variants hustle and handle like a vehicle one size smaller than it is. The base EQS SUV 450+ uses a single 265-kw motor to power the rear wheels. It makes 355 hp and 419 lb-ft of torque, and hits 60 mph in 6.5 seconds. It’s not as quick off the line as some electrics, but it surges ahead when called upon. The two other variants employ permanent magnet motors on both axles for all-wheel drive. The dual-motor setup in the 450 4Matic makes 355 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque, which helps launch it to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, according to Mercedes. The EQS SUV 580 uses two motors at 400 kw to produce 536 hp and 633 lb-ft of torque. It sheds its 6,228 lb curb weight with a shrug on its way to a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, but what impresses more is how it’s delivered. The smooth linear surge of the EQS 580 stays in character for the three-row SUV instead of slamming occupants back as in twitchier electric cars. Despite its punchy potential, Mercedes builds the EQS SUV for comfort. The performance SUV in the EQ family arrives next month with the smaller EQE SUV AMG. But with a standard air suspension and adaptive damping that automatically adjusts through a range of four drive modes, the EQS SUV has enough variability to both cushion occupants from road rash but also give drivers more confidence in pushing it than many other three-row SUVs. The lower center of gravity and heavy weight helps it feel stable and planted, while the damping helps fight back against lateral motions so the driver rarely leans into the door. Rear-axle steering also comes standard, and it turns the rear wheels up to 10 degrees. At speeds above about 35 mph, I couldn’t help but push it on long winding sweepers and feel it cut into fictional apexes with a precision that belies its size. Thick A-pillars chunk up some outward vision, but a suite of advanced driver-assist functions, including automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitors that detect cars and pedestrians at intersection crossings, offer a third eye. With the rear-axle steering turning the rear wheels opposite the fronts, it effectively negates the three-point turn. At one cramped trailhead parking area, with parking spots on one side and a fence barrier opposite, I was able to turn 180 degrees without going in reverse, effectively shaving off the ends of the long 126.4-inch wheelbase, which, incidentally is about three inches longer than the wheelbase in the GLS. That trailhead turnaround led to a brief jaunt off-road beyond an old Rocky Mountain mining town. All-wheel-drive models add an Offroad mode that automatically raises the suspension an inch to make about nine inches of ground clearance. The rear-axle steering helped clip corners dense with trees or brush, and slid the rear end out so the EQS SUV made improbably tight turns. A hill-descent control functioned like an off-road cruise control at speeds up to 11 mph, and an available camera system uses roof-mounted cameras as well as cameras in the front, rear, and side mirrors to project a multitude of views, including one under the front axle. Its off-road capability is only limited by the lack of all-terrain tires offered from the factory. 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV