2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ review highlights:

• Base price range: $102,310-$108,510
• Car and Driver 2022 Editor’s Choice: Luxury Electric Car
• Pros: Justifies the six-figure price tag, luxurious, quiet, excellent materials and ergonomics, more than sufficient range, Hyperscreen
• Cons: Brakes somewhat mushy, regenerative braking too aggressive in some settings, still has to live with public charging infrastructure issues

It’s no stranger to hybrids, but until recently, Mercedes-Benz’s experience with electric cars amounted to a handful of special-order supercars. Now, though, it’s going full-steam ahead with EVs, and the first out the gate is the 2022 EQS. Since it’s the first production EV from a major luxury brand, the EQS should and has to live up to the three-pointed star on its nose. And while our week with the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ revealed some issues, the premium sedan didn’t crack under the pressure.

What’s new with the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+?

Since the Mercedes-Benz EQS is a brand-new vehicle, it’s all-new for 2022. It’s also mechanically unrelated to the S-Class, though it fulfills that role for Mercedes’ EQ EV-only sub-brand. So, as the S-Class is for Mercedes passenger cars, the EQS is the EQ flagship.

Besides introducing the brand’s new EV-only platform, the 2022 EQS also shows off the EQ sub-brand’s new look. Although future Mercedes EVs won’t look 100% like the EQS, they will borrow heavily from its design. That design, by the way, is extremely aerodynamic. Mercedes-Benz claims the EQS has a 0.20 drag coefficient, making it even slipperier than one of its main rivals, the Lucid Air.

But the 2022 EQS doesn’t just introduce new design and electric tech to the brand. It’s also the first Mercedes to offer the MBUX Hyperscreen, a 56” combination of three OLED touchscreen displays. It’s optional on the EQS 450+, but standard on the 580 4Matic and the AMG EQS.

How much does the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ cost?

Speaking of, it’s important to note that the 2022 EQS 450+ is the base trim of the Mercedes-Benz EQS lineup. Furthermore, it’s split up into three trims:

• Premium: $102,310
• Exclusive: $105,710
• Pinnacle: $108,510

Note, the above MSRPs don’t include a destination charge or additional fees.

The EQS MotorBiscuit received was a Premium, but it had enough options to bump the price up to $114,195 before destination.

What kind of luxuries do you get in a 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+?

Since the EQS is the electric Mercedes flagship, it gets a ton of standard goodies, even in base EQS 450+ Premium form. Firstly, unlike the European-spec cars, the US ones have standard rear-wheel steering. It also has a well-stocked advanced driver-assistance safety (ADAS) suite, which we’ll cover later. In addition, the Premium trim comes standard with features like:

• 12.3” digital gauge cluster
• 12.8” OLED center touchscreen
• 64-color LED ambient lighting
• Adjustable AIRMATIC air suspension
• Burmester 3D Surround Sound audio system
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Electronic liftgate
• EQS Sound Experience ambient noise
• Front wireless charging pad
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Illuminated door sills
• Keyless entry
• LED logo projectors
• Mercedes MBUX infotainment with voice assistant and augmented reality (AR) navigation
• Panorama roof
• Power-folding side mirrors
• Six USB-C ports
• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

Meanwhile, as mentioned earlier, our 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ Premium tester had a few options:

• 110V home/emergency-use charging cable
• Active ambient lighting
• Energizing Air Control Plus HVAC upgrade with HEPA air filter
• Front massaging multi-contour seats
• MBUX Hyperscreen Package
  • 56” Gorilla Glass curved touchscreen/center display/dashboard
  • 17.7” OLED center touchscreen with haptic feedback
  • 12.3” OLED passenger display with haptic feedback
  • 12.3” driver’s display
• MBUX Interior Assistant (gesture control)
• Natural grain ‘yacht design’ brown walnut interior trim with aluminum lines
• Rapid-heating front seats

What’s the interior like?

Seeing as the wood trim and active ambient lighting are style-related options, selecting them is a personal matter. However, our editor Jordan Almond absolutely loved having so many screens, calling it “amazing.” The OLED displays are clear and crisp, with little if any lag. Plus, the Hyperscreen’s 12.3” passenger display is really helpful, because it gives the passenger more control, she notes. And having experienced MBUX with AR navigation firsthand, I can confirm that said AR functionality is extremely helpful for keeping track of turn directions and road names.

I can also corroborate what Car and Driver said about getting familiar with MBUX overall. It’s a bit tricky to set everything up, but once you do, it’s a breeze to use. Also, it learns your habits over time, so it can turn the massaging seats on before hitting a particularly bumpy road, for example, MotorTrend says. Oh, and speaking of massaging seats, Jordan wholeheartedly recommends getting those; they’re standard on the EQS 450+ Exclusive.

As for the interior overall, the 2022 EQS 450+ “is luxurious even for a luxury car,” Jordan reports. The seats, the plastics, basically everything “is soft and comfortable,” she says. The cabin is also quiet and refined, with tons of storage space. It easily accommodates child seats, too, so the whole family can cruise in silent, stylish, luxurious comfort.

