The Mercedes-Benz EQS will arrive sometime in 2021 as the brand’s flagship EV sedan.
All-new generations of the Mercedes-Benz GLA, E-Class and S-Class for 2021MY.
EQS to be followed by EQA and EQB crossovers, along with EQE sedan and crossover variants.
German brands are slowly phasing out diesel and gasoline powertrains in favour of electrified ones, and no luxury automaker has presented more EVs in the past couple of years than Mercedes-Benz. Through its Mercedes-EQ sub-brand, the company is introducing a wide range of vehicles, from sedans to commercial vans, either as full EVs or plug-in hybrids.
Of course, performance fans should not fret as Mercedes-AMG will continue to crank out its usual onslaught of ultra-powerful machinery, while Mercedes-Maybach will cater to deeper-pocketed folks who desire more cachet and exclusivity. Here’s what to expect from Mercedes-Benz in 2021.
The Mercedes-Benz EQS will be the brand’s new flagship EV sedan, and the production version will be introduced during the 2021 calendar year. It’s one of eight EQ models the company is planning to produce worldwide, which will go on sale in select markets by 2022, or that already are on sale. Not much information is available so far, but the EQS’ driving range has been announced at more than 700 kilometres on the WLTP. At the upcoming CES show in January—which will go virtual for reasons we all know—the company will introduce its huge and curved-panel MBUX Hyperscreen, which will debut in the EQS.
Other fully electric vehicles that will soon hit the market are the Mercedes-Benz EQA and the EQB. Initially presented as a three-door hatchback concept back in 2017, the EQA has since evolved into a five-door subcompact crossover, just like the compact-sized Mercedes-Benz EQB. In the second half of 2021, we’ll see Mercedes-Benz EQE midsize sedan and crossover variants appear, though it’s unclear whether they’ll share the same name. An EQS crossover will hit the market as well, probably in 2022.
Meanwhile, the Mercedes-Benz EQC is now on sale in some worldwide markets, but its introduction in the United States and Canada has been delayed. There is no timeframe yet when the compact EV crossover will hit our market.
Debuting in North America for the 2019 model year, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class is available in sedan and hatchback (Canada only) body styles, with a turbocharged 2.0L four developing 188 horsepower (sedan) or 221 hp (hatchback), along with optional AWD. The performance-minded Mercedes-AMG A 35 4MATIC variants get 302 horsepower. The A-Class gets no significant changes for 2021. The Mercedes-Benz CLA four-door coupe was redesigned for 2020, and is available with a 221-hp four (CLA 250), a 302-hp four (AMG CLA 35) and a 382-hp four (AMG CLA 45).
The Mercedes-Benz C-Class offers a wide range of models in coupe, sedan, wagon and cabriolet body styles, with varying degrees of sportiness. The C 300 versions are equipped with a 255-horsepower turbo 2.0L four, while the AMG C 43 trims get a twin-turbo 3.0L V6 good for 385 hp and the mighty AMG C 63 and C 63 S variants are fitted with a twin-turbo 4.0L V8 developing 469 or 503 hp. Refreshed for the 2020 model year, the C-Class gets minor changes for 2021.
Like the C-Class, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class lineup is exhaustive with coupe, sedan, wagon and cabriolet body styles. It’s been thoroughly redesigned for the 2021 model year, receiving a 268-horsepower turbo 2.0L inline-four as the base powerplant in the E 350, which includes mild hybrid technology for better efficiency and bursts of extra power. A PHEV system with 315 combined hp will be found in the E 350e, while an EQ Boost inline-six with 362 horsepower will equip the E 450. The AMG E 53 variants get a 429-horsepower turbo 3.0L inline-six while the range-topping AMG E 63 S units will feature a 603-hp, twin-turbo 4.0L V8. The E-Class All-Terrain wagon, previously a European exclusivity, will now be offered in North America as well.
Completely redesigned for 2021 is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class which, for now, is only introduced as a sedan—meaning coupe and cabriolet variants have been dropped. The S 500 receives a turbo 3.0L inline-six with 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque, while the S 580 gets an twin-turbo 4.0L V8 good for 496 hp and 516 pound-feet. As is the case in other Benz models, these EQ Boost engines can produce extra short bursts of 21 hp and 184 pound-feet. The new S-Class will feature a new generation of the company’s MBUX infotainment system with a much bigger touchscreen, and the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class has also been revealed, which will go on sale in 2021 as well.
