stever500

So so sad... The interior is even worse than I thought it would be and the exterior is boring looking with awful door handles. So sad for MB... watch this review and read ALL the comments and tell, me, seriously, would you want this car for all the money it would cost? It seems like most of the "upgrades" and changes on this car are for the worse. Thomas is obviously not a fan of many of the changes for the and most every single person that commented on the car disliked it. This is not what a car company wants potential buyers to think about their new model. I'm so glad I got my 2018 with it's 10 year/100,000 warranty. I'll need it to last the rest of my life now (I'm 59). What the H was MB thinking by doing this to "our" S Class?




Sample comments: "Where have Mercedes designers been in the last 10 years? Seriously, capacitive buttons and lots of black piano trim? Haven't they learned with other manufacturer's mistakes?"

"This S-class lacks class 😄"

"that interior is a giant NO. This is the first S class I've seen where I actually hate the interior. It's like Mercedes took all the worst aspects of modern interior design and crammed it all into one space. Capacative touch, piano black, no physical buttons, screens not integrated into the dashboard, infinite distractions. It's truly awful."

"For that money, I'm expecting a Mercedes Benz, not a Tesla looking interior."

"This feels like it's 5 steps back for Merc. The bigger issue is whatever Merc does, the auto industry will follow within a year or two."

"Very ugly interior , the dash is just a nightmare."

"That instrument display looks way out of place. Like someone just attached a tablet behind the steering wheel. And that central console looks like a fingerprint magnet with that large screen and piano black all around it. I dont like it at all, buttons were much better."

"The interior has gone back from the previous generation. The rear looks like a bigger version of a Mercedes A sedan which is not a good thing."

"The interior integration of the 4 large displays is awkward. Their protruding surfaces are incongruent with the esthetic of the space. The older model seems nicer."

"Oh no.... what a disappointment. A large CLA from the outside and a cheap looking interior. Even the A class looks more luxurious."

"Mercedes copying Tesla what has the world come to"

"I respect that you are not afraid to point out thing you dont like, a lot of moto journalists will only say praises as to not make MB angry"

"I would really examine the knowledge of the current design department at Daimler. Have they ever seen the previous S class models? seriously, how can you possibly see those cars and end up with such a stupid interior design. Now, I hate Tesla more! the idea of using a big display in the purpose of money-saving in the cars was established by them. damn stupid."

"First S-Class that has nothing to give to automotive industry."

"Man is this car fugly! The interior is a disaster!.What have they been thinking?"

"That disgusting screen with thick corners right across from the wearer and that trough with the head-up display looks really bad. If I were to buy a car in this class, I would definitely buy an A8 or maybe Bmw.."

"Overall looks like crap."

"Lots of problems on the way with those door handles"

"The exterior ,especially the face,there is no big boss feeling,and the interior is so terrible for a S-class,full of screens,just like a cheap car!"

"No thanks, I'll just buy a 2014 S class for $35,000."

"The rear lights look like a 2017 Camry."

"I am very dissapointed by this new S class. I own Mercedes E class from 2016 with AMG package and I like my interior more than this S class. HAHA "

"Horrific over engineered interior to my taste. All these edgy fascias. Brrr. They lost it. You have to be a computer nerd to operate this thing."

"hey ruined the S class 🙄"

"amazing interview as usual BUT this car...i dont know i dont like backlights and also interior is not that great "

"those flimsy handles iughh"

"That grill doesn’t go with those headlights"

"All touchscreen and capacitive buttons are just ABSOLUTELY outrageous to have in car. The cars went to **** nowadays. Capacitive buttons on steering wheel also? Are they out of their mind? How is someone supposed to press those buttons without looking at them?"

"The handle closes and crushes your fingers"

ajm0623

agreed. this is primarily why i bought the 2020. plus, for 2021, benzo took away the lunar (navy) blue paint in favour of only offering the grey-blue hue of anthracite. wtf? honestly. love me my new s560 with all the yumyums. the new technology of the 223 along with the minimalism of the interiour and a questionable exteriour look was all just a big no for me. plus early adopters get bent over as many of the optional advancements aren't even offered/available. so i'll watch in the coming years but in the meantime, i'll enjoy my new s with all the bugs worked out for years to come.

Mitch Alsup

Saves be a big chunk of change..........

C280 Sport

The W223 is the first S Class where I hated nearly everything about it. Never thought I would see the day. In defense I have not yet seen or touched or driven one in person yet so I will save my final comments for when that day comes just to be fair.

superswiss

I'm not sure how relevant the S Class still is at this point. Daimler is heavily banking on it to fund their EV R&D and not become irrelevant as a car company. We'll have to see if that turns out how they planned. The Daimler chairman recently presented Daimler's new strategy and their focus on wealthy people. Interesting presentation. I hate to point this out, but the sentiments towards the new S Class in this thread might be an age thing. This new S Class is primarily targeting new wealthy tech savvy younger folks who demand this level of technology and the Chinese market. These customers are defecting to companies such as Tesla. The video above completely fails to go into the advancements of the voice recognition. The S Class is the first production car that can isolate individual passenger voices and target the response to whom is speaking. So if a rear passenger says "Hey Mercedes, I'm cold" it turns up the temperature for the correct zone. Just as a simple example.

