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I've been saving up to get a few year old S550 4Matic.
I test drove a 2012 and a 2013 S550 4Matic(they don't have any W222's in my area) and had some questions when comparing them against my current car which is a 2011 Toyota Avalon with a 3.5L non-turbo V6.
The ride and refinement quality was amazing and far superior to my Avalon. However on both cars I had to really dig into the gas pedal to get decent acceleration and the brakes felt underpowered and didn't hit until the pedal was pressed down a ways.
By contrast on my Avalon when I hit the gas the acceleration is powerful and right on the tip of the pedal and stays with it all the way through (it is a rocket). The brakes are very powerful and right there also.
I'm looking for feedback on how the W222 drives differently than the W221 with regards to acceleration and braking.
The 222 is better in every way. Butter ride, acceleration, and braking. Do not get a 221 if you can afford a 222. The interior is much nicer and features are far superior. End of story!
I am surprised at your assessment of vehicle acceleration. Per Road and Track, your Avalon does 0-60 in 6.8 seconds. Pre-facelift S550 W221 does it in about 5.4 seconds and the newer facelift models (including 2012 and 2013) with the standard turbo engine do it in about 4.6 seconds. These cars are extremely quiet which might explain why you think they do not accelerate very fast. You can find many vehicle test reports on the web which will also show that the stopping distance is among the best.
I noticed the same issue with Mercedes brakes. You have to really push down and keep pushing down to get the car to stop. It's just a Mercedes characteristic and one of the things I don't like about my car. I came from driving 4 different BMWs before I got my Merc and BMW does a much better job with brake pedal feel.
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I had a new 2013 S550. It was my first black car. It was stunningly beautiful, but looked like it needed to be washed a few hours after I just washed it. So, I got a 2015 S550 in Palladium Silver. The 2015, overall, is the better car. BUT, I truly miss the beauty of the 2013. I hate the standard Panorama Roof and lack of a spare wheel/tire on the 2015. IF I could order a brand new W221 or a brand new W222, in the color/options of my choice and WITH full warranty coverage, Id go for the W221. If my 2013 had not been black, I would probably still be driving it.
I had a new 2013 S550. It was my first black car. It was stunningly beautiful, but looked like it needed to be washed a few hours after I just washed it. So, I got a 2015 S550 in Palladium Silver. The 2015, overall, is the better car. BUT, I truly miss the beauty of the 2013.
I agree...Palladium Silver is a stunning color. It's what I have on my E550. I wish dealers wouldn't order so many black and designo white colored cars. Unfortunately, it looks like Palladium Silver is no longer offered on new cars. Mercedes is calling it "Selenite Gray" but it's slightly darker than Palladium Silver. I saw a 2017 Selenite Gray E300 on the road and it just didn't look as good as I thought it would. If I were getting a new Merc today my color choice would be Diamond Silver or Brilliant Blue (only on certain models).
Thanks for all the replies. I'm not sure what color has to do with driving characteristic though.
I'm aware of the different acceleration times. I was talking about driving "feel". I didn't know about eco mode at the time so I imagine it was in eco. The Avalon is really quiet so I'm not sure if that would be a difference.
The feel of the power not being there until you dig into it wouldn't effect the 0 to 60 speed. Same thing with the brakes.
When you floor the W221 I'm sure it would beat my Avalon as far as acceleration.
My old 2002 Avalon had brakes that felt like the W221 where you had to get on them but for emergency stopping I'm sure they were fine. They just don't have the grabby feel that my 2011 Avalon does.
Last edited by gypsyjoe11; Feb 1, 2017 at 03:39 PM.
I'm aware of the different acceleration times. I was talking about driving "feel". I didn't know about eco mode at the time so I imagine it was in eco. The Avalon is really quiet so I'm not sure if that would be a difference.
The feel of the power not being there until you dig into it wouldn't effect the 0 to 60 speed. Same thing with the brakes.
When you floor the W221 I'm sure it would beat my Avalon as far as acceleration.
My old 2002 Avalon had brakes that felt like the W221 where you had to get on them but for emergency stopping I'm sure they were fine. They just don't have the grabby feel that my 2011 Avalon does.
ECO mode is designed to feel like that in order to improve fuel economy. The pedal becomes less responsive in an effort to save fuel.
