Used 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

All the mechanical prowess and technological might of Mercedes-Benz have been poured into the new S-Class. Exactly what you’d expect from the large flagship sedan that Mercedes calls “the heart of our brand.”

At its core, the 2021 S-Class is a solid and spacious all-wheel-drive sedan, powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 with 429 horsepower (S 500) or a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with 496 horsepower (S 580). A 48-volt mild-hybrid system supports both powertrains with an integrated starter/generator that aids economy, power, and powertrain smoothness.

At the same time, the new S-Class is equipped with a plethora of safety and driver-assist technologies, plus the latest version of Mercedes-Benz User Interface (MBUX). Thanks in part to 50% more computing power, the new S allows for seven different individually selected driver profiles.

How does the new S recognize who’s driving the car? Four ways: fingerprint authentication (via a touchpad on the center screen), facial recognition (via the driver-attentiveness camera), voice identification (via the “Hey, Mercedes” MBUX system), or a PIN.

At the same time, the luxury quotient of the new S has few peers. Consider, for example, the heated and cooled leather-upholstered front seats. They have 10 different massaging programs, with two levels of intensity, and the sessions can last 8 or 18 minutes. Each front seat, for the record, has 18 motors and six fans.

In addition to five available digital screens (two in front and three in back, including a removable tablet), the new S-Class can be equipped with rear-seat airbags. In the event of a frontal collision, these two airbags deploy from the rear of the front backrests to provide passengers in each outer rear seat some head and neck impact protection. The bags deploy from a spot below the digital screens on each seatback.

Indeed, the new S is an impressive example of Mercedes might. As an all-new design in a fast-changing technological world, the new S-Class, known internally as the W223, has forged ahead of its main competitors, the BMW 7 Series and Audi A8.

KBB recently sampled a 2021 Mercedes-Benz S 580 4Matic sedan in California. Loaded with options – including a $6,730 Burmester 4D sound system with 30 speakers – this Cirrus Silver S-Class had a total retail price of $140,130, including a $1,050 destination charge.

The experience? Exemplary. This is a large and luxurious sedan, and the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 provided smooth, almost hydraulic acceleration. Moreover, this solidly built German 5-seater was super quiet, aided by a 9-speed automatic transmission that worked elegantly, shifting smoothly and never drawing attention to itself. What’s more, the 48-volt EQ Boost system made for some of the smoothest, quickest, and most unnoticeable starts and automatic restarts we’ve ever experienced.

In Comfort mode, the new S-Class felt plush but almost too soft, a tad floaty. Much better was Sport, which improved the control of body motions but not at the expense of ride quality. While all S-Class sedans in the U.S. have 4Matic all-wheel drive, we couldn’t feel any effect of the forward drive torque on the natural-effort steering.

What we could feel, however, was the rear-wheel steering. By having rear wheels that point slightly in the opposite direction of the fronts (at slow speeds), the big Mercedes has gained the maneuverability of a smaller car. You can pull into a perpendicular parking stall without having to swing way wide beforehand, and the turning circle is much tighter than you’d expect, more compact than that of the smaller E-Class sedan.

When you simulate a slalom run in, say, an empty stadium parking lot (Who, us?), you can feel the back end move laterally out at each imaginary gate to tighten the cornering line. It’s subtle but noticeable.

Although there are a few different display modes for the digital instrument panel (including a Sport configuration with a prominent tachometer and a G-force meter), we settled on the Classic setup. This arrangement features a round tachometer and speedometer in the classic side-by-side orientation, plus other handy info like gear selection and exterior temperature. Because our S 580 was equipped with the optional 3D Technology Package, it had a button that, when pressed, gave the instrument panel an attractive 3D appearance.

In addition to enjoying the beautifully crafted interior with its room for five adults, we appreciated the thick-rim steering wheel of the S-Class and the superimposed active arrows of the navigation system, which made it just about impossible to miss any of the turns on your prescribed route.

