How much are you willing to spend on luxury in your next vehicle? For most of us, $100,000 would go incredibly far on the car lot, even if you splurged on a top-tier trim with all the bells and whistles. Heated, ventilated, and massaging seats? Yes, please. But what happens when $100,000 isn’t enough? That’s the case for the 2024 Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV, the most luxurious electric vehicle in the industry today.
As a budget-savvy shopper, I appreciate the heated leather seats in my SUV, but I can’t fathom spending six figures on a vehicle. Trying to calculate the monthly payment is anxiety-inducing, making the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV and its expected starting price of around $200,000 far beyond my reality. It’s a luxury SUV for the ultra-famous or the not-so-famous with deep (I mean, really deep) pockets. So, monthly payments aside, I’m curious what a mountain of money will get you in an electric vehicle oozing with opulence. After all, it doesn’t cost anything to look, and aren’t you curious too?
The Maybach Treatment
The EQS family isn’t new to Mercedes, with the EQS Sedan and EQS SUV garnering acclaim as luxurious EVs with tech-savvy features and premium details. You can think of the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 SUV as the base model, even with a price tag north of $100,000. So, where does that leave the EQS 680 SUV? It’s a Mercedes-Maybach, a significant distinction that ensures its focus is purely on luxury.
With the Maybach treatment, the EQS 680 SUV follows the Maybach principle of “What is good must also be beautiful.” The SUV features Maybach’s keen attention to detail, likening itself to the EQS lineup at first glance but also subtly differentiating itself. For example, it looks like an EQS SUV, but its two-tone exterior and hand-painted ornamental pinstripe are a Maybach hallmark. The same is true for its faux front grille, raised hood emblem, exclusive Maybach rims, and extra chrome trim, which also features the Maybach pattern and lettering. Even the lighting system projects the Maybach pattern when you enter or exit the vehicle.
It’s Not Intended for Cheerios
With seating for up to seven, the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is one of the most luxurious family-friendly models in the industry if you can fathom spending over $100,000 on a model that will see spilled juice boxes, dropped Cheerios, and an endless array of other snacks and toys. However, the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV is far from family-friendly unless your tot enjoys the finer things in life.
The EQS 680 SUV is designed purely for comfort and luxury, taking full advantage of the SUV’s spacious cabin by eliminating the third row. Unlike most SUVs, where the first-row seats are the most comfortable, the EQS 680 offers next-level comfort to its second-row passengers, recognizing a chauffeur is likely to occupy the front seat. The second-row captain’s chairs (yes, Maybach cut the seating capacity from seven to four) are heated and ventilated with a massage function for the neck and shoulders. That’s on top of the already luxurious Maybach Exclusive Nappa leather upholstery.
The real kicker is that the Mercedes-Maybach is engineered to cocoon you and transform your riding experience. For example, the second-row seats aren’t only heated, ventilated, and spa-like, but they also recline. Reclining the right rear passenger seat will automatically move the front passenger seat forward to maximize your legroom. Once set, you can rest your head on the seat’s plush pillow and engage massage features targeted at your neck, shoulder, and calves.
It’s Innovative and Tech-Savvy
The 2024 Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV blends luxury with innovative technology and features one of the most expansive digital suites in the industry. Whoever gets in the driver’s seat will enjoy the revolutionary MBUX Hyperscreen, a set of three digital displays that include an animated instrument cluster, a 17.7-inch OLED touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch OLED front passenger display. Mercedes-Maybach sets the bar for making technology luxurious, with even the needle on the animated instrument cluster designed to mimic a silk scarf moving in the wind. The digits on the gauges also change in size and fade, while the three-dimensional performance bar indicates the SUV’s activity––driving, accelerating, or charging.
The advanced displays offer three distinct designs (Understated, Maybach, and Sport) and three unique modes (Navigation, Assistance, and Service). The central touchscreen is remarkable, reacting to the situation and offering predictive suggestions, becoming more intuitive and personalized with each use. The front passenger enjoys the same intuitive features on a separate display, but Mercedes-Maybach doesn’t end the technology there. After all, the EQS 680 SUV has a mile-high price tag and deserves the technology to match.
The EQS 680 boasts a cocoon-like second row, but that cocoon is also tech-savvy. Mercedes-Maybach outfits the SUV with two 11.6-inch displays positioned on the backrests of the front seats. The displays are home to the MBUX High-End Rear Seat Entertainment System and work with the MBUX Rear Tablet, which you can remove and use outside the cabin. Most notably, the rear displays aren’t solely for entertainment. Mercedes-Benz recognizes that owners will likely spend most of their time in the backseat with a chauffeur in front. Because of this, the rear displays are fully integrated with the overall infotainment system and can communicate with the front row. You have input into the EQS 680’s navigation system and can set a new destination or change the route from the backseat.
Apart from using the rear displays to modify the route, EQS 680 owners can take advantage of what’s known as the “Maybach listening experience.” Maybach’s commitment to quality is unparalleled, meaning the EQS 680 gets top-notch treatment and is equipped with a Burmester 4D Surround Sound System with Dolby Atmos. With 15 speakers strategically placed throughout the cabin, the EQS 680 delivers a truly immersive listening experience that’s fully customizable, letting you set preferences for each MBUX user profile.
It’s Plenty Capable
Mercedes-Benz fell short with the EQS Sedan’s underwhelming performance in 2022, but the brand redeemed itself with the EQS SUV, and the Maybach version takes things even further. This all-electric SUV is an all-wheel drive powerhouse relying on two synchronous motors to deliver 649 hp and 700 lb-ft of instantaneous torque. The combination is incredible, guaranteeing an exciting and engaging experience behind the wheel. Then again, most owners will simply have to trust their chauffeurs will appreciate the power as they sit comfortably in the rear cocoon. The same is true for the EQS 680’s rapid recharging capability, with DC Fast Charging taking a mere 31 minutes to fill up the massive 200 kWh battery pack.
The Final Verdict
Considering Maybach models are priced in the triple digits, and the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is already north of $100,000, it’s safe to assume the 2024 Mercedes-Benz EQS 680 SUV will fetch a hefty price. Is it worth it? For those with deep pockets and plenty of money to spend, it’s an excellent way to get behind the wheel (or in the backseat) of an opulent chariot that feels more like a traveling living room than an SUV. Moreover, it’s an electric vehicle and not a gas-guzzling SUV, which adds to its appeal.
As for the everyday American like myself, the Mercedes-Benz EQS 680 is out of reach, and that’s perfectly alright. Why? I think of models like the EQS 680 as harbingers, forerunners of advancements in the industry. They show us what’s possible and what could and might be. Many automakers have already transitioned from utilitarian and practical designs to offer more comfort and premium features in their SUVs. Perhaps fully reclining second-row seats with a built-in massage feature will become commonplace somewhere down the line. If not, maybe Dolby Atmos sound systems are in our future, redefining the listening experience as we navigate our weekday commutes, chauffeurs not present.