As for the Mercedes-Benz CLS, it gets the current-gen MBUX interface, as the four-door coupe launched for the 2019MY with the old COMAND system. The CLS is offered in 362-hp CLS 450 and 429-hp AMG CLS 53 variants.
The Mercedes-Benz SL is due for a redesign, and as these lines are being written, nothing has been confirmed yet regarding the 2021 model year. We should see a new SL appear sometime in the new year, though. The Mercedes-Benz SLC is being discontinued after the 2020 model year, so that’s one less Benz cabriolet to choose from. Base variants of the Mercedes-AMG GT coupe and roadster get a power increase from 469 to 523 horsepower, and a new Stealth Edition trim is available, while the GT R track beast has been replaced with the GT Black Series track monster. No changes are in store for now regarding the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe.
As for the Mercedes-AMG ONE hypercar that was revealed back in 2017, development is still ongoing, but deliveries should begin in 2021 for the 275 lucky buyers of this wild ride, which should boast over 1,000 horsepower through its F1-derived, PHEV powertrain.
The Mercedes-Benz GLA subcompact crossover debuts its second generation for 2021, the GLA 250 being equipped with a 221-horsepower turbo 2.0L four, while the AMG GLA 35 and AMG GLA 45 receive higher outputs with the same engine displacement, cresting at 302 and 382 hp respectively. The Mercedes-Benz GLB is a slightly bigger subcompact model, available with three rows of seats for a capacity of up to seven passengers, and it’s offered in 221-hp GLB 250 and 302-hp AMG GLB 35 variants. It gets minor changes for 2021, having been introduced for the 2020 model year.
The Mercedes-Benz GLC is the company’s best-selling vehicle in both the U.S. and Canada, and after a mid-cycle refresh for the 2020 model year, it returns with no significant changes in 2021. It’s available in classic SUV and GLC Coupe body styles, while powertrains include a 255-horsepower turbo 2.0L four (GLC 300), a 315-hp plug-in hybrid (GLC 350e), a 385-hp twin-turbo V6 (AMG GLC 43) and a twin-turbo V8 with 469 or 503 hp (AMG GLC 63 and GLC 63 S).
Also available in classic SUV and four-door Coupe body styles, the Mercedes-Benz GLE was redesigned for 2020 and heads into 2021 with minimal changes. It offers several powertrains, such as the turbo 2.0L four with 255 horsepower (GLE 350), the EQ Boost turbo 3.0L inline-six with 362 hp (GLE 450), the EQ Boost twin-turbo 4.0L V8 with 483 hp (GLE 580, U.S. only), the AMG 3.0L six with 429 hp (AMG GLE 53) and the twin-turbo 4.0L V8 with 603 hp (AMG GLE 63 S).
The Mercedes-Benz GLS was also redesigned for 2020, so the 2021 model year won’t bring anything significant for the full-size crossover. It receives pretty much the same powertrains as the GLE, including a 362-hp six (GLS 450), a 483-hp V8 (GLS 580) and a 603-hp V8 (AMG GLS 63 S). The S-Class of SUVs also introduced a new Mercedes-Maybach GLS variant with an exclusive EQ Boost, twin-turbo 4.0L V8 developing 558 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque.
Topping the brand’s range of utility vehicles is the iconic Mercedes-Benz G-Class, which enters the 2021 model year with no noteworthy changes. The 400,000th unit of the G-Class has recently been built, and in North America, it’s available with either a 416-horsepower, twin-turbo V8 (G 550) or a 577-hp V8 (AMG G 63).
Finally, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Mercedes-Benz Metris vans are now available with a Worker trim level, which is a stripped-down variant with limited options and colours, lowering the entry price of these commercial vehicles. A new-generation, fully electric Mercedes-Benz eSprinter has been introduced, and will head to the U.S. and Canada sometime in 2023. Meanwhile, the Mercedes-Benz EQV—the Metris is called the V-Class in Europe—has also been launched, but it’s currently unconfirmed for North America.
