Mercedes-Benz EQS 53 vs Volkswagen ID.5

What's the difference?

Maybe the EQS isn’t such a leap into the unknown after all. Check out a modern hyper-car. It will almost certainly have at least an electric element to its driveline. And luxury cars? Given the potentially silent, smooth progress offered, why the heck aren’t all luxury cars electric?

So does the EQS move the luxury car game on? In a way, but it also proves that the things that make luxury cars remarkable are less about what powers them and more about how they look after their occupants. And in that respect, the rear-seat accommodation, the ride quality and the user-friendliness seem to be a fraction caught up in the technology. Not that the 53 is not a proper luxury car, rather that the novel platform doesn’t seem to add anything to that element of things. Which is not, of course, to say that electrification isn’t a sure thing in this market segment. But it will be interesting to see how the other brands tackle the concept.

Throw the AMG badge into the mix, and the end result skews again. Where previous AMGs have been all blood and guts (mixed with the usual dollop of S-Class refinement) this car doesn’t seem to have nailed the same, extrovert brief. The performance is certainly AMG-spec, but the theatre seems oddly missing and the noise is just noise rather than the AMG symphony we’re used to.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

At long last, the ID.5 GTX arrives to make a different pitch than many of its electric rivals. Less about straight-line speed and more about refinement and handling, this EV mid-sizer makes a case for itself, even if it’s not as good value as its ID.4 sibling.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

This whole car is an exercise in innovation and radical design. From the full-width glass dashboard to the rear-wheel-steering, synthetic `exhaust’ note and the use of electricity in a performance, rather than an economy, mindset, the EQS 53 will keep even the committed technophile entertained for years.

Every time you press a new button, there’s a blow-me-down moment as the AMG dips into its huge grab-bag of tricks and novelties. If, for instance, you’ve ticked the Energising Comfort Package box, the car will interface with your wearable device (most common ones, anyway) to give you a display of your vital signs. The car can also use the radar that controls its adaptive cruise control to 'see' down to the road for battery regeneration opportunities. New owners will be a long time learning this car.

Even the exterior design marks a new direction for Mercedes. Actually, it’s probably more of a refinement of a design theme that began with the original CLS of 2005 where the single-curve of the side-profile first became apparent. Either way, the `lozenge’ theme is set to become an M-B corporate look, and even though the EQS looks a bit ungainly in photographs, in the flesh, it’s not as radical as that. It does make a pretty bold statement, however, with the single, `Harbour Bridge’ sweep from its nose to its tail.

The key differentiator between the ID.4 and ID.5 is of course the ID.5’s descending coupe roofline. I think it grants the GTX more presence on the road, and I appreciate the touch of having a true three-dimensional spoiler piece atop the boot lid to round it out rather than a more common lip or roof-mounted extension.

Outside of this, the ID.5 sets itself apart from the rest of the Volkswagen range thanks to its curves rather than hard edges as well as contemporary light bar fittings, front and rear.

The overall visage is fresh but a tad conservative, especially compared to the more radical designs we’re seeing on new-to-the-market automakers like XPeng, or those looking to make a splash with their electric offerings, like Kia with its EV5.

There’s certainly something to be said for a more moderate approach, though, as it feels more resolved than many rivals.

Inside, to a degree, the ID.5 follows similar trends in the market, with a minimalist and screen-dominated dashboard.

The 12.9-inch central touchscreen unit is less overbearing than some 15+ inch units in other cars, and this combines with the sensible 5.3-inch digital instrument cluster to make it feel more like a car than a tech product on wheels.

Still, the minimalist theme prevails, with the ID.5’s interior being free of a space-consuming raised console or a smattering of buttons to interact with.

The seats in this GTX are particularly cool, with the single-piece backing like a Golf GTI, red stitching and nice material quality. 

It leaves you with the impression the ID.5 is modern but with the build quality and know-how of a storied automaker, which is a nice balance.

The EQS’ interior is a trip right into the future. At least in terms of how it presents the multitude of function controls and information systems which, at first glance, seem a bit overwhelming. But even before you have a chance to be dazzled by the breadth of choices and configurations you’re faced with, the actual dashboard is guaranteed to grab your attention.

While multiple info-screens and animated displays aren’t new, the sheer scale of the EQS’ display is quite breathtaking. Stretching across the entire dashboard, the three screens are compiled as one to form a huge, 1.4-metre wide display.

