front boot to speak of.

Packed full of safety features

In terms of driver assistance, the EQS SUV comes with Driving Assistance Package Plus, adding adaptive cruise control and lane centring assist for Level 2 semi-autonomous driving, along with evasive steering assist and blind spot monitoring. It also gets park assist and a 360-degree camera system, the latter being able to project an image of the ground "underneath” the bonnet when you’re driving slowly.

As you’d expect from a Mercedes, the EQS SUV is well equipped in terms of passive safety, too, with no less than eight airbags—including knee and rear side airbags. If a side collision is imminent, the Pre-Safe Impulse Side function uses the inflatable seat bolsters to push the front occupant on the affected side towards the centre of the vehicle, putting them further away from the point impact. — SoyaCincau