Overview

Without question, if we close our eyes and envision the quintessential luxury sedan, it’s the Mercedes-Benz S-class that comes to mind. Not only has it been the brand’s flagship for decades, but it has continuously delivered cutting-edge tech and first-class comfort. Whether relaxing in the Sonderklasse’s roomy rear seat or guiding the tastefully styled land yacht down the street, passengers are treated to a leather-lined interior with many large screens—and too many touch controls. Despite some overly complicated features, the S-class packs a trio of unique all-wheel-drive powertrains. The S500 has a silken 429-hp turbocharged straight-six, and the S580 has a hearty twin-turbo V-8 with 496 horses. The S580e plug-in hybrid pairs the turbo six with an electric motor. While the V–8–powered S580 is slightly quicker, it can’t match the PHEV’s fuel economy, including a notable 58 miles of electric-only highway range. Regardless of what’s under the hood, every 2024 Mercedes-Benz S-class handles well and rides even better. Sure, other luxury sedans like the BMW 7-series and Genesis G90 have similar traits, but neither can match the Mercedes’s long-standing magic. You’ll find all three cars on our 2024 Editors’ Choice list.

What’s New for 2024?

There aren’t any significant changes to the S-class lineup for the 2024 model year. Those looking for an even mightier, performance-focused model can check out the AMG S-class (reviewed separately), which relaunches this year after a two-year absence.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

Mercedes offers the S-class sedan with either a 429-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder engine on the S500 or a 496-hp twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 on the S580. Both powertrains are supplemented by a 48-volt hybrid system and pair with a nine-speed automatic transmission and 4Matic all-wheel drive. The S580e plug-in hybrid uses an inline-six and an electric motor to pump out 510 horsepower; all-wheel drive is standard here as well. We’ve luxuriated in the S-class sedan and put our test equipment on every model, all of which have delivered impressive acceleration. At our test track, the six-cylinder S500 hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, the plug-in-hybrid S580e did it in 4.2, and the V-8–powered S580 managed a 3.9-second time. While every S-class rides on an air suspension, the optional E-Active Body Control has a “curve” function” that subtly leans the car into corners. The S-class can also be equipped with an all-wheel steering system that makes the big-bodied Merc surprisingly easy to maneuver in tight spaces.

Jessica Lynn Walker|Car and Driver

Range, Charging, and Battery Life

The EPA estimates the S580e’s electric range should be 46 miles, giving it a lengthy head start before its inline-six engine awakens. However, during our range test, it managed 58 miles, which as of 2023, is 14 miles more than any PHEV we’ve previously tested. A 9.6-kW onboard charger is standard and is good enough for charging its 22.7-kWh battery at home, but if you’re hoping to quickly juice the battery on a public charger, you should order the optional 60-kW DC charger.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The six-cylinder S500 is rated at 21 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. Stepping up to the V-8-powered S580 drops those estimates to 16 mpg city and 25 highway. We’ve tested the latter on our 75-mph fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, where it achieved 32 mpg on the highway beating its EPA estimate by nearly 10 mpg. Meanwhile, the S580e plug-in hybrid managed 36 mpg during that same test, after its battery was depleted. For more information about the S-class’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

Inside, the S-class prioritizes screens. Lots of them. The sedan is available with up to five, including a giant center touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. The latter works in concert with other technology to create a three-dimensional effect, but—thankfully—it can be turned off if you’d prefer the screens to have a conventional appearance. There’s also an enhanced head-up display that will show navigation directions in augmented reality. Arrows move and turn in real-time to supposedly better assist the driver. The build quality and cabin materials live up to Mercedes’ upscale standards, and the sedan provides limousine-like accommodations for all passengers, specifically those riding in the back. The new model’s rear-seat area offers slightly increased headroom and legroom, and it can also be equipped with power-adjustable reclining seats that have massage functions and extensive heating elements. Along with being physically coddled, those in the back should be mentally entertained by the optional rear-seat entertainment system that adds two 11.6-inch screens on the front seatbacks as well as the interactive LED interior lighting.

Infotainment and Connectivity

A cutting-edge infotainment system has become a hallmark of modern luxury cars, and Mercedes makes good on that with its latest and greatest interface. The sedan’s center stack is dominated by a huge 12.8-inch OLED touchscreen that sits portrait-style, but it doesn’t come with any sort of touchpad or rotary controller. What it does come with is an enhanced version of Mercedes’ MBUX software that features improved voice-command functions and smartphone-esque capability, including facial recognition and fingerprint scanning. Of course, popular staples such as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and wireless charging are standard. It looks great and has many features but is complicated with multiple screen touches required to access some of the functions. The S-class sedan also has a standard Burmester 3D sound system, but a more powerful Burmester 4D stereo is available, too.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Every four-door S-class comes with an array of standard driver-assistance technology, including the ability to park itself and even take preventative measures to protect passengers when it detects an imminent collision. The sedan is also available with innovative features that include rear-seat airbags and an active suspension that will lift the car to reduce the severity of damage during a collision. For more information about the S-class’s crash test results, visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) websites. Key safety features include:

• Standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking
• Standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist
• Standard adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

Mercedes has surprisingly mediocre warranty coverage compared with the protection that’s offered by some other luxury brands. For example, Genesis offers a significantly longer limited and powertrain warranty. BMW and Jaguar also have some of the best complimentary maintenance in the biz.

• The limited warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
• The powertrain warranty covers four years or 50,000 miles
• No complimentary scheduled maintenance