Around 100kmph, the loudest sound we heard came from the window winder motor when we rolled down the glass to break the sort of disconnecting silence within the new Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 4Matic SUV. It was then that the wind and tyre noises rushed into the cabin, giving a sense of our speed. Not a great deal wind or breeze came through though. This big, 5m-plus SUV was slipping through the air pretty smoothly. And with the window glass back up, that strange quiet descended on the passenger compartment once more.

The EQS 580 SUV is the second all electric vehicle that Mercedes-Benz is making at its plant in India after the EQS sedan. At Rs1.41 crore a piece at the showroom anywhere in India, this isn’t cheap, but seems to have upped the ante on its own smaller sibling the EQE SUV (it is imported fully built) that has a sticker price that’s just a couple of lakh rupees cheaper than this one. Production in India has made this possible and, at that price, it seems like a pretty sweet deal for those in the market for a vehicle at these prices.

The lines are very clean and the curvy jellybean-like shape is designed to keep air resistance to the minimum

ON THE OUTSIDE

The EQS SUV looks pretty much like an EQE SUV that has been given some sunlight and water and allowed to grow a bit more. Most of the differences, like the shape of the front faux grille and the headlamp clusters are so small that you can miss them even if you don’t blink and don’t have the two SUVs standing next to each other. Now, that’s probably not so good for the EQE SUV, but not such a bad thing for the bigger EQS.

The only concession to the god of bling is the chrome bit in the lower half of the bumper

This rounded design stands out like a jellybean among bars of chocolate. While everyone else seems to be making SUVs with the lantern-jawed-feet-apart stance, Mercedes-Benz has gone for rounded contours. It is supposed to have one of the lowest coefficients of drag that is necessary to increase the range of an EV. Apart from the now expected black front end, the headlamp cluster is worth mentioning. It is an LED unit that adds a lovely signature to the car and up close looks very intricate indeed.

Head on, the similarity with the other electric (EQ) models in the portfolio is unmistakable with the big three-pointed star in the middle and many other smaller ones filliing out the big black polished faux grille

The rear end has the now common LED bar going across the width of the tailgate and connecting the two tail lamp clusters. And the curvy contours make things look good even without a lot of embellishments and chrome. With its electrics, Mercedes-Benz seems to have distilled understatement very effectively.

At about 5.2m, this is a pretty long vehicle. The design of the alloys is rather nice and liven up the otherwise fairly plain profile

ON THE INSIDE

This is where much is familiar but some of it is different. Let’s tackle the biggest differentiator, the third row of seats first. With its length and long wheelbase, the EQS SUV has enough space for it. That said, however, this is probably the best place for children or persons of small build. To get to them one needs to fold the middle row of seats, a powered function that tips the backrest forward and moves the seats ahead too. But for full-sized adults access isn’t easy and legroom is limited. But there are goodies there including a separate zone for climate control that can be operated from either the first or second rows, USB ports to connect to and bottle holders. Not bad at all if one is of a suitable size.

The middle row is probably where most buyers of the EQS SUV will find themselves and it has a load of goodies for them that can be accessed through the two touchscreens or the tablet in the armrest. There's also a wireless charger there apart from the one in front

This belongs to a category of vehicle that is more likely than not to be chauffeur-driven with the passenger in the middle row. And seen from that perspective, it seems to have enough to convince the well-heeled to loosen their purse strings. The seats themselves are supportive and comfortable. The backs recline enough to create a very relaxed posture. The cushions attached to the head restraints are down soft and an invitation to a nap. If one isn’t using either the touchscreen attached to the backs of the front seats or the Samsung tablet in the arm rest, which we later figured could be used to access controls even if one was watching something on the screen in front, the controls are many. The seats move forward and back, the backs recline. They can be heated, but not cooled. Audio, climate control, lighting in the car and so on can be operated through the screens or tablet. There is also two zone climate control.

Pushed back all the way, leg room is huge. In fact, we were wondering why there was no support that could be raised for the lower leg to create a nice sleep situation when we figured that was getting into Maybach territory. But we did expect there to be window shades to keep out the sun, and it seems that’s only available as an aftermarket fitment. The panoramic sun roof stretches past the middle row and creates a sense of openness.

The Burmester sound system is very good and refined and manages not to hurt the ears and maintain clarity at any volume high or low. The EQS comes with a pair of Mercedes-Benz branded Bluetooth noise cancelling headphones too. There were also a couple of pillows that could possibly be used for added cushioning if needed.

The layout is familiar by now with the glass hyperscreen integrating three separate ones -- the instrument panel, the central infotainment screen and one for the front passenger -- into it

One needs to mention the flat floor that makes it quite comfortable for the middle passenger in the middle row. Also, the front passenger seat can be moved ahead and folded down from the middle seat to create a humongous amount of room.

Boot space is some 200-litres plus with all three rows of seats up, but increases to about around 2,000 litres with the second and third rows folded down.

Up front, the hyperscreen dash is familiar and has a hyperlist of features that can be accessed through the infotainment screen and the one on the passenger side. Both seats get climate control and messaging functions (maybe the middle row person should move up front).

ON THE ROAD

This is where the EQS 580 SUV throws some curveballs. For something its size and weight it is very agile. While it will waft along all day in the Comfort setting cossetting everyone within, it will change character if put in Sport mode with responses sharpening to driver inputs and the suspension stiffening up.

As long as one remembers that this is a heavy car (2,845kg) with substantial momentum and doesn’t test the laws of physics, it will give a pretty decent treat to reasonably spirited drivers.

We liked the handling and found it quite neutral with maybe a shade of understeer. Body roll is controlled and the whole demeanour is quite confidence inspiring.

This might be sounding beyond the scope of a seven-seater, 5m SUV, but when one considers the numbers – 536bhp and 852Nm of torque – that zoom it to 100kmph from standstill in 4.7 seconds it sounds less out of tune. The air suspension, which can also raise or lower the SUV depending on road conditions, does an excellent job of keeping out the bumps except the big ones.

This SUV also has the biggest battery, 122kWh, on any electric vehicle in India now and is certified to go 809km on a single charge. In the real world driving condition it seemed it would possibly do somewhere between 600km and 650km.

It takes 31minutes to charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent with a 200kW charger. With a 22kW home charger, it takes around six and a half hours to fully charge from zero.

The EQS SUV has four-wheel steering that make it surprisingly nimble and easy to parallel park for something its size. At higher speeds it also stabilises the vehicle in situations like lane changes on the highway or quick overtakes

THE CALL

To be honest, we were quite taken in with the refinement of this SUV. Being an electric vehicle undoubtedly makes that task easier with it not needing to keep out the noise and vibrations of the series of explosions that happen in internal combustion engine cars. Even so, what it has achieved is commendable. And that price point. That is kind of impressive too.