The switchgear and controls have been laid out to enable individual preferences from user to user, but even so, there’s a phenomenal amount of info to take in. Mercedes claims the layout is also designed to reduce the need to menu-dive, but again, the outright mass of details to consider is mind-boggling and forces some switchgear to be less than immediately obvious. Even the steering-wheel controls are now so numerous that the tiller has grown an extra horizontal bar to accommodate them all.

Despite that, commonly used controls seem to be where you’d imagine they should be and the cruise control, for instance, operates more or less as you’re accustomed to.

The seating both front and rear seems pretty firm in the EQS and while the driver’s perch is multi-adjustable, the rear seat has lost some of its adjustability compared with previous S-Class Benzes. The electric adjustment for the rear seat is AWOL, although the four-zone climate-control has been retained. The rear seat seems a fraction tight on headroom for really tall folk, too. A full-length, panoramic sunroof gives an airy feel and visibility is generally good, especially from the driver’s seat.

The boot, thanks to that huge wheelbase, is vast with plenty of width, but crucially forms a long space that extends forward to accept huge suitcases. A total of 580 litres of boot space is there for the taking, and the load floor is flat the whole way.

First, the less-good. The minimalist and button-free interior will be a major downside for many. Pretty much everything in the ID.5’s cabin is touch-based. There’s not even a stop/start button, you just sit in the car and it’s ready to go. Additionally, it relies on the now-maligned touch sliders below the multimedia screen for volume and temperature adjustment. Never fun to use on the move. Even the buttons on the steering wheel are the touch-based haptic-feedback kind.

At least the software shapes up. It’s easy enough to navigate, and has a slew of straightforward menus. It’s also backed by enough processing power, with swift responsiveness, and the panel quality is good too, with a sharp, high-resolution finish.

This can be a double-edged sword, though. The high-resolution leads to small shortcut icons across the top of the main screen. While I’m glad the ID.5 has these so you can swap between things like the car’s settings menu and, say, Apple CarPlay easily, it takes some accuracy to jab at while you’re trying to drive.

From there, though, the cabin is clever. Free from the trappings of buttons and a raised console, it feels spacious in every dimension and the seat comfort is excellent with lovely side bolstering and padding.

The seats feel quality, but I wonder whether the synthetic suede-style microfleece trim will age as well or be as easy to clean as cloth or leather. Worth thinking about if you plan to keep this car for a long time.

I even like the touch of having little flip-down armrests which almost makes it feel like you’re being silently propelled along in an armchair in the front seats.

You need these because there’s no traditional raised console with an armrest box. Instead there’s a flexible floating central console piece. It features a modular sort of design, where you can make use of either dividers or a drop-in bottle holder piece in either the upper or lower sections, depending on your preference. Remove these things entirely to have two massive trays.

Meanwhile, the lower section features a cubby with a wireless phone charger, and it also houses the dual USB-C ports with a sliding cover so you can keep the interior tidy. I like it.

There are large bottle holders in the doors, too, and another nice touch is the digital dash being perched on the steering column, so no matter how you adjust it, you can always see it.

The back seat is also excellent in the ID.4 and ID.5, featuring plenty of space for me behind my own driving position, at 182cm tall. There’s heaps of airspace for my knees, and because there’s a flat floor courtesy of this car’s dedicated 'MEB' platform, there’s plenty of space for your feet. It also makes the centre position usable by an adult, which is rare.

Soft trims continue in the doors, but my favourite feature of the ID.5’s rear bench is how the brand has thought to strongly contour the outer two seat backings so even they have plenty of side bolstering.

The backs of the front seats feature an upper pocket for phones and the like, and a larger lower pocket, while the doors feature a large bottle holder each. A drop-down armrest has three shaped cavities for bottles of all sizes, and behind it is a ski port door.

There are adjustable air vents and a touch panel to control the rear climate zone, but because of the low design of the central console, they’re basically on the floor. Nice to have them, but they might be hard to adjust for kids or the less mobile.

This will surprise you. The boot is bigger in the ID.5 than in the ID.4 despite this car’s descending roofline. Measuring 549 litres, it’s also good for the mid-size segment and features an under-floor storage area which is great for your charging equipment. However, there is no spare wheel, just an inflator kit, and also, the ID.5 doesn’t get a frunk like many of its electric contemporaries.

