The Mercedes-Benz EQS launched with the right ambition and mixed execution. The concept - an S-Class-grade ultra-luxury sedan built from scratch as an EV - was correct. The original implementation suffered from software issues, a user interface that generated as much criticism as the hardware generated praise, and range that fell short of the category leadership the price demanded.
The 2026 EQS 450 resolves most of those issues. Software updates delivered over-the-air have addressed the MBUX Hyperscreen's responsiveness and logic flow. Range in the 450 configuration reaches 350 miles EPA-rated, a meaningful improvement over the original. And the underlying hardware - the platform, the ride quality, the acoustic engineering, the material selection - was never the problem.
What the EQS 450 Genuinely Achieves
Acoustic engineering is where the EQS exceeds its electric competitors in a way that directly reflects its luxury positioning. At highway speeds, the cabin is among the quietest in any production vehicle. Mercedes achieved this through acoustic-laminated glass throughout, specific tire compound selection, and a body structure designed to minimize the wind noise that becomes more prominent without engine noise to mask it.
Ride quality uses an air suspension standard, and the calibration for the 450 rear-wheel-drive variant prioritizes isolation and smoothness in a way the AWD 580 doesn't match. On American road surfaces, the EQS absorbs expansion joints, surface changes, and urban roughness with a composure that the S-Class combustion sedan has always delivered and that the EQS fully inherits.
The Hyperscreen's 56-inch curved display spanning the full dashboard is either the interior's defining feature or its most contentious element depending on your tolerance for screen-dominant interiors. The resolution and rendering quality are excellent. The haptic feedback on the passenger screen's touch surface is implemented with enough resistance to feel deliberate rather than gestural.
Regenerative braking calibration for 2026 allows one-pedal driving to function more naturally than in the original, with a more progressive deceleration curve that doesn't require the adaptation period the first generation demanded.
Summary
What it is: A rear-wheel-drive ultra-luxury electric sedan with 350 miles of EPA range, air suspension, and Mercedes-Benz's most technologically advanced interior.
Best for: Luxury sedan buyers who want the prestige and refinement of the S-Class in an EV format with resolved software and improved range.
Biggest cost/risk factor: Starting price well into six figures; the Hyperscreen's complexity doesn't suit buyers who prefer simpler interface design.
When to act: The 2026 update addresses the original's known issues - buyers who evaluated the first generation and found it wanting should reconsider.
AutosAdvisor is not a licensed dealer or financial advisor. Review reflects editorial testing.