Keep in mind that ECO mode initiates the Auto Start/Stop engine. That means under certain circumstances the engine will shut off when you come to a stop, such as a red light. Some people find that annoying.
ECO mode also means the car starts out in 2nd gear, not 1st. That is why the acceleration may feel sluggish. When you put it in Sport mode you start out in 1st gear and the transmission holds higher RPMs before changing gears. That makes the car feel quicker and more responsive.
I had a new 2013 S550. It was my first black car. It was stunningly beautiful, but looked like it needed to be washed a few hours after I just washed it. So, I got a 2015 S550 in Palladium Silver. The 2015, overall, is the better car. BUT, I truly miss the beauty of the 2013. I hate the standard Panorama Roof and lack of a spare wheel/tire on the 2015. IF I could order a brand new W221 or a brand new W222, in the color/options of my choice and WITH full warranty coverage, Id go for the W221. If my 2013 had not been black, I would probably still be driving it.
I love my w221 and will always will. To me, it's one of the most proportioned Mercedes there is, and is just tough looking. It still has the most commanding presence on the road today, for a car not over $110k
I too LOVE the 2012/13 car. I was thinking of upgrading to a newer model W222 but after extensively looking, decided there's absolutely no compelling reason at all till my 10 year warranty is up in 4 more years. Then... I'll get a 2017 that's about 3 years old WITH an extended warranty of some sort. Plus, I like the wheels on the 2012 car
I'll just throw in my 2 cents for what it's worth. I drove both a w221 and w222 prior to purchase. I felt the w221 was underpowered, lacked low end torque, and the interior was far outdated. I personally felt the exterior was outdated as well and the fender flares reminded me of a GM car with too many panels.
The w222 is a far superior car in every way in my humble opinion, but remember it is just my opinion as all tastes are different.
Its not fair to compare the technology in the w222 to the w221. It is just much better. The first thing I noticed when I drove the w222 was how much faster it was and how much better it took off from a stop.
You should do a more extensive drive with more W222 and W221 samples. The 2012-13 models have the same engine and transmission as the W222. I don't use the sport mode very often because the first gear ratio is so short. If you make a turn from a dead stop, it can be a handful.
The advanced safety and driving aids in the W222 are the significant differences. The short comings of the W222 are the cost and absence of a spare tire.
You should do a more extensive drive with more W222 and W221 samples. The 2012-13 models have the same engine and transmission as the W222. I don't use the sport mode very often because the first gear ratio is so short. If you make a turn from a dead stop, it can be a handful.
The advanced safety and driving aids in the W222 are the significant differences. The short comings of the W222 are the cost and absence of a spare tire.
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I too LOVE the 2012/13 car. I was thinking of upgrading to a newer model W222 but after extensively looking, decided there's absolutely no compelling reason at all till my 10 year warranty is up in 4 more years. Then... I'll get a 2017 that's about 3 years old WITH an extended warranty of some sort. Plus, I like the wheels on the 2012 car
W222 is interior design is very disappointing. It's geared towards older generation.
I love the way w221 exterior looks, the w222 is definately a good looking car. More curved, leaning towards Asian design rather than agressive. But it still looks good. Now the inside.... clearly w222 has better tech, but it looks like they revived some retro, old people design from the 60s. I'm not a fan of it at all. The steering wheel the dash board....
I though I was going to buy S550 2014 but might choose 2013 S550 or 2014 cls instead. Maybe just go 750i and be done with it.
I love my w221 and will always will. To me, it's one of the most proportioned Mercedes there is, and is just tough looking. It still has the most commanding presence on the road today, for a car not over $110k
Well said. I totally agree. I miss my 221 and for some reason I just can't fall in love with my new 222 like I did with the 221. Mine was a 2007 S600 and it just drove so good and like you said, just looked aggressive.
The 222 is definitely growing on me. Especially the AMG body kit with 20" multi spokes. Then again I've been driving a C Class for the past year and a half so pretty much anything looks good to me now.
The 222 is definitely growing on me. Especially the AMG body kit with 20" multi spokes. Then again I've been driving a C Class for the past year and a half so pretty much anything looks good to me now.
Many times I've wondered if I could have selective amnesia, which car (the 221 or the 222) would I select as the most modern design. Selecting between the 222 and 221 in terms of exterior styling, I might make the mistake of thinking the 221 was the most up to date styling. Interior styling, most definitely the 222.
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Questions about W222 vs W221
