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The EQS is such a weird beast. Is it a $150k car? With its performance and the amount of tech... yeah, probably. But that doesn't mean it has a desirable amount of tech. It is WAY overboard and there is way too much going on with the screens in front of the driver. It's brash and intrusive and I feel like I'm piloting the Enterprise (NCC-1701-E). Some may like it, but it isn't what I would be looking for in a luxury car. I did drive another EV the same day from a competing brand... I'm not saying which because I'm working on a story/video of it, but it was roughly half the price and yet a far more satisfying car. Enough so that I texted a picture to Albert and told him it could be the EV that replaces his 300C.

But wait, there's more! Not only are there capacitive buttons on the steering wheel, they are simultaneously physical buttons too. So for example, swipe up or down for volume, but press for mute... all in the same button. I accidentally brushed a steering wheel button with my hand while turning and it changed the screen on the infotainment. There are dials on the steering wheel too. The right one changes the sport/normal/eco modes, but you can also press the button inside the dial to do the same thing. Two controls, literally inside each other, that do the same function. I dunno, maybe they're programmable or something, but they certainly aren't intuitive.

So I drove the EQS AMG and I'm pretty meh about it. Sure it's fast and it has pillows on the headrests, but a lot of the stuff you don't normally touch feels really down market. The steering wheel is downright confusing with a combination of buttons, touch controls, dials, and buttons inside of dials that do the same thing. The infotainment screen is way oversized and distracting as well as impossible to intuitively operate. Some controls are on the steering wheel, some are on the center console, some are in both locations but operate differently. Is it more comfortable than a Tesla? Yes.. but so is just about everything else on the market. It is fast? Also yes, but so is a Tesla. Is it good looking? No, it's a CLS that someone left out in the sun too long. Is it big like an S-Class? No, it's E-Class roominess inside along with having terrible rear visibility. The EQS and EQE both feel, from the inside, as they are one size class down from their ICE letter equivalent.

...Half the price of an EQS, luxury, good size.. Lyriq.

EXACTLY and this is one reason I think Tesla has been so successful. Their entire network of products all work together seamless and effortlessly by the user. One doesn't not need to be a tech savvy 25 year old to operate their car and charge it publicly. Every review of every other company dogs the public charging system and how their vehicles are matching up to the chargers. Teslas appear to be flawless charging publicly.

You have hit the one issue that many companies FAIL to understand. Technology is supposed to make life easier, not harder through complexity. This is also where I believe Mercedes is going to FAIL big time. They are sticking to the same formula of ICE with an Electric power train. This will hurt them when you have Tesla leading the way in Mega Casting. GM has already started this with their EVs and I would not be surprised based on news from Ford if the new EV Platform that they are moving to next year is based on Mega Casting. This is also where Toyota / Subaru has failed. Interesting times we live in.

OMG, I hate all of that so unbelievably much. SOME of those style buttons are "okay" but they REALLY need to be used and placed correctly for me to not hate. Come to think of it, I think the GLB and GLC loaners that we've had have had those for the steering wheel controls. They were "okay" at best. I don't think either of us accidently changed anything while driving but I know my left hand (while sitting in the passenger seat) definitely hit something in the middle that muted or turned the volume way up and we had no clue how/what had happened. I think I had ever-so-slightly brushed the infotainment control in whatever way made those changes. This reminds me, I think I just read VW is getting rid of those buttons for real buttons on their GTI (and/or other models) because the steering wheel captive buttons are soooo hated. Good on them. This was actually one reason the in-laws went got an older(2017) GL over a GLS. There was way too much going on for them to try and figure out and they just wanted the vehicle to work for them. There's already a lot in a 2017 GL but the newer GLS and pretty much everything newer Merc, has too much going on for the "boomer" age group. My parents have a 2020 RAV4, or maybe 2021, and just a few weeks ago I showed my mom the auto function for the climate control. A lot of people just want their cars to freakin work. There are too many complexities in a lot of new vehicles.

He only mentioned the powertrain and I'm not really sure how it can be disputed. Lucid's range, power, and charge times are all top tier currently. 900v charging, 1111-1200hp, 520 miles of range. The vehicle as a whole isn't anywhere near as luxurious as the Caddy but, the powertrain/batteries seem superior. I watched a video review of the EQS SUV (I assume most everything inside is the exact same) and the whole captive "buttons" everywhere seems like a complete train wreck. Caddy got so much flack for that a decade ago.

I would have to disagree with you on every point you made including the Lucid comment. Yes, Lucid has done a nice job, but they are nowhere near what an ultra-luxury hand built auto this will be compared to them. In regard to the cheap, garish looking EV grille, that could be said about all EVs. Tesla, Mercedes EQ is just awful and even Lucid which can leave one wanting. Style after all is very subjective.