Mercedes AMG EQS 53 Review & Prices

If you like your luxury motoring to come with a hefty dollop of extra power, and the Lewis Hamilton seal of approval, then look no further than the Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+.

It’s like taking the smooth EQS electric limo and sending it to a Jason Statham impersonation class — it’s meaner looking and will get you into all sorts of trouble…

That’s a rather long name for a rather large car. The EQS is, as the letters of its name suggest, S-Class sized and is as roomy and luxurious inside as its smaller brother, the EQE, isn’t. You’ll be paying plenty for this high-performance AMG version, so is it worth it compared to the standard, and impressive, EQS?

Well, it’s certainly faster. The most affordable (but still pretty pricey in real terms) version of the EQS, the 450+, gets 333hp from its single electric motor. This AMG version doubles the electric motor count and almost doubles the horsepower too — there’s 633hp on tap, along with a massive 950Nm of torque which propels you to 60mph from standstill in just 3.6secs.

If you want to do better than that, there’s an optional AMG Performance Pack which uncorks extra power — up to 751hp — for short bursts and which gives this 2.6-tonne electric limousine the sort of acceleration to humble V12-engined supercars.

Inside, the EQS has masses of space, and huge comfort — especially if you get yours with the delightful little ultra-soft pillows that clip onto the headrests. AMG models get a Burmester sound system, which should offer some compensation for the lack of a roaring V8 petrol engine, and the dramatic full-width ‘Hyperscreen’ dashboard, which gives you three screens and something of a digital overload.

This being an AMG model, you’ll be expecting glowering looks, and that’s exactly what you get on the outside. There's a unique AMG grille, dark-finished 21-inch alloy wheels, a hulking bodykit, red-painted brake callipers, and a panoramic roof. If that sounds a bit too aggressive, there’s a Touring model for the same basic price, which adds back some of the exterior chrome and actually gives you bigger wheels — 22-inch rims — that look a little more subtle than the 21-inch items.

They might hurt the range more than the 21s though. Even though it has a massive 108kWh battery, the huge power of the EQS AMG means that it can’t stretch its legs as far as the standard EQS. The regular version can go for a claimed 464 miles on one charge of its battery. The AMG, because it’s heavier, more powerful, and you’re more likely to be driving it briskly, will only go for a maximum of 347 miles, and much of the time you’ll most likely see around 300 miles on one charge.

The EQS can recharge at a slightly higher power than its smaller brother, the EQE, with a maximum 200kW charging speed if you can find a sufficiently high-speed DC charging point. Disappointingly, Mercedes hasn’t followed BMW’s lead and added 22kW AC charging to make the most of kerb-side charging points — the EQS AMG sticks with an 11kW AC capacity.

To give the AMG EQS the biggest bandwith of handling and comfort, there’s standard ‘Airmatic’ air suspension which has been given a special AMG tune-up, while there’s additional tweaks to the chassis to make it stiffer, tauter and more engaging.

With all those upgrades, you can really tell the difference over the standard car. Out of the corners, the recoiled motors with extra punch help you surge away, while the uprated air suspension helps soak up any bumps almost as well as the regular EQS. With the extra weight of the 53, the suspension is also firm enough so you can take on sweeping bends in this heavyweight with ease. Switchback roads will show the hefty weight up though.

Take it onto a motorway and you’ll find the extra power to be very handy. Whether overtaking or getting up to speed, the 633hp or the full 761hp punch available for short bursts means both are simple. Where the regular EQS majored was in long-range comfort, and with the air suspension carried over to the AMG 53, that thankfully remains a trait of this version.

For such a performance-focused version of the EQS, in-town comfort is close to the base car. It soaks up bumps excellently, and with the rear-wheel steering, the 53 is very manoeuvrable for the size it is. The 11.5m turning circle is actually tighter than on the EQS 450+ (11.9m).

Does that make this battery behemoth the best of the high-performance electric brigade? We think that the Porsche Taycan, Audi e-tron GT, and Tesla Model S ‘Plaid’ might have a thing or two to say about that.

If you want to get the best price on an AMG EQS 53 4Matic+ or any other Mercedes, you should check out carwow.

You can also get help with selling your own car if you’re looking to put together a deposit for an EQS, all through carwow. You can also find used Mercedes bargains on carwow, if your budget doesn’t stretch to an EQS.