Compare the2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9VS 2026 Mercedes EQS SUV

Both the Ioniq 9 and EQS SUV have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Ioniq 9 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The EQS SUV’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the Hyundai Ioniq 9 achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Mercedes EQS SUV has not been tested.

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 comes with a standard Surround View Monitor, while the Mercedes EQS SUV doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

Both the Ioniq 9 and the EQS SUV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, front seat center airbag, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2026 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test, and a “Good” score in the revised vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention test. The EQS SUV has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2026.

The Ioniq 9 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The EQS SUV’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Hyundai’s powertrain warranty covers the Ioniq 9 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the EQS SUV. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the EQS SUV ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Ioniq 9’s corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the EQS SUV’s (7 vs. 5 years).

There are over 2 times as many Hyundai dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Ioniq 9’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Hyundai third in initial quality, above the industry average. With 37 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 21st, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes With 21 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Hyundai higher than Mercedes.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2026 Auto Issue reports that Hyundai vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Hyundai 7 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

On the EPA test cycle the Ioniq 9 gets better mileage than the EQS SUV:

The Ioniq 9 can travel longer on a full charge than the EQS SUV on a full charge:

For better traction, the Ioniq 9 Limited/Calligraphy’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the EQS SUV (285/45R21 vs. 275/40R22).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Ioniq 9 is 1.1 inches wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the EQS SUV.

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 800 pounds less than the Mercedes EQS SUV.

The Ioniq 9 Limited/Calligraphy uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The EQS SUV doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Ioniq 9’s middle and third row seats recline. The EQS SUV’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Ioniq 9’s cargo area provides more volume than the EQS SUV.

Both the Ioniq 9 and the EQS SUV offer second row automatic folding seats. The Ioniq 9 Limited/Calligraphy’s third row seats also fold up or down at the press of a switch. The EQS SUV doesn’t offer automatic folding third row seats.

The Ioniq 9’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The EQS SUV’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

Maximum trailer towing in the Mercedes EQS SUV is limited to 3500 pounds. The Ioniq 9 AWD offers up to a 5000 lbs. towing capacity.

A Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) is standard on the Ioniq 9, using the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the EQS SUV.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Ioniq 9 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the EQS SUV only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Ioniq 9 is equipped with both FM and AM stereo radios, offering access to more content and better coverage than the EQS SUV, which solely provides FM radio. With AM radio, you can enjoy a wider variety of stations featuring news, talk shows, sports commentary, native language programing, automated traffic guidance, and emergency broadcasts. AM waves travel further and penetrate buildings and obstacles more effectively than FM signals, especially at night. Having both FM and AM stereo radios the Ioniq 9 offers a more comprehensive listening experience compared to only FM in the EQS SUV.

HD Radio boasts several benefits over conventional radio: superior sound quality with clearer and consistent FM broadcasts, CD-quality audio, and Multicast Channels offering up to four streams from a single station, adding programming choices. Cars like the Ioniq 9 equipped with HD Radio provide an improved in-car entertainment experience. The EQS SUV, devoid of this technology, foregoes these benefits. Selecting the Hyundai Ioniq 9 empowers drivers to enjoy a more immersive and enjoyable listening experience while on the go.

The Ioniq 9 offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The EQS SUV doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Ioniq 9 is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The EQS SUV doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

The Hyundai Ioniq 9 outsold the Mercedes EQS SUV by over two to one during 2025.