2026 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV Facelift Shows Off Starry Headlights

The poor-selling EQS SUV prepares for a mid-cycle refresh that may go far beyond the sheet metal. On the visual front, however, the biggest change is a new set of headlights with three-pointed stars for the daytime running lights.
 

Pictured with German plates, the camouflaged prototype further shows a revised grille area. The way the camo wrap falls on the front bumper also indicates redesigned side intakes for improved cooling of the front brakes.
 
The rear end is that little bit more intriguing due to carryover taillights. Given that Mercedes-Benz AG will premiere this fellow in 2026 for the 2027 model year, chances are that revised taillights may be on the menu. The rear bumper, meanwhile, clearly went under the proverbial knife.
 
Bigger changes are coming to the interior, where MB.OS may take over infotainment duties. The German automaker’s most clever operating system to date rolled out in the completely new CLA Sedan and CLA Shooting Brake. A development of the system that debuted in the 2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the Mercedes-Benz Operating System utilizes a chip-to-cloud architecture that enables more functionalities in the automated driving space.
 

Under the skin, hearsay suggests that Stuttgart’s favorite son will switch to eATS 2.0 electric motors. Also referred to as MB.EDU 2.0 in Mercedes vernacular, eATS 2.0 stands for a highly integrated powertrain. The CLA boasts a rear-mounted eATS 2.0 motor, which is augmented by a two-speed gearbox for improved acceleration and superior efficiency over a direct-drive solution at higher speeds.
 
Two gears for a full-electric application isn’t a new concept. Volkswagen Group brands Audi and Porsche, for example, opted for a two-speed box on the rear axle of the e-tron GT and technically similar Taycan. Beyond the new-gen permanently excited synchronous electric motors, the facelifted EQS SUV is also primed to leverage the CLA’s battery tech due to a rumored switch to 800 volts.
 
An 800-volt electrical architecture isn’t better at DC fast-charging duties alone, but also superior to 400-volt architectures due to a notable reduction in resistive losses. Upgrading to 800 volts further enables minor weight savings in the form of thinner cables, all thanks to the lower current requirements of 800-volt electrical architectures.
 

Together with the EQS Sedan, the EQS SUV may also get silicon carbide inverters. Enhanced thermal performance, increased power density, and faster charging are the main advantages of silicon carbide over silicon-based inverters for battery-electric vehicles.
 
The Mercedes-Benz EVA2 platform could be renamed to EVA2M to bring the point home. By extension, the lesser Mercedes-Benz EQE line of sedans and sport utility vehicles will also be upgraded to EVA2M specification.
 
For the time being, the pre-facelift EQS SUV for the United States market is $105,250 from the outset for the dual-motor EQS 450+ SUV. At the other end of the spectrum, the Mercedes-Maybach EQS 680 SUV will set you back a cool $179,900 (excluding destination charge). Both the Benz and Maybach versions are produced in the United States at MBUSI in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.