Name: 2025 Mercedes-Benz S-Class
Brand: Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

EPA MPG: 24 mpg

Mercedes-Benz S-Class First Drive

Summary

Introduction

2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Wows With Advanced Technology

This redesigned flagship luxury sedan has impressive handling capabilities and infuriating controls

Overview

After almost 50 years, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class may very well be looking at the sunset of its existence. With the automaker investing in electric vehicle platforms and introducing another large luxury sedan, the all-electric EQS, later this year, the era of S-Class sedans powered by a six-, eight-, or even 12-cylinder engine will eventually go the way of the dodo.

Of course, that future isn’t here quite yet. The redesigned S580 that we rented from Mercedes-Benz is an incredibly impressive sedan from a model line that still has many years of life ahead of it.

The S-Class sits near the top of Mercedes-Benz’s sedan lineup, surpassed only by the S-Class Maybach (a rare uber-flagship that starts at $184,900 and competes against vehicles from Aston Martin, Bentley, and Rolls-Royce). But with a starting price of $109,800, the “regular” S-Class certainly isn’t cheap. Its competitors include the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series, Genesis G90, Lexus LS, Maserati Quattroporte, and Porsche Panamera.

For now, the S-Class is available in two versions. The S500 comes with a 429-hp, 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine, and the S580 is powered by a 496-hp, 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. Both sedans use a nine-speed automatic transmission and have standard all-wheel drive. If history is a guide, then it's likely that, down the road, a high-performance AMG version (or two) of the S-Class will be unveiled.

The S-Class comes standard with almost every advanced safety feature, such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, and lane keeping assistance.

The blind spot warning system can take corrective action if the driver attempts to move into an occupied lane. The sensors also tie into an exit function, warning about a vehicle or bicycle passing by as an occupant attempts to open the door when parked.

Another enhancement is with the evasive steering assist, which can help avoid pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicles that are crossing the car’s path or even moving alongside it.

Among its tricks, the S-Class comes with a dynamic air suspension system that can adjust the ride height.

While it’s promoted to optimize performance and fuel economy, along with optimizing ride quality, it is also tied in with an optional body-control system that monitors for potential side impact. If a side collision is imminent, the suspension will raise the car within a few tenths of a second to protect occupants better by moving the strong floor’s structure height closer to a typical bumper height.

One downside that this new technology can bring has been dismal reliability. The more features a car has, the more there is to go wrong. And with an S-Class, that can mean expensive repairs out of warranty. This is something that we will certainly be watching in our member surveys.

This will be our only look at the S-Class, because the high cost and limited appeal of the gas-powered S-Class makes it almost impossible to justify purchasing one for testing.

We may, however, purchase our own EQS to test when it goes on sale. This is mainly because it has superseded the S-Class as a testbed for Mercedes-Benz’s latest tech, much of which routinely trickles down to less-expensive models. Buying an EQS would give us, and you, a preview of coming features.

Impressions

Driving the Mercedes-Benz S-Class leaves no doubt that this is a massive car. It’s an executive limo, with the required room for a high-powered, chauffeured client. But while it feels large on the road, the sedan handles incredibly well. At any speed, from rural two-lane roads to multilane highways, the S-Class displayed quick reactions to steering adjustments. Part of this may come from the optional four-wheel-steering system. This ability helped carving corners with confidence and made the car fun to drive. Other benefits were the smooth, quick lane changes and the ease in which this 208-inch long car tucked itself into tight parking spaces in urban situations, thanks to the amazing turning radius.

The S-Class impressed even on our track, where it shined on the road course and tenaciously held to the driver’s chosen arc and gracefully adjusted its cornering line. As a CR tester and writer Mike Monticello said, “I was shocked by the car’s natural handling capabilities. It turns in surprisingly quickly for such a big car. It doesn’t feel heavy at all, even though it must be.” And at 4,775 pounds, it is indeed heavy.

The twin-turbo V8 engine and nine-speed automatic transmission are an incredibly well-matched pair, able to deliver both strong, push-you-into-the-seatback acceleration or graceful slow-speed departures with little fuss and few hiccups. Acceleration comes on quickly with a mere dip into the accelerator pedal; there’s no need to play pretend race-car driver with the paddle shifters behind the steering wheel—just push down the pedal and go. Upshifts come on quickly and smoothly, but downshifts were another story, with almost every driver noting that they felt downshifts, particularly at low speeds, to the point that some described the experience as if “the transmission was slamming into gear.”

At first glance, the ride comes across as very cushy as the S580 glides over undulations, thanks to the air suspension. However, many of us found that the ride quality didn’t match up to the expectations for a vehicle in this class, nor did it meet the standard set by the last S-Class that we tested. Impacts from sharp bumps and potholes came through with a harshness that was surprising, probably an artifact of the low-profile 20-inch tires.

Once inside, we found the S-Class interior simply impeccable. We were dazzled by the multicontour front seats with massage, power side- and rear-window sunshades, panoramic sunroof, soft-close doors (motors pull them shut without the need to slam), and Air Balance Cabin Fragrance System that uses charcoal filters and an ionizer to clean the air, and a fragrance atomizer to “personalize the ambiance of the cabin through the choice of four aromas”—all part of the $116,300 base price. You then factor in the optional Nappa leather seats, head restraints, steering wheel cover, and trim along with the synthetic suede headliner. Even the comfortable head restraints come with adjustable pillows (which were not universally enjoyed) on TOP of them! It seems as if everything you touch is covered in leather, except for the controls. And even those feel hand-crafted.

Other options that were on our rented car included the right rear seat that reclines like a first-class airline seat and features a footrest and massage (the left rear seat has a massage feature and some adjustability, too); heated and ventilated seats, front and rear; heated armrests; rear-seat neck and shoulder heating; and the adjustable pillows that sit over the already-comfortable head restraints. As CR's interface program manager Kelly Funkhouser put it, “pillow headrests, spa-like massaging, music, ambient lighting—am I supposed to nap in it or drive it?”

This is all in addition to superior fit and finish, which is expected in and appropriate for this class of car. Disappointment in the S580’s interior treatment would be rare.