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2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
The 2018 W222 trunk space disappearing act.......
When I ordered my 2018 S560, my wife thought it would be nice to get one of the fancy Designo interiors. But I told her we couldn’t, as to get those interiors, you must also order the Executive Rear Seat Pkg., which we would never use and which would significantly cut down on our trunk space. So, I ordered the new car equipped EXACTLY as my 2015 S550, adding only the Comfort Box accessory. Here are photos of both window stickers.
Well, I looked the car over when it came in and took it for a test drive and everything seemed to be fine. I looked in the trunk, back seat area, in the glove box, etc. It’s basically a face lifted version of the car I have been driving for three years, equipped exactly the same, so other than the new electronics, what’s to look at, right?
I drove the car home and as I went to load my W221 compact spare in the trunk, I was shocked to see that the “tuck under” space at the front of the trunk had been closed off and that the trunk space had been significantly reduced. I couldn’t believe it. WTF HAPPENED? Here are photos of my spare in the 2015 and in the 2018. How disappointing. This huge, luxury saloon with ever decreasing trunk space and for no good reason that makes any sense to me. I’m sure that in their stubborn, tick-tock precision manner, the engineers in Germany have what they feel is a perfectly good reason for this downright THEFT of very usable trunk space, but here, in the real world, where real people actually use these cars, this is very upsetting. What’s next? No trunk at all?
I realize that this is my fault, for not SCRUTINIZING every square inch of this car before taking delivery and I’m not saying I wouldn’t probably have taken delivery anyway, but JEEZE! WTF will they do next?
Good observation. Could it be that the rear seats have more travel compared to 2015 that resulted in reduced trunk space? I can not think of any other reason. The difference seem to be huge though..
Welcome to my past month...making one nasty little discovery after another. They have lost their way back in Stuttgart. I wonder if they still do focus groups comprised of long time customers before they implement these changes or do they now believe they always know what's best for their customers. With the removal of the music register feature, i find it easier to plug an iPod into the USB port next to my phone rather than access my music files on the iPhone. There is such limited space now in the center console that its hard to fit the phone, an iPod, a pen, etc in there. I would always just use Pandora, but the Car Play integration is so poor i find myself looking at the steering wheel and screen controls far too long when driving.
And the glove box has been re-configured so your stuff wants to roll out into the trough and get crushed when you close it. So many odd things like this...Honestly, each time i took delivery of the next new MB, it was always a joy experiencing how things had improved. Not this 2018 S.
Looks like one will have to carry spare luggage in the back seat area or strap the spare tire on the roof Beverly Hillbillies style.
The problem is....if you are in love with MB you have to put up with these quirks or go elsewhere.
OMG, that's horrible. I take my car for golf quite a bit and my friends love my car for the cavernous trunk! I can fit a ton in it and bags. This is ridiculous. So much for wanting a 2018 with the refresh. This makes no sense. That isn't just a little, that's a lot.
14-17 S550- without optional audio system is 38" wide (narrowest). Height is 20" and depth is 33", this had the electric seats in the rear which uses 4-inches of depth). Therefore, by math:
38 x 20 x 37 = 28120 cu in or 28120 / 1728 = 16.3 cu ft - for models with electric rear seats.
(the w221 trunk is 19.8 cu ft which is huge) Question is, what's the w222 14-17 without rear electric seats? And what is the actual real volume of the 2018?
Also check out underneath that panel that lifts, it is really tiny underneath there now. On my 2015 I had to remove that lifting panel (two screws) in order to get my Tennis wheelchair to fit into the trunk. In the new 2018 models it would never fit. I guess if I'm going to do anything newer eventually it will be a certified 2017 S550 model in a couple of years and I'll stay clear of the 2018's and up models, getting the Tennis wheelchair in the trunk is a big deal for me. I think I'll be storing my 2015 model summers six months out of the year to keep the mileage down, I'll mostly be driving the AMG summer months anyhow. I'm already up to 43K miles on my 2015, it was 31K miles just 9 short months ago when I bought it certified, racking up too many miles on the car, this will help me drive the car longer.
