Hyderabad is a city where history and modernity collide. Its vibrant, contemporary streets, bustling with tech parks and IT offices, coexist with the grandeur of the Nizams that echoes through its palaces. Falaknuma Palace, perched high above the city, embodies this rich legacy of centuries of prosperity and art. Its marble staircases and frescoed halls have played host to royalty, dignitaries, and now, to an electric future. There, amidst gardens perfumed with frangipani and peacocks strutting through manicured lawns, the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV 580 was unveiled.

The event mirrored the elegance and forward-thinking nature of the EQS SUV itself. Before even getting behind the wheel, a series of curated activities, including perfume-making, breathing workshops, and chocolate-making classes, set a decadent standard for the EQS SUV SUV to live up to. These experiences were not mere distractions but a prelude, connecting us to the EQS SUV’s essence of silent, sustainable luxury.

After an elaborate four-course dinner at the world’s longest dining table, expectations were high for this SUV, the first of its kind to be manufactured outside the USA. Fittingly, I started the next day in the back seat—a place where the EQS SUV claims to offer a S-Class-like experience.

Back-Seat Experience

As you’d expect, the EQS SUV 580 is lined with high-quality materials and thoughtful conveniences. The plushness is evident, and the generous rear-seat entertainment setup—complete with screens mounted on the front seat backs, wireless noise-canceling headphones, and a tablet controller—doesn’t skimp on modern tech. It helps the rear-seat passengers to completely isolate from the front infotainment. The ride quality also complements the experience really well. The EQS SUV glides smoothly through city streets and highways alike, thanks to its air suspension system, which absorbs road imperfections with ease. Even when traffic slowed us to a crawl, the cabin's insulation coupled with the noise cancelling headphones and a nice comfy pillow help you simply relax at the back.

However, a noticeable omission is the lack of auto sunblinds, a feature you might expect at this price point. The lack of cooling function for the rear seats also feels like a minor gripe. Or maybe I was spoiled by the luxury of Falaknuma.

In the Driver’s Seat

Swapping to the front seat, the driving experience served up a pleasant surprise. The cockpit is dominated by the Hyperscreen, which spans the dashboard. It is both the EQS SUV's most striking feature and its most polarising. It integrates three screens under one curved glass panel, offering a futuristic interface. While the sheer size and tech-forward design create a high-end, immersive experience, the amount of information and controls can feel overwhelming at times. Despite the responsive touch interface and haptic feedback, navigating through various menus could be distracting, especially for those used to more traditional physical controls.

The dual motors of the EQS SUV 580 deliver 400 kW of power and 858 Nm of torque, allowing this 2.5-tonne SUV to sprint from 0-100 km/h in a brisk 4.7 seconds. The acceleration is smooth and predictable. But it’s the air suspension and rear-axle steering that truly enhance the driving experience. The rear wheels can steer by up to 10-degrees, making it feel agile and controlled even on Hyderabad's bustling roads, given its substantial footprint. It’s in this setting that the EQS SUV proves it can blend the calmness of a luxury sedan with the capability of a larger SUV.

Range anxiety, a common concern with EVs, is hardly an issue here. The EQS SUV offers a real-world range of 650-700 km, a figure that sets it apart from many electric competitors. Whether you’re commuting or planning a long drive out of the city, the EQS SUV gives you confidence to explore without the constant worry of finding the next charging station. 

Verdict 

My short stint with the EQS SUV 580 was a pleasant, if not perfect, surprise. While it does reimagine what luxury electric mobility can be, it doesn't entirely replace the rear-seat extravagance of an S-Class. And spending time with it proves why it doesn’t need to.

The EQS SUV 580 feels perfectly at home in Hyderabad, metaphorically and literally. In a city like Hyderabad, where past and future coexist, it can navigate the crammed urban jungle with remarkable ease while not trying to be a traditional luxury sedan. Instead, the EQS SUV 580 breaks new grounds on what an electric luxury SUV can offer. It challenges the idea of what a luxury SUV should be in the electric era and, in many ways, succeeds. It may have a few quirks, but the EQS SUV 580’s blend of range, performance, and innovative features positions it as a strong contender in the evolving luxury EV market.