Less appreciated were some reflections of the dash that appeared on the backside of the S-Class windshield, and the lack of traditional volume and station knobs for the audio system. Slide controls and touch-sensitive buttons simply don’t work as well as rotary knobs in automotive applications. That stated, most of the icons on the big central screen of the S-Class are large and easy to touch while driving, and you can control many functions vocally via the latest version of the “Hey, Mercedes” user interface.

All told, we had an outstanding experience in the new S-Class. We felt fresh after a 200-mile stint in the car, which smoothly maintained the gap to the vehicle in front when we were using the standard adaptive cruise control. Contributing to comfort the whole way were the heated and cooled front seats equipped with removable pillow-style headrest cushions.

As a tech-packed full-size modern sedan, the 2021 S-Class sedan gives the driver so many choices and settings that it can seem overwhelming. Totally understandable. But while we appreciate being able to tailor this big sedan so personally, there’s nothing wrong with just hopping into the car and driving it. And once you do, you’ll find the S-Class to be among the finest mass-market luxury sedans available. It’s a more youthful S-Class, yes, but it still has a commanding presence.

The 2021 S-Class is an opulent 5-seat sedan with abundant headroom and legroom. The craftsmanship, as expected, is exquisite, and the configurable instrument panel is an easy-to-read digital screen with an intriguing 3D setting in the top models.

Thanks to the huge touch-screen display on the center console, Mercedes say it has reduced the number of buttons in the big S by 27. While simplifying a dash generally is a good thing, having most of the controls accessible within menus on a touchscreen can be distracting while the vehicle is on the move. On a positive note, the icons are large and easily touched while driving.

Or MBUX can come to the rescue. This latest version of the “Hey, Mercedes” user interface, with improved comprehension, allows you to voice navigational instructions, adjust the interior temperature, or even find answers to questions of the variety you might normally ask of Amazon’s Alexa at home. Mercedes says this latest MBUX system recognizes speech in 27 languages.

With the rear touchscreens, a backseat passenger can spend some time finding, say, the closest Starbucks, and then swipe her finger to send the route to the driver’s screen. Also, if a rear passenger says, “I’m cold,” the directional microphones will recognize where the voice came from and then bump the temp a couple of degrees for that particular spot in the S-Class interior.

In other developments, it’s not always necessary to say “Hey, Mercedes” for all applications. For example, all a driver must do to receive an incoming call is say: “Accept call.”

While we expect the standard Burmester audio system to sound superb with its 15 mostly metal-grated speakers, the 30-speaker 4D sound system (optional in the AMG Line and Executive Line) positively rocks the S-Class interior by letting you “feel” the music through reverberating seats. That function, we’re pleased to report, can be shut off.

One last observation: The front seats of the new S are loaded with modern technology and adjustability, but their comfort is dramatically enhanced by soft headrest pillows that look a tad frumpy but feel great on the back of your head.

The best angle on the new 2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is from the direct side. This big luxury sedan looks long and elegant, as it should. We like the long hood and short rear deck, as well as the characteristically S-Class rear roof pillars. Also attractive is the subtle character line running from front to rear, which plays a visual trick by making the greenhouse look shorter than it actually is.

Viewed from the rear, the design of the new S-Class sedan is less of a standout. While still handsome, the tapered and rounded rear end is a bit too reminiscent of the smaller Benzes like the C-Class sedan. We might like a little less family resemblance for the big flagship sedan. On the plus side, the pop-out door handles add a nice touch you’ll want to show your neighbors.

EQ BOOST
This onboard 48-volt starter-generator works wonders, fortifying the acceleration of both S-Class models and providing smooth automatic restarts. EQ Boost works behind the scenes, providing an extra 21 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque for short periods while also allowing the big sedan to cruise down the highway with the gas engine not running (what Mercedes calls “sailing.”)

REAR-AXLE STEERING
This optional system gives the 2021 S-Class the maneuverability of a shorter car. With up to 10 degrees of automatic opposite-phase rear steering angle at low speeds, the large S-Class has reduced its turning circle by 6.2 feet, to less than 36 feet. In fact, the new S with rear-axle steering has a tighter turning circle than the smaller E-Class sedan, or about the same as that of the A-Class.