Value is an interesting thing in this case. When you compare the ID.5’s $72,990, before-on-road costs, starting price against its ID.4 Pro sibling (which starts from just $59,990) it doesn’t feel like great value.

This feeling continues when you start to line it up against recently-arrived mid-size electric Chinese offerings, like Leapmotor’s C10 (from $43,888) and Geely’s EX5 (from $40,990). 

But the ID.5 is designed to be a cut above, with a punchy all-wheel drive powertrain, and a relatively large battery, and when you consider its price against, say, the Toyota bZ4X (from $74,900 in AWD form), Subaru Solterra (from $69,990), or high-grade versions of cars a size-bracket down, like the Hyundai Kona Premium (from $68,000) or Kia Niro GT-Line (from $72,360), the ID.5 suddenly starts to look like great value.

If you want my opinion? The ID.4 Pro is still the pick of the two on raw numbers, especially since the difference in standard equipment seems to hardly justify the additional price jump, but I can see how the ID. 5 GTX can make a case for itself.

On the topic of standard equipment, the ID.5 GTX has VW’s signature ‘Matrix’ LED headlights, flush doorhandles, '3D-effect' LED tail-lights, privacy glass, an upgrade to 20-inch alloy wheels and contrasting black highlight trims with GTX highlights on the outside.

On the inside the ID.5 scores a 12.9-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a 5.3-inch digital instrument cluster, ambient interior lighting, tri-zone climate control, a panoramic glass roof (with powered shade), a premium Harman Kardon audio system and sports front seats trimmed in leather and 'microfleece' fabric, with power adjust, heating, and message functions for the front two positions.

On the performance front it gets the same adaptive chassis control (with frequency responsive dampers, adjustable settings and progressive steering) as the ID.4 Pro, but from there it adds a second motor (on the front axle) and all-wheel drive software with additional drive modes and an 'ESC Sport' setting.

It’s good kit, but whether it’s enough to tempt you away from its closest competitors, like the futuristic Kia EV5 GT-Line (from $71,770), incoming new Tesla Model Y (from $58,900) or unusual XPeng G6 (from $54,800) is a tough question.

Big under-bonnet numbers have always been a high-end Mercedes-AMG thing, and the EQS continues that tradition despite not having a traditional driveline. Using two electric motors, one on the front axle, one driving the rear wheels, the EQS 53 in its standard form claims a combined power of 484kW and a monstrous 950Nm of torque. Compare those numbers with the most recent AMG S63 with 450kW and 900Nm from its twin-turbo four-litre V8 petrol engine, and you can see that the decision to go electric has at least as much to do with performance as it does the environment.

But there’s more. Tick the option box for the Dynamic package at an extra $8000, and suddenly, you’re in the realm of 560kW and 1020Nm of torque. Just as well that power and torque is split across two motors and, therefore, drives all four wheels.

The sheer size of the car has also prompted Benz to give it rear-wheel-steering which also works at speed for safer changes of direction at autobahn velocities. The result is a pert - for a 5.2-metre long car – 11.5-metre turning circle.

Instead of a frunk there’s simply a mess of hardware under the bonnet which is largely related to the ID.5’s high-voltage and cooling systems, but what sets the GTX apart is the addition of a front motor to add to the standard rear one.

It’s not a huge power boost. The ID.4 already puts out 210kW/545Nm, and the front motor on the ID.5 simply adds 40 additional kW for totals of 250kW/545Nm (as the torque figures for the two don’t simply add together).

Its claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.4 seconds isn't bad, especially compared to combustion equivalents, but it’s also not as breakneck fast as some of its EV rivals.

Instead, the additional motor for the ID.5 GTX is more about adding something to the handling equation, as well as the dependability of all-wheel drive and additional drive modes. More on this shortly.

Obviously, the EQS requires no fossil fuel to power it, but when you look at its power consumption, you can see why it’s mission-statement is not necessarily to save the planet. The fact is, the 53’s official appetite for Watts is 23.0 kWh per 100km. Compare that with a Hyundai Ioniq at 15.7 kWh per 100km and you can see what we mean. The comparison is the electrical equivalent of a petrol car that uses 10.0 litres per 100km against another using 14.6 litres.

