fbpx

Independent, impartial advice for car buyers and car owners

Find an Expert Rating: 
Expert Rating

Mercedes-Benz EQS

(2021 - present)

Expert Rating

New car score:

79
%
A

Used car score:

70
%
A

Expert Rating report card

Media Rating:

85
%
A

Safety Rating:

87
%
A

Eco Rating:

A

Reliability Rating:

-

Running Costs:

51
%
D

How are our Expert Rating scores calculated?

Expert Rating

New car score:

79
%
A

Used car score:

70
%
A

Expert Rating report card

Media Rating:

85
%
A

Safety Rating:

87
%
A

Eco Rating:

A

Reliability Rating:

-

Running Costs:

51
%
D

Summary


The Mercedes-Benz EQS was The Car Expert’s Car of the Year 2021

The Mercedes-Benz EQS is a luxury executive saloon that is currently the flagship model in the Mercedes-EQ family, positioned as the electric alternative and eventual successor to the acclaimed Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

The EQS has a very smooth exterior design, with the silhouette of the car being one continuous line from bonnet to boot. This unusual styling means that the EQS is currently the most aerodynamic road car in production, and one of the factors behind why this high-end saloon can travel an advertised 453 miles from full charge, other than the fact that it has the biggest battery ever fitted to a production car.

“The EQS is going to really push forward the electric car benchmark in terms of range, refinement and technology”, comments Electrifying.com. “It’s a surprise that it doesn’t try to challenge Tesla or Audi in terms of performance though.”

There are other EVs around the Mercedes-Benz EQS’s £100,000 price tag with more speed and acceleration to offer, but Carbuyer points out that the EQS is not a sports saloon, and isn’t trying to be. “While other models like the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S may be faster, nothing comes close to matching its luxury or sheer opulence.”

The Mercedes-Benz EQS has arrived in the UK with a very positive reception from the UK media, primarily due to its luxurious and tech-filled interior, though not all were that impressed. “Whether all the electronic trickery is worth it is not so clear cut. The voice control isn’t bad, while £8,000 for the Hyperscreen dashboard seems like a load of hype,” comments The Telegraph.

All of the impressive on-board features and battery technology found in the EQS is planned to appear on future EQ models, including the smaller and cheaper Merecedes-Benz EQE, so it might be worth waiting a while longer if you are interesting in buying an all-electric Mercedes-Benz. “Still, if you like the idea of a silent, super luxurious electric limousine that’s jam-packed with impressive technology”, concludes Carwow, “then you’ll love the EQS.”

As of January 2024, the Mercedes-Benz EQS holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 79%. It gets points for its excellent safety rating, zero tailpipe emissions and outstanding media reviews. The only poor score is for running costs, which is not surprising for a £100K luxury saloon.

EQS highlights

  • Class-leading battery range
  • Luxurious interior trim
  • Impressive on-board tech and infotainment
  • Excellent build quality

EQS lowlights

  • Slightly rigid ride comfort
  • Very expensive, base price and up
  • A bit wide for the inner-city
  • Other high-end EVs offer more performance

Key specifications


Body style: Large five-door executive saloon
Engines: electric motor, battery-powered
Price: From £105,610 on-road

Launched: Winter 2021/22
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA


Media reviews


Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Auto Express

+

Auto Trader

+

Autocar

+

Car

+

Carbuyer

+

Carwow

+

Driving Electric

+

Electrifying.com

+

Green Car Guide

+

Heycar

+

Honest John

+

Motoring Research

+

Move Electric

+

Parkers

+

The Sun

+

The Telegraph

+

Top Gear

+

What Car?

+

Safety rating


Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: December 2021
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 96%
Child protection: 91%
Vulnerable road users: 76%
Safety assist: 80%

Eco rating


Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of January 2024, the Mercedes-Benz EQS has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.

Reliability rating

MotorEasy logo 600x167

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

No reliability rating

As of January 2024, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Mercedes-Benz EQS to generate a reliability rating.

The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively for us using extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the EQS, we’ll publish the score here.

Running cost rating

Clear Vehicle Data logo close crop

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Battery rangeAverageScoreVariationScore
EV models400 milesA324 – 464 milesA – A
Electrical efficiencyAverageScoreVariationScore
EV models3.7 m/KWhD3 – 4.3 m/KWhB – E
Insurance groupAverageScoreVariationScore
All models50F50 – 50F – F
Service and maintenanceCostScore
Year 1£383C
Year 2£953C
Year 3£1,569D
Year 4£1,808D
Year 5£2,460D
Overall£7,173D

It’s probably not surprising that a very expensive car (more than £100K) also costs a lot to run – even though it’s an electric car.

