The auto industry loves surprises, and Mercedes-Benz just delivered a big one. Barely a month after launching the Maybach EQS SUV—a model many assumed would be their last foray into the ultra-high-end EV market—Mercedes dropped another bombshell with the EQS SUV 580 4 Matic. But the real surprise was the price. At just ₹1.41 crore, the EQS SUV is an unexpected value offering in the luxury EV space.

It’s to make amends for the EQS, Mercedes’s electric sedan, which hasn’t found many takers because of its radical design, poor ground clearance and compromised back seat.

Mercedes’s electric SUV does have the same design as the EQS but it’s taller, bigger and has a blanked-off grille finished in glossy black with small, precision-cut three-pointed stars embedded in the surface.

The EQS SUV’s cabin is a familiar place thanks to the 56-inch hyperscreen. This vast black glass panel, which houses three separate screens, is still the benchmark for digital displays. The interior quality is befitting of a luxury Merc. It’s a mix of metal, wood and leather finishes and high-grade plastics. The cabin is packed with features: A 15-speaker Burmester 3D sound system, which is best enjoyed from the back seat.

So, just how good is the back seat? The rear seats are pretty comfy with generous cushioning all-round. Rear passengers get individual screens and can control the infotainment and seat functions via a detachable 7-inch tablet in the central armrest.

Compared to the EQS sedan, the EQS SUV has a far more comfortable back-seat. Even the width is pretty good to travel three abreast. A nice touch though is a standard pair of loose pillows, which is particularly useful for the middle passenger who gets a folded armrest jutting into their back.

For the third row, a button located at the top edge of the middle seat moves it forward. It doesn’t tumble forward, so you have to wiggle past the backrest to slide past. The third row is best for kids, but at a pinch a couple of adults could squeeze in for short trips.

The first thing that strikes me when I drive the EQS SUV is how astonishingly refined it is. The cabin is a haven of tranquillity, and the air suspension works brilliantly gliding over bad roads with a suppleness other electric SUVs would struggle to match.

Belting down the Ring Road in Hyderabad, it felt rock steady. But on narrow roads you can feel its size.

Armed with two high-tech motors, the EQS SUV has no shortage of power. At the same time it’s happy on any surface. Overall, the comfort is several notches above the EQS. It’s an easy-to-live with car for a daily driver, and on the weekends, it is a fantastic highway car backed by best-in-class range. And to top it off, at ₹1.41 crore, it is an absolute bargain. What’s not to like?

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