Mercedes is quick to defend the car, though, pointing out the fact that it’s built in a carbon-neutral factory and even the batteries are produced in a facility with the same green credentials.

With a 107.8kWh battery, range is impressive at up to 585km.

One of the biggest benefits of the Australian market waiting this long for VW’s ID. range is the upgraded battery and charging offering.

The ID.5 GTX has a larger battery than the ID.4, measuring 84kWh which helps off-set its slightly less efficient all-wheel drive system. The result is a WLTP driving range of 522km between charges, which is only 22km less than the ID.4. It’s still plentiful, and on the higher end at this price point.

Additionally, the charging specs are great. A peak speed of 175kW on DC means a charge time of around 22 minutes (10 - 80 per cent) on a pylon capable of outputting such a speed, while on AC it is 11kW, making it worthwhile plugging in down at the local shops.

The big missed opportunity here is the lack of vehicle-to-load, vehicle-to-grid or a household power outlet in the cabin or boot. These are convenient features becoming more prevalent in the market. At least VW throws in a wall socket and a Type 2-to-Type 2 charging cable as standard.

There’s absolutely no doubt about the EQS’ place in the world in terms of the actual driving. This is a big, imposing car with mega performance, and don’t you forget it. It feels big from the driver’s seat with a long stretch to the passenger’s side and then there’s that glass cockpit to get your head around. The head-up display is great, though; well-placed and utterly legible in all lighting conditions.

Of course, what you really want to know is what 1000-plus Newton-metres feels like, right? Well, it’s awesome. Period.

The response that results from having maximum torque from a standstill means there’s no requirement for a transmission beyond the basic shafts to take the drive from each motor outboard to the wheels. And that same response means that there’s no time needed to wind the thing up: You press the throttle, the world begins moving towards you. Quickly.

On the highway, you can stab the throttle as fast as you can to the floor and then immediately lift off, and the AMG will still gain 10 or 15km/h. Dare to hold the pedal down longer and the digital speedometer starts leaping numbers in multiples of five and ten as it struggles to keep up with the relentless thrust. Overtaking has never been as foolproof as this. Passengers may ultimately find this tiring. You probably won’t.

At the same time, the all-wheel-drive afforded by having a motor on each axle ensures that grip is never the limiting factor. Rather it’s the threat of a prison sentence and any shred of self-preservation you might have that will perform that function. And let’s not forget that even if that straight-line grip holds up for you, physics itself gets better and better at throwing yaw forces your way, the faster 2.6 tonnes travels.

The steering is natural enough to pass without complaint and although it’s light, it feels as though it’s not too pointy nor too keen to start all that weight shifting around unnecessarily. The suspension, however, is less convincing on the rough roads around the back of Canberra and Goulburn (in winter) where Mercedes chose to launch the EQS 53.

While air suspension has an obvious part to play in allowing for an adaptive experience in something this heavy, there’s a feeling that, even on the cruisiest setting, there’s still that air-suspension trait of being incapable of flattening those low amplitude, high frequency surface nodules that afflict many country roads. And, to be perfectly honest, there was not a whole lot of bandwidth apparent in the different settings. Fundamentally, shifting from Comfort to Sport and Sport Plus did very little in terms of altering the ride characteristics. And even if it’s still, overall, a very comfortable outcome, missing is that legendary `waft factor’ magic-carpet ride that has previously been such a part of the S-Class experience.

Curiosities? A few. The paddles on the steering wheel, for instance, freed of the requirement to select gears, are instead set up to vary the amount of braking regeneration the driver wants. In the most aggressive setting, there’s more than enough regen for single pedal driving. Brake pads are likely to last a long time in the AMG as the vast majority of braking is in the form of regeneration.

And then there’s the computer-generated soundtrack designed to give an electric car some umami. Filtering a synthetic sound experience into a car’s cabin is not new. But in the case of an electric car, it’s not done to sharpen the noise up or make it more palatable; it’s so that there’s any sort of audible backdrop to what’s going on.

AMG has developed what it believes is the appropriate accompaniment and maybe, with more exposure on our part, it might emerge thus. But at the moment, it’s sounds more like white noise – not unpleasant, but hardly tuneful either – that permeates the cabin in various volumes depending on what drive mode you’re in. Interestingly, Comfort mode culled the noise altogether and soon became our favourite.

