BMW i7 vs. Mercedes EQS

Jo Borrás and I have revived our EV Bracket Battle Tournament, and the matchup we were on today was the BMW i7 versus the Mercedes EQS. These are two big luxury sedans from historic German automakers, but they are actually quite different. Jo and I discuss the differences in exterior styling, interior design, touchscreens and UI, and driving feel.

In the text below, I will only touch on the topics we discussed. Listen to the following video to get the full story — historical notes, subtle elements of the two cars, jokes, and more.

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First of all, regarding the frontends of the cars, Jo gave us a bit of a history lesson on BMW’s famous kidney grilles, as well as how they evolved in the 1990s and into the 2000s. It was interesting, but at the end of the day, I still think BMW’s currently giant angry beaver grilles are hideous — and I thought everyone did. So, I was a bit surprised when it turned out that Jo thinks the “waterfall grille” (certainly a much more appealing nickname) is attractive. You have to listen in for the full explanation.

We both agreed that the Mercedes EQS has a super sleek and luxurious look to it. Making a judgement on the Mercedes approach to a unique electric response to the grille area is difficult. I have a hard time forming a clear opinion on it. Though, one thing I definitely like about it is that it stands out — it tells people that this is an electric Mercedes. Though, there are other aspects to it that we like as well, especially something Jo pointed out, the flashy and fun way that it can light up at night.

I do love that.

As far as the interior design, there was a lot to say. Mercedes and BMW have taken quite different approaches to their interiors, with Mercedes working the tech into the car a bit more smoothly and BMW taking a little more of a Tesla-like approach of sticking the tech screens onto the dash. And then there are those plastic crystal door knobs….

Overall, across the board, the Mercedes EQS seems extremely luxurious — the cream of the crop, along with the Lucid Air, in that regard. That even extends into the feel of the drive. BMW’s electric vehicles seem somewhere in between Tesla vehicles and Mercedes vehicles in that regard — and it’s hard to tell if it is really succeeding in its approach in finding a decent market, or if it’s stuck somewhere in automotive limbo.

For much more about these cars and our thoughts on them, watch the full video above!

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Mercedes EQS Pics

Mercedes EQS. Photo by Jo Borras.

Mercedes EQS. Photo by Jo Borras.

Mercedes EQS. Photo by Jo Borras.

Mercedes EQS. Photo by Jo Borras.

Mercedes EQS. Photo by Jo Borras.

BMW i7 Pics

BMW i7. Photo by Jo Borras.

BMW i7. Photo by Jo Borras.

BMW i7. Photo by Jo Borras.

BMW i7. Photo by Jo Borras.

BMW i7. Photo by Jo Borras.

BMW i7. Photo by Jo Borras.