The car may be fading from showrooms but Mercedes-Benz will have nothing to do with market shifts when it comes to its flagship sedan. The venerable S-Class, redesigned for 2021 and code-named W223, is built on a new platform referred to internally as MRA2.
It is an evolution of the outgoing sedan’s underpinnings but has been reworked with a new rear-steer axle and a larger battery for plug-in hybrid variants.
Core dimensions have changed as well, and the footprint is bigger. The distance between the front and rear axles has been increased by 2 inches to 126.6 inches on the latest sedan. Overall length has grown 1.3 inches to 208.2 inches, width has jumped by 2.1 inches and height has increased by 0.4 inch.
In the U.S., the entry-level S-Class is the S 500 4Matic. It is powered by a 3.0-liter inline-six cylinder engine with a 21-hp, 184-lb-ft EQ Boost mild-hybrid system. It produces 429 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. The S 580 4Matic is powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine, engineered to mate with the same EQ Boost mild hybrid as the six-cylinder engine, with 496 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque.
We’ve gathered some early reviews from the automotive media.
“Those of us who still enjoy the art and science of driving will rejoice in the fact that while the new S-Class is a big, quiet, lavishly equipped luxury limousine, its chassis has the deep capability that is the hallmark of all great Mercedes-Benz sedans. Left to its own devices, it will effortlessly cosset and comfort the average driver, yet when pushed it digs deep to deliver the enthusiast remarkably consistent levels of response, grip, and balance. The standard air suspension gives a plush yet controlled ride, regardless of whether the big Mercedes is tiptoeing down a cobbled street at walking pace or hammering down the Autobahn at a buck fifty. The steering is nicely weighted; the brakes effortlessly haul the big car down from triple-digit speeds.
“We’ve been impressed by the mild-hybrid 3.0-liter inline-six in other Mercedes models, and it feels right at home in the S 500, being virtually silent at low speeds and making little more than a distant hum at full-throttle acceleration. It’s good enough to make you wonder why you’d pay extra for the eight-cylinder S 580. That said, the S 580’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 plays nicely with the EQ Boost e-motor to deliver a relaxed surge of thrust with little more than a distant murmur emanating from under the hood. Relaxed? The torquey e-motor, mounted between the engine and the transmission, helps the S-Class ooze away from a standstill, but once the tach needle swings past 3,000 rpm, the V-8 loosens up the way elite runners settle into their stride. At 100 mph in ninth gear, the engine is turning just 1,900 rpm.”
— Angus MacKenzie, MotorTrend
“The S-Class pairs a new digital cluster with an enormous head-up display. The former can now show three-dimensional effects, relying on eye tracking via a camera to give the viewer a sense of depth. At first glance, it’s super fancy and makes for a cool feature to show off to friends. In practice, though, the gauges become rather distracting after a while.
“We’re split, meanwhile, on the head-up display. It requires a 1.0-cubic-foot box in the dashboard and can display content up to 32 away at the size of a 77-inch screen. The amount of information is impressive, as is the readability. The HUD now even shows red when you cross a line or throws blue turning arrows on the road via augmented reality. All of this can certainly be helpful, but often you have the feeling of almost being crushed by it all. We’d probably get used to it, but at first glance, the S-Class specializes in information overload.
“This is state-of-the-art tech, but with the odd feature or two, one wonders what the priorities were: genuine benefits to the customer or fulfilling the urge of developers to play. There are so many possibilities in this car and so much information thrown at you, that in the end, the S-Class leaves your head spinning. That’s tiring when all you’re trying to do is get from A to B in a dignified way.
“The main question for the S-Class is whether this car is too intelligent and multifaceted for the clientele that has to deal with it. Does too much assistance ultimately distract more than it helps? For younger clientele, probably not. The S-Class’ largest market is China, where the average shopper for this big sedan is about 40 years old. For them, the S-Class and its pleasingly ostentatious design will feel like a complex masterpiece and a bridge to the future. The rest of the world just needs to go along for the ride.”
— Stefan Wagner, motor1.com
“There’s far too much to cover about what’s new, but in terms of how it looks and how slickly it operates, the MBUX (Mercedes-Benz User Experience) system makes the S-Class the new infotainment champ in the business.
“That’s on top of the neat tricks it can pull, such as placing virtual street signs and directions over a camera view of the road ahead, so you always know where you need to go. And the way it integrates with your phone is standard-setting.
“But for all the razzle-dazzle in the cabin, the Mercedes is really at its best as a mere motorcar. The engine sounds completely ordinary on paper, being a 3.0-litre straight six with a turbocharger and mild hybrid technology, but again, it’s something that has to be experienced. Most times the S 450L wafts along with only the air-con blower for aural accompaniment, because the engine is as discreet as a butler.
“Yet, it packs a wallop like a bodyguard. When you put the hammer down, the S 450L is a closet hot rod that picks up speed effortlessly, and for something so big it sure sails around corners with grace, at the same time giving the driver plenty of feedback from the steering.
“The mild hybrid system is there to save fuel, but it also rouses the engine from shutdown with uncanny smoothness, so it’s possible to actually roll down the street with your foot off the accelerator and be oblivious as to whether the engine is actually running or asleep.
“As a car, the S-Class simply comports itself impeccably, whatever you ask of it.”
Leow Ju-Len, The Business Times
“True comfort is not just a matter of good seats — it must stem from the car’s willingness to be driven smoothly and rapidly. To this end, the Mercedes has the most advanced rear-wheel steering ever, which adds a touch of magic to the term maneuverability. But, yes, it does also have the world’s most sophisticated seats, which create — together with the most elaborate sound-deadening efforts — a truly splendid isolation from the vagaries of terra firma and the mundane working noises of a motorcar.
“At the end of day one, two key Mercedes strengths emerged: an omnipresent sophistication on all fronts, and the mind-boggling maneuverability in confined spaces.
“The cosseting ride is a blend of many elements. Even the tires are lined with a Bentley Mulsanne-style low-noise foam, the standard air suspension suppresses most irritations with suave nonchalance and those amazing seats put an enchanting layer of insulation between man and machine.
“Having said that, the low-speed ride could be a little more supple still, and the body movements on undulating turf tackled at speed could be half an amplitude less emphatic. Both issues will be attended to by the optional active suspension available later in the year. It taps 20 sensors, stereo cameras and one hydraulic actuator per wheel to eliminate excessive yaw, rebound, pitch and roll. It’s likely to be well worth the wait and the extra outlay.
“There is one area where the S-Class does not beat the opposition, and that area can be found under the bonnet of the S500, where the six is irritatingly unrefined; you’d do well to explore other engine options. But that’s pretty much it for negatives.”
— Georg Kacher, Car