There has to be something taking up all that space! More computer stuff, wiring, speakers , ???? This is really weird. Next thing you know, it will be as small as the trunk space of an SL
Maybe it’s the curve tilting functionality that is available with the 2018 “Magic body control “? . I think we should focus on what’s changed for 2018 that could be taking more space compared to 15 ,
theres got to be a logical explanation why the trunk space is reduced .
I heard emissions are getting much stricter in Europe this year, dunno if it has anything to do with emissions or what but it's just weird how much trunk space they lost in the 2018's. I was looking under that lift panel and it is tiny under there now, not to mention the amour of space lost on the sides and length, strange.
I heard emissions are getting much stricter in Europe this year, dunno if it has anything to do with emissions or what but it's just weird how much trunk space they lost in the 2018's. I was looking under that lift panel and it is tiny under there now, not to mention the amour of space lost on the sides and length, strange.
Too funny. I just bought my 2018 on Saturday and there is like no trunk at all! I had to laugh about it really, it's just insane. My 2012 had TONS of room in it but I still chose to buy it as the advantages outweigh the crazily, stupidly, small trunk.
In the end, they're 3rd world problems. Most people on the planet would kill to have our problems. The quality of our problems today. Just glad I don't have a large family that needs to store tons of stuff in the trunk. If I did, I would have reconsidered the car, but it's just me. Mr solo. Hans Solo. My friends that saw that car said that maybe it was Burmeister high end stereo crap back there killing the trunk size. Whatever it is, so what! I drive a tiny Porsche 911 so I figured out ways to carry less in my car, and I also backpack through the wilderness to get to state highpoints and in that I also learned to take less, live with less, have less.
For others though, this is a bad situation and they should buy another type of car for sure. I was SO close to buying a M760i BMW instead, as it was $14k less even, but the MB S63 called to me.
It sure looks like a big trunk from here, the outside of it!
Last edited by stever500; Feb 27, 2018 at 12:12 AM.
Too funny. I just bought my 2018 on Saturday and there is like no trunk at all! I had to laugh about it really, it's just insane. My 2012 had TONS of room in it but I still chose to buy it as the advantages outweigh the crazily, stupidly, small trunk.
Just glad I don't have a large family that needs to store tons of stuff in the trunk. If I did, I would have reconsidered the car, but it's just me. Mr solo. Hans Solo. My friends that saw that car said that maybe it was Burmeister high end stereo crap back there killing the trunk size. Whatever it is, so what! I drive a tiny Porsche 911 so I figured out ways to carry less in my car, and I also backpack through the wilderness to get to state highpoints and in that I also learned to take less, live with less, have less.
For others though, this is a bad situation and they should buy another type of car for sure. I was SO close to buying a M760i BMW instead, as it was $14k less even, but the MB S63 called to me.
It sure looks like a big trunk from here, the outside of it!
It's not just if you have a family, what if you golf? lol.
6,500 NEW parts for the 2018. I want a list of the REMOVED parts. Like the trunk.
2015 S550 Palladium/Deep Sea Blue, 2016 Tesla Model S 70D, 2015 Volvo XC70
Imo, chances are that this was done as a cost-cutting measure, somewhat standardizing the trunk construction regardless of whether the car has reclining rear seats, refrigerator, 3D sound, maybe even hybrid lithium battery. In car with none of those, there is going to be space between the trunk front wall and the seatbacks, sadly unusable.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by Jason B
I guess to fix this issue, you could just tow one of these behind you:
You know, if I am not mistaken, the trunk in the Maybach is exactly the same size as a regular W222, with all the options. The Maybach is a nice car and I think the proportions look even better than a regular S Class, BUT, as it sits right now, it is NOTHING more than an extended wheel base S560 or S600, which I feel was a mistake on MB's part. I understand that nicer paint jobs and classier interiors may be on the way, but for right now, it is the same exterior colors and same interiors as an S450. Survey says: BORING!