It's not that the nose is unpleasant per se, rather that it’s difficult to form a mental connection between what is a flat hum (not quite a buzz) that actually threatens to drone on its loudest setting (Sport Plus). Depending on your level of mental flexibility, the noise will either remind you of sitting inside a taxiing twin-engined turbo-prop plane, or it will have you imagining Darth Vader is about to enter the room. It’s not terrible, it’s just different. Is it the future? Maybe.

The ID.5 GTX isn’t quite in the same vein as other ‘performance’ EVs. It feels more measured than a Tesla Model Y Performance for example. But then it also feels a lot more organic. It feels a lot more like a car.

This is because rather than focus on straight-line performance, the GTX has benefits when it comes to its handling. Compared to the ID.4, for example, the ID.5 is sharper on its front axle, adding a little additional torque at the front to make it sharper and faster to grab the tarmac.

Its accelerator response may be comparatively steady, but somehow the ID.5’s more traditional stability control tuning allows it to have a bit more leeway when you push it in the corners. It grants it a little extra fun factor, where some rivals are too locked down.

Additionally, VW’s experience in providing a balanced ride and sharp steering tune is on full show. While a lot of electric vehicles in this class feel a little over-electrically assisted or even vague when it comes to the steering, the ID.5 feels connected and accurate.

The adjustable ride settings are also a rare win for an electric mid-sizer. This is because you can adjust the ride to suit the conditions. If you’re on a bumpy suburban road for example, you can keep it nice and soft. But if you’re out carving corners in the countryside, a much firmer setting is available to help limit the amount of floaty rebound this car’s low-set battery weight can have.

It does adjust in a limited band, so there’s still a bit of softness to it, which combines with the predominantly rear-drive characteristics to make for a distinctly different vehicle to a Tiguan, for example.

It’s simply not as athletic as VW’s finely-tuned combustion offerings, but then its more plush open-road feel isn’t necessarily worse. At the very least it maintains all those key refinement characteristics which make Volkswagens generally a cut above to drive.

Another key aspect of the driving experience these days is how much active safety equipment wants to interfere with the experience. Many newer automakers struggle with calibrating for Australian conditions, and yet, like many European automakers, Volkswagen has nailed it with the tuning of these systems in the ID.4 and ID.5.

I wasn’t annoyed by any system, even repeat offenders like lane keep assist or driver attention monitoring in our whole two-day drive, which speaks volumes about the difference between the ID.5 and something like a Leapmotor C10.

The ID.5 comes equipped with the full array of active safety gear as standard, with autobahn-speed auto emergency braking, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear auto braking, rear cross-traffic alert and adaptive cruise control.

It is also equipped with seven airbags (including the more recently-introduced front centre airbag) and wears a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating... for NZ-delivered variants. Australia will surely follow soon, but at the time of writing the ID.5 is not ANCAP rated for this side of the Tasman.

EVs are, by and large, cheaper to maintain than the more complex conventional car, but dealership servicing versus an independent workshop will always involve a premium. While the EQS features the same factory warranty as any other Benz; five years/unlimited kilometres, the big concern for some EV buyers is battery life. To calm those nerves, the EQS 53 also comes with a ten-year and 250,000km battery warranty.

Benz also gives EQS buyers a three-year subscription to the Chargefox fast-charger network (which has just been acquired by a consortium of Australia’s state motoring clubs) and operates on 100 per cent renewable energy. Charge at home with solar panels or other renewable power, and the EQS will be keeping rich people rich.

Mercedes tells us there will be a fixed-price service program, but pricing details are yet to be released. Service intervals are every 12 months.

VW hasn’t used this opportunity to increase its standard warranty terms of five years and unlimited kilometres, however, the battery pack is covered by an industry standard eight-year/160,000km deal. 

There are other ownership perks designed to coax people into an electric car, though. Servicing, for example, is only required once every 24 months or 30,000km and when packaged up at the time of purchase, very affordable.

A 10 year or 150,000km plan costs $2890, or just $289 a year, which is excellent for a European car, and is even more affordable than some of its Korean and Chinese rivals with generally longer service intervals.

On top of this, VW stresses the repairability of its battery components, and promises parts supply will continue for 10 years after the discontinuation of the ID.4 and ID.5 range in its current form, with repairability through its network for at least 15 years.