The standard 2021 Mercedes S-Class, in Luxury Line trim, is packed with features of the highest caliber. Among the most notable: a panoramic sunroof, a gorgeous leather-upholstered interior, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a gigantic 12.8-inch central OLED touchscreen, a fingerprint biometric system (that activates a driver’s profile), and massaging multi-contour seats that heat and cool rapidly.

Moreover, the new 2021 S-Class has soft-close doors and the latest version of the MBUX “Hey, Mercedes” driver interface, which has a navigation system that benefits from augmented-reality instructions. Also, there are 64 colors of available ambient interior lighting.

LED lighting is used front and rear, as is Airmatic air suspension and 19-inch alloy wheels. In addition to a new multifunction steering wheel, the 2021 Mercedes S-Class has wireless smartphone charging and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, plus a tollgate transponder, selectable drive modes, a 360-degree surround-view camera, power rear sunshades, six USB-C ports, and a rear power outlet for tablets and other devices. The standard audio system is a high Burmester surround-sound system featuring 15 speakers.

While the S-Class AMG Line is distinguished by AMG styling cues and unique alloy wheels, the Executive Line comes with an abundance of standard extras. Available only on the V8-powered S 580, the Executive Line includes active multi-contour seats (with neck & shoulder heating), an electrically adjustable rear seat, and – get this – the industry’s first rear airbags, which deploy from the back of the front seatbacks to protect the outer rear passengers in frontal impacts.

Additionally, the S-Class Executive Line has 4-zone climate control, wireless rear smartphone charging, and a rear-seat interface for the MBUX infotainment system that features a removable tablet and twin 11.6-inch high-resolution touchscreens mounted on the back of each front seatback. The Executive Line also comes standard with 10 degrees of rear steering. (Of note, the optional rear steering on the AMG Line S-Class offers only 4.5 degrees of rear steering because this model has a staggered wheel setup with wider rear tires that have less fender clearance.)

Options on the new S-Class aren’t overwhelming in number. The standard S-Class model, the Luxury Line, can be ordered with Nappa leather upholstery, a heated steering wheel, and the Burmester 4D surround-sound audio system. This 30-speaker system (also available on the other new -Class models) literally lets you feel the music reverberating through the front seats. There’s also a 3D Technology Package (featuring a head-up display), plus 20-inch wheels and a Warmth & Comfort Package with heated rear seats and heated armrests front and rear.

If you order an S-Class in AMG Line trim, it comes with AMG body styling and AMG wheels. Options on the AMG Line include a heated steering wheel and a Warmth & Comfort Package, a blacked-out AMG Night Package, 4.5 degrees of rear-axle steering, and AMG alloy wheels in 20- and 21-inch sizes.

Options on the S 580 Executive Line include finer Nappa leather, the 3D Technology Package (with a 3D instrument cluster, MBUX Augmented Reality, and a head-up display), the Warmth & Comfort Package, and a wellness system that uses the massaging seats and an interior air ionizer to the help drivers stay attentive and refreshed while driving long distances. The S-Class Executive Line also is available with 20-inch wheels alloy wheels that have 10 spokes.

With the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury sedan, American buyers have a choice of two engines: a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 with 429 horsepower (S 500) or a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with 496 horsepower. (S 580). Both powerplants mate to a 9-speed automatic transmission, and both are augmented by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system featuring an integrated starter/generator that adds 21 extra horsepower and 184 lb-ft of extra torque.

Besides aiding acceleration, this EQ Boost system creates super-smooth automatic restarts and allows for a bit of engine-off cruising down the road (what Mercedes calls “sailing”).

3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 (S 500 4Matic)
429 horsepower @ 5,500-6,100 rpm
384 lb-ft of torque @ 1,600-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: estimated 19/28 mpg

4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 (S 580 4Matic)
496 horsepower @ 5,500 rpm
516 lb-ft of torque @ 2,000-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/25 mpg