And while it’s technically a sedan, Mercedes-Benz gave the EQS a hatch-like opening. So, it’s easy to move stuff in and out of the trunk. The trunk itself has tons of room, too, Jordan adds, though weirdly, there’s no frunk.

What’s Mercedes’ first electric luxury car like to drive?

Quiet, soft, and comfortable are also apt descriptors for how the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ drives. Whether you’re driving around town or on the highway, the car is “extremely smooth and extremely quiet,” Jordan reports. In other words, it’s “exactly what you’d expect from a car at this price point,” she says. MT even described it as “’a gigantic, electric sofa,’” while also noting that it rides better than the actual S-Class. And if you don’t believe us, ask Jay Leno—he said it’s smoother than a Rolls-Royce.

Also, because it’s an EV, the EQS is also surprisingly quick. Yes, the 2022 EQS 450+ only has one motor and RWD rather than two and AWD, but again, it’s electric. That means instant torque and acceleration. To quote Jordan, “it’s really fast!”

To be sure, the EQS isn’t a sports car, at least not in non-AMG form. And even then, it weighs almost three tons. But while its steering is light and not the most communicative, its rear-wheel steering and low center of gravity alleviate some of its size and weight, Car and Driver reports.

MT found the Mercedes-Benz EQS’s brakes rather “’spongy and imprecise,’” something which Jordan didn’t note. However, she found the regenerative braking in Eco Mode almost too strong for normal driving. On the plus side, it does mean the EQS 450+ is almost capable of one-pedal driving (it slows down to 5 mph normally, Car and Driver notes). But it’s a bit “too abrupt and jerky” when it’s dialed up that high, Jordan says.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ has enough range but charging is a mixed bag

Speaking of regen, the range is likely high on potential Mercedes-Benz EQS buyers’ list of concerns. But based on Jordan’s experience, it’s not a topic worth getting anxious over. She drove the EQS 450+ roughly 600 miles without access to a Level 2 home charger and was only inconvenienced once. And said inconvenience happened after a 160-180-mile highway trip that had as much to do with timing as distance.

Yes, the Lucid Air still beats the EQS on range thanks to its bigger battery. Also, using the massaging seats or HVAC excessively can drain the battery, Jordan notes. Luckily, you can set the EQS’s cabin temperature remotely using the Mercedes-Benz app while the car is charging. That way, you still get a comfy interior without using up range. But even so, unless you’re a big road-trip fan, the EQS has plenty of range.

However, while you can own an EQS without a Level 2 home charger, that makes EV ownership more difficult and costlier. Firstly, it means you’re dependent on other businesses or public stations for charger access. Thus, you have to plan your day around charging, rather than just pulling up to your home and plugging in. Also, DC fast charging is significantly pricier than filling up at residential electricity prices.

In addition, while the EQS’s navigation system displays both your remaining charge at your destination as well as nearby chargers, Mercedes-Benz only has a deal with ChargePoint right now. So, if you use another company’s charger, that means downloading and learning how to use a separate app.  That’s not only time-consuming but confusing. And there’s always the risk that the charger you want to use might not work.

To be fair, this problem is endemic to many EVs, not just Mercedes ones, because other OEMs don’t have Tesla’s Supercharger network. And if that’s the price of driving something like the EQS, it’s worth it, Jordan says.

How safe is it?

On the safety side of things, as noted earlier, the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ comes well-equipped. As of this writing, neither the NHTSA nor the IIHS has officially rated the EV. But an extensive ADAS suite likely won’t hurt its chances:

• Front and rear cross-traffic alert with pedestrian detection
• Automatic emergency braking
• Front and rear parking sensors with active parking assist
• Lane-keeping assist
• Lane departure warning
• Blind-spot monitoring
• Adaptive cruise control
• Side obstacle detection
• Evasive steering assist
• 360° camera system

Also, don’t worry about how much glass the Hyperscreen has. For one, it’s made of Gorilla Glass. And two, it’s designed to break in specific places in case of an accident, so it won’t shatter into a bazillion pieces, MT explains.  

Will the battery last a long time?

Because the Mercedes-Benz EQS is all-new, it’s impossible to determine its future reliability and maintenance costs. It’s also difficult to gauge how much capacity its battery will lose over time.

Thankfully, the EQS comes standard with a 10-year/155,000-mile warranty specifically for its battery. So, if you do notice a rapid drop in capacity in that time, you’ll be covered. The rest of the EV is covered under a 4-year/50,000-mile limited warranty and a 4-year/50,000-mile powertrain warranty.

MotorBiscuit gives the 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ an 8.9 out of 10

While the base 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ is an expensive vehicle, you do get what you paid for in terms of quality and comfort. And it has enough range that range anxiety isn’t really an issue. However, Mercedes still has one or two things to polish up. Also, while the charging infrastructure issues aren’t Mercedes’ fault, they’re also impossible to fully separate from the EV ownership experience.

Still, the 2022 EQS 450+ gets a gold, three-pointed star. It might be the brand’s first fully-electric production car, but it lives up to the Mercedes reputation.

Follow more updates from MotorBiscuit on our Facebook page.