I guess to fix this issue, you could just tow one of these behind you:
Normally a Maybach has V12 Biturbo badging on the side (correct me if I'm wrong) but this one seems to have something else badged on the front fender. Does that say 4Matic? Can't make out what it says. If so, that's the first one I've seen with that on it.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Putting 4-Matic emblems on a car like the Maybach, IMO, is in poor taste. S550, S560, S600: OK. But denoting the drive system is not needed on a car the caliber of a Maybach. I really don’t see a need for it on regular W222 models either. It reminds me of “Twin Cam” on Saturns, “ABS” on Chevys and “Disc Brakes” on Cadillacs. It’s cheap promotion, something that MB should rise above, at least with the S Class and Maybach models.
2019 dealer order guide puts W222 trunk at 12.3 cu ft, compared to 13 cu ft for a Corolla, or 16.7 cu ft for a 2018 Accord.
Unreal! These cars have always, always been known to have a huge trunk. As far back as I can remember. The largest sedans in this segment are automatically known for a large trunk. It just blows my mind, and Mercedes really must be underestimating how many people want this, or golf or actually like a big trunk or the peace of mind to know they have it when they travel or go to home depot, etc.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by Jason B
Unreal! These cars have always, always been known to have a huge trunk. As far back as I can remember. The largest sedans in this segment are automatically known for a large trunk. It just blows my mind, and Mercedes really must be underestimating how many people want this, or golf or actually like a big trunk or the peace of mind to know they have it when they travel or go to home depot, etc.
Well put. I don't golf, but I'm not sure a set of clubs would easily fit in the trunk. I certainly cannot imagine two sets fitting in there.
You know, the big deal here, is the way MB makes you take options you don't want. I didn't want power rear seats, but to get the Exclusive Nappa interior or the Warmth & Comfort Pkg., they are required. Without the power rear seats, that "tuck under" area in the trunk is still there on the 2018's. The W222's are expensive cars. They are supposed to be one of the ultimate luxury cars. To me, true luxury is having something the way YOU want it. I can understand dealers not wanting to stock much of anything other than what most folks usually buy, but, when one is willing to place a factory order and wait for the car to come from Germany, why can't they build the car the way one wants it? Hell, I would have paid extra to NOT have the power rear seats and more trunk space. They could have gotten more money out of me for NOTHING! Don't even get me started on how much I would love fold down rear seats in my S, like they have available in the E Class sedans.
Last edited by Streamliner; Feb 28, 2018 at 03:58 PM.
Unreal! These cars have always, always been known to have a huge trunk. As far back as I can remember. The largest sedans in this segment are automatically known for a large trunk. It just blows my mind, and Mercedes really must be underestimating how many people want this, or golf or actually like a big trunk or the peace of mind to know they have it when they travel or go to home depot, etc.
I will have to disagree with this statement. I can't recall that S-Class models have ever been known for huge trunks. Trunks have been adequate in proportion, nothing more. Lesser MB models always had more practical trunks due to their split rear benches. We have had S-Class models starting with the W126 (actually even a W116 as a classic). Always had trouble loading suitcases or other larger items into the trunk.
What is different on the MY18 is that they appear to placed a fake rear wall when the space is not actually taken. Agreed, that is wasting space for no reason.
2015 S550 Palladium/Deep Sea Blue, 2016 Tesla Model S 70D, 2015 Volvo XC70
Originally Posted by Wolfman
What is different on the MY18 is that they appear to placed a fake rear wall when the space is not actually taken. Agreed, that is wasting space for no reason.
On the plus side, it might slightly reduce noise intrusion. But, I'd much rather have the extra space. For Costco runs or whatever.
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Could it be that the rear seats have more travel compared to 2015 that resulted in reduced trunk space? I can not think of any other reason. The difference seem to be huge though..
