2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ review in Malaysia – at RM699k OTR, is this the best EV on sale right now?

Launched in Malaysia in July this year, the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ is priced at RM698,888 on-the-road without insurance including incentives in the form of import and excise duty exemptions which are waived for electric vehicles in Malaysia.

Here, the EQS 450+ is the sole variant currently available for the German marque’s flagship EV in the country, and brings a lithium-ion battery rated at 107.8 kWh of usable battery capacity, or 120 kWh gross capacity.

This can be recharged via AC via a Type 2 connection at up to 11 kW that brings a 10-100% state of charge in 10 hours, or with DC fast charging via a CCS2 connection at up to 200 kW, with which the EQS can be recharged from 10-80% state of charge in 31 minutes.

With a WLTP-rated energy consumption as low as 15.7 kWh per 100 km, the EQS does a maximum range of 782 km on a single charge. Motive power is by a single, water-cooled drive motor for the rear wheels that produces 333 PS and 565 Nm of torque, enabling the 2.48-tonne EV to achieve the 0-100 km/h sprint in 6.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 210 km/h.

Inside, the EQS is just as distinctive as its exterior, with an interior that features the MBUX Hyperscreen display that consists of three separate displays across its 141 cm width. The instrument cluster measures 12.3 inches across, as does the OLED touchscreen for the front passenger, while the starring central OLED touchscreen is an even larger 17.7 inches. Even more visual flair comes with 64-colour ambient lighting.

Mobile device integration comes courtesy of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as part of the MBUX setup that comes with a range of Mercedes me connect services, OTA update support, augmented reality for navigation and more. There’s a fingerprint scanner for the driver to log their profile, too.

Infotainment is augmented on the audio front by a Burmester High End 3D surround sound system, while the rear passengers get a dedicated MBUX High-End Rear Seat Entertainment System which includes two wireless headsets.

The luxury of abundance extends to the safety equipment list as well, which on the EQS includes Driving Assistance Plus Package (with AEB), Active Distance Assist Distronic (adaptive cruise control), Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Steering Assist (semi-autonomous driving), Pre-Safe (with impulse side support), evasive manoeuvre support, Active Parking Assist, Parking Package with 360-degree camera and Urban Guard vehicle protection.

Is this the best fully electric vehicle on sale right now? The Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ is certainly a strong contender, though it isn’t perfect; watch the video review here as our man Hafriz Shah explores the German manufacturer’s fully electric flagship on video, here.

GALLERY: 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ AMG Line