2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS EQS 450+

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS sedan is the flagship of the brand's electrified future and one of the fanciest EVs ever. We even named it to our 2022 Editors' Choice list. Its curvaceous body effortlessly slips through the air for maximum efficiency, and its palatial cabin boasts luxurious appointments and state-of-the-art features for the all-important wow factor. That's made most obvious by the optional glass-covered Hyperscreen dashboard. The sizable EV sedan is offered with a 329-hp, rear-drive powertrain (EQS450+) or a 516-hp, all-wheel-drive setup (EQS580 4Matic). Both utilize a large 107.8-kWh battery that's rated at up to 350 miles of range. While calling the 2022 EQS an electrifying luxury car is an easy pun, it's also entirely accurate. The all-new 2022 EQS is the first Mercedes to utilize a platform exclusively designed for EV models. It's also the first fully electric vehicle from the company's EQ subbrand to be offered to the U.S. market. It's expected to be followed by a fleet of new electrified models that include the squat EQA and boxy EQB subcompact crossovers as well as the EQE entry-luxury sedan. The 2022 EQS is available in three different trim levels and two different powertrains, and we'd recommend the top Pinnacle trim in the rear-wheel drive EQS450+ guise. Going with the most luxurious trim level delivers niceties such as heated-and-ventilated front and rear seats, massage for the front seat passengers, four-zone automatic climate control, a head-up display, and more. While it only makes 329 horsepower, the entry-level powertrain is plenty punchy and we think most drivers won't miss the performance of the all-wheel-drive EQS580 model. The EQS450+ features an electric motor mounted on its rear axle that generates 329 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. The EQS580 4Matic has an electric motor on each axle, which translates to all-wheel drive and a total system output of 516 horsepower and 611 pound-feet of torque. Mercedes estimates the rear-drive variant will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds. Opting for the more powerful all-wheel-drive model is said to drop the zero-to-60-mph time to 4.1 seconds. Every EQS rides on an adaptive air suspension and rolls on rims that range in size between 19 and 21 inches. A Standard rear-axle-steering system can angle the rear wheels up to 4.5 degrees, and there's an optional upgrade that can turn them 10 degrees. This technology is intended to both make the 205.4-inch-long sedan easier to maneuver in tight spots and increase its stability at high speeds. Based on our time behind the wheel, the EQS exhibits a quiet cabin and silken ride quality.