The Mercedes-Benz EQS is fairly poor when it comes to electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car), while insurance costs will be high as the EQS is in the very top group. Servicing is also expensive, especially after the first year.

The good news is that, despite the relative inefficiency of the electric motor, the battery range is still exemplary. The model average is 400 miles (based on official lab figures), ranging from 324 miles to 464 miles depending on which model you choose.

Awards


Trophies, prizes and awards that the Mercedes-Benz EQS has received

2023

  • EcoCar Electrified Top 50 – Best Electric Luxury Car

2022

  • GQ eCar Awards – Best Luxury Car

2021

Similar cars


If you’re looking at the Mercedes-Benz EQS, you might also be interested in these alternatives

Audi e-tron GT | BMW i7 | Lexus LS | Maserati Quattroporte | Mercedes-Benz CLS | Mercedes-Benz S-Class | Porsche Panamera | Porsche Taycan | Tesla Model S


More news, reviews and information about the Mercedes-Benz EQS at The Car Expert

The best new electric cars for every budget 2023

The best new electric cars for every budget 2023

Best large cars of 2022

Best large cars of 2022

Mercedes-Benz EQS gets the SUV treatment

Mercedes-Benz EQS gets the SUV treatment

The five safest cars of 2021

The five safest cars of 2021

Car of the Year 2021

Car of the Year 2021

Best large cars of 2021

Best large cars of 2021

All-electric Mercedes EQS goes on sale

All-electric Mercedes EQS goes on sale

Buy a Mercedes-Benz EQS


If you’re looking to buy a new or used Mercedes-Benz EQS, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car

Motors.co.uk logo transparent 600x300

Find your next used car with Motors.co.uk. Find out more

Cazoo 600x300

Find your next used car with Cazoo. Find out more

Auto Trader logo 600x300

Find your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more

Carwow logo 600x300

Find your next new or used car with Carwow. Find out more

Lease a Mercedes-Benz EQS


If you’re looking to lease a new Mercedes-Benz EQS, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal

Carparison 600x300

Personal contract hire deals from Carparison Leasing. Find out more

Hippo Leasing 600x300

Personal contract hire deals from Hippo Leasing. Find out more

Rivervale Leasing logo 2022

Personal contract hire deals from Rivervale Leasing. Find out more

LeaseLoco logo 600x300

Personal contract hire deals from LeaseLoco. Find out more

Subscribe to a Mercedes-Benz EQS


Subscriptions are becoming a very popular way for consumers to try an electric car for a few weeks or months to help decide whether it’s a suitable alternative to a petrol car. If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help. (PS: What’s a car subscription?)

Mycardirect subscriptions – 600x300

Car subscriptions from Mycardirect.
Find out more

Wagonex logo 2022

Car subscriptions from Wagonex.
Find out more

Cocoon Vehicles logo 600x300

Car subscriptions from Cocoon.
Find out more

Drive Fuze logo 600x300

Car subscriptions from Drive Fuze.
Find out more

Used car finance

Looking for an alternative to dealer finance? The Car Expert's partners can help
We Finance Any Car 400x200

Used car finance from We Finance Any Car.
Find out more

Blue Motor Finance

Used car finance from Blue Motor Finance.
Find out more

Sell your car

Do you have a car to sell? The Car Expert's partners can offer you a great price
Motorway 600x300

Get a free valuation in seconds from Motorway.
Find out more

Cazoo 600x300

Get a free and instant offer for your car from Cazoo.
Find out more

Carwow logo 600x300

The free, easy way to get 3,000+ dealers all over the UK bidding on your car.
Find out more

Auto Trader logo 600x300

Get a cash offer for your car in minutes from Auto Trader.
Find out more

Best car rankings

The top cars in every category

The Car Expert has the ultimate ranking of the best and worst new cars on sale, analysing scores from 35 of the top UK motoring websites to give you a definitive rating. We're adding more cars and more lists all the time, so keep checking back for the latest results.

This page last updated:

This page contains links to some of our commercial partners. If you click on any of those links, we may receive a commission.

A sophisticated tech-laden EV, the Mercedes-Benz EQS is a high-end saloon highlighted for its futuristic interior and class-leading battery range.Mercedes-Benz EQS