This is the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV, a car that stands apart from its sibling without the three-letter acronym. By adding ‘SUV’ to its name, Mercedes-Benz has widened the EQS line’s appeal and extended the model range to include a fully specced, ultra-luxury-focussed ‘Maybach’ variant. Priced at ₹2.63 crore, ex-showroom, it might be one of the most expensive EVs in the market but it’s also the most approachable Maybach on offer. So, is it any good? Lucky for us, the Maybach EQS SUV put us in the lap of luxury to find out.
The car redefines how you approach something as fundamental as getting in. Tap the door handle, and it opens for you — and closes on your command without you having to pull it manually. Tap the brake pedal and the car senses that it’s time to shut the door. As you would expect from a car with the ‘Maybach’ badge, the interior luxury, design and comfort were its makers’ top priorities, and it shows. The large 56-inch curved display, or Hyperscreen, as Merc likes to call it, is the centre of attention. It’s packed with features but balancing the high-tech gizmos are the wooden trims adorned with Maybach logos and the supremely luxurious leather seats.
Unlike the ‘regular’ EQS SUV, which is offered with a three-seat bench at the back, the Maybach EQS SUV has a very apt two-seat arrangement. These throne-like seats can be reclined to a near-flat bed-like configuration. Upping the rear-seat comfort are business-class-like foldout tables and individual entertainment displays, which can be controlled by the tablet in the armrest. The top-notch experience — from seating and massaging, to even smartphone connectivity — is hampered slightly by the otherwise impressive Hyperscreen’s affinity for fingerprints. It’s almost as much a magnet for smudge marks as a freshly opened packet of Lay’s is for your broke friends. Well, if you’re reading this, you probably don’t know what Lay’s — or broke — is…
Mercedes-Benz might have given up on the internal combustion engine for this Maybach but there’s the incredible Burmester 3D surround sound system, which not only reproduces music with stunning clarity but its 3D audio mode can also replicate the experience of listening to music live in a concert hall. While it’s probably hard to imagine, once you experience it, there is no going back — it’s a truly immersive experience. The onboard MBUX system deserves some praise, too, as it’s quite possibly the best among its peers — offering a great balance of overall usability, operating speed and features. Smartphone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is possible, too.
As you would expect from a car with the ‘Maybach’ badge, the Maybach EQS SUV’s cabin turns luxury into an immersive experience with a large 56-inch curved display, or Hyperscreen, as Merc calls it
| Photo Credit: Siddharth Dadhe
The heightened sense of luxury continues in the way the Maybach drives. It is electric, and its specs are impressive: 640 bhp and 97.44 kg-m of torque, but its power delivery is never sudden or jerky. The grace with which it picks up speed is enough to make you fall in love with the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV. The steering wheel, too, solidifies that feeling. Wrapped in leather and wood, it gives you a sense that you’re controlling a high-end yacht. Unsurprisingly, even the harshest speed breakers don’t have it in them to discomfort the Maybach occupant. The dedicated Maybach Mode makes the car extremely supple, tones down the throttle response, and turns this electric SUV into the automotive equivalent of, well, a yacht — without the unnecessary boat-like rocking. While the car is defined by its refinement and not its ability to go fast, you can experience a bit of spirited driving with the Sport mode, although my view is that it feels a bit out of place here. Despite its size and weight, it accelerates quite quickly, but the Maybach EQS SUV is more about enjoying the highly comfortable journey rather than attacking apices.
Another thing that Merc engineers have got right with the Maybach EQS SUV is its ability to hide how big a car it actually is. On the whole, it feels a bit intimidating to look at and before I got to driving it, I was apprehensive about its overall size. With the onboard rear-axle steering, a function which effectively reduces the car’s turning radius by turning the rear wheels by up to 10 degrees, the Maybach EQS SUV can theoretically turn as effortlessly as a Mercedes-Benz A-Class. This proves to be a boon not just when parking but also when navigating through urban lanes or even making U-turns.
It leaves a lasting impression from the outside too. While with the dual-tone paint job, it’s difficult to mistake this for the ‘standard’ iteration of the SUV; there are other details that set the two apart. The large 21-inch monoblock wheels with their mirror finish, for instance, are a clear giveaway, and so is the monogrammed front grille which makes this all-electric SUV appear quite imposing. The SUV is also pretty aerodynamic, which makes all the difference when you are trying not to be wasteful with resources. A claimed range of 611 km on a full charge is what Mercedes-Benz claims, which is impressive, to say the least. During our time with the Maybach EQS SUV, it didn’t fare too badly, either — consistently returning 580 km.
As a Maybach, this SUV isn’t definitely for everyone, even if you have the pockets deep enough to buy it. The Maybach puts luxury before anything, and that shows. The combination of style, increased luxury, and the relaxing drive (with a dollop of performance in reserve) makes it even more appealing. If you’re after an SUV that reminds you that you have made it in life, the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV is going to be one solid choice. Plus, you can enjoy all that without hurting the environment with tailpipe emissions, and that’s definitely a big bonus!
© Motoring World
Published on April 12, 2025