While I'm not the least bit interested in driving around in such a large barge, especially given that the USA is only gonna get the long wheelbase, the tech is gonna boil down to all other models and I have to say I kinda dig it. This is the first touchscreen implementation that has me interested, because of its focus on placement so that you can operate it w/o having to lean forward and take your eyes completely of the road. I have to try it for myself first, though. However, I'm a software engineer in my 40s, so nothing I see here really gives me second thoughts. Not the biggest fan of capacitive buttons and touch in a car, but I first have to experience this one in person before judging it. Not a fan of Thomas, either, but nothing personal towards him. He just comes at cars from a very different place than I do. Other younger more tech savvy reviewers have quite a different opinion about all this new technology in the S Class.

superangrypenguin

This is actually a very interesting topic. I have a 2019 A8 and am debating between (for another vehicle) a FS/Ghost or an S8, S 63, etc. I don't enjoy participating in fan boy posts on a rival forum board b/c everyone seems to be butthurt when their baby is called ugly so I will refrain from that.

All I wanted to state here is I am shocked at the W223 forum on MBW here because there's actually a subset of people who really love the W223 and I don't understand why. A S63 or Maybach W222 is a possibility for me but a 223? No thanks.

stever500

What's a FS/Ghost? I googled it together and separately, absolutely nothing came up, unless you're referring to the Rolls Royce Ghost? If so, what's the FS mean? And agreed about the new W223. I find superswiss's perspective on the car quite interesting as well. Thanks for your post.

superswiss

I think he means the Bentley Flying Spur and RR Ghost.

emilner

I think the exterior is a nice evolution and substantially better looking than the new E class. At first glance I didn't care for the new interior. I'm still unsure of it but that may be because I'm used to my 2015 and 2019 S. I will reserve judgement until I have spent time in it though. I hated the clown face steering wheel on the W222 when it first came out and somehow I managed to buy one (never did like the wheel though). The more I have seen it the more luxurious it looks but we shall see (perhaps seeing supercar blondies review of it may have defrosted things, man she sure is a guilty pleasure). The tech sure looks good- and that's an area where MB has been very much behind.

One thing is for sure though, starting a thread with "so obviously ruin" is very childish. It's a passive aggressive way of saying "disagree with me and you're an idiot". And there isn't a reviewer alive whose opinion I value so much that after a seeing quick review of something I would proclaim to the world NEVER!

hyperion667

places

Not a fan of the design language in general. The massive screen really dilutes the "luxury" feel and style. There is a saturation point with too much tech IMO. I have no interest in turning on the lights in my home though my car. That being said, it will probably be a magnificent car to drive, I will remain open minded until I see and drive one.

MBNUT1

This is the same old I hate the new one. Saw the same when the new W212 came out. I think that they sold plenty of them. After a period of time the new one will be what people think of an S Class and the old one will look dated, which is not to say that the old one is not a beautiful design but hell I still prefer the prefacelift headlights on the W222.

emilner

Agreed. The older I get the more I reserve judgment on cars until I've had time to digest them. Now people on the other hand I judge a whole lot faster these days

SW20S

Different people have different opinions. For instance I don't care for the A8, even though I do like how it drives but you do.

I like the exterior of the W223 fine, my issue really is only the tacked on instrument screen and the way they did the large screen in the center console. So the interface is my issue, which is similar to my issue with the A8.

Once we start seeing W223s on the road it will grow on us. I'm sure it drives great.

DABRONX

Wouldn't it make sense to actually see the car in person before having such a negative reaction.?? Pictures don't always portray what it looks like in reality. Wan to be disappointed go look at the new BMW's.

Honestly besides the tail lights show any non car or Mercedes person and it looks just like the W222 from all angles except the rear.

Big screen? Our cars already have two very large screens. It is not Tesla size but I think that is what everyone has in their heads.

Honestly I was shocked at how much looked the same. I hate tech but if the tech is as intuitive as they say it might not be an issue. I cant wait to see one i the flesh but in SOCAL there will be a $500 charge to look at it.

In 10 years the W222 will look like an antique.

2012 merc amg

Thats one reason I just bought a fully loaded 2018 plus a 4 year MB warrantee. I'll never get one of the newer ones, don't like them.

MTrauman

I think what the S Class does is skate where the puck is going. MB does a good job with leading in this area (ok Tesla maybe? Started something here). What really is going on is the auto industry is going to change significantly in the next 5 to 10 years based on the EU Euro 7 emission standards and CA stds of not being able to sell gas cars after 2035. Tech and electric will be the future of all cars. Not that I like this but the manufacturers are changing big time. GM took all its valuable people that helped develop the new 2020 C8 Corvette and moved them to the Electric division of GM to more quickly advance GM electrification. Just heard that almost 20% of all Cadillac dealers are being bought out by GM because they don’t want to spend $200,000 to upgrade Caddy dealerships for the coming of electrification. Those big “Tesla” screens are the wave of the future. I love my ‘19 S63. So we will see how the W223 S63e/S73e “look and feel” before I pass judgement but just MAYBE the S63 will be the last MB car I buy—love the car. And this is coming from someone that has been buying new S Class cars for atleast 25 years.

VKS400

223 is elegant, innovative and I'm sure will be a pure pleasure to drive. North Americans seem to have a completely different mentality about cars, clothing, food etc. somewhat lacking the taste. I love the 223.
Great thing in today's world is that there are plenty of options and everyone can pick what they really like.
Have a great weekend.

SW20S

I wouldn't say Americans are "lacking taste" I would say our tastes are different.

SW20S

The screens in our cars though are designed into the car, the interior of the W223 is designed around the screens. I just hate the whole stuck on screen look. I like a dashboard that has binnicles and such.

Mitch Alsup

Perhaps it is time to start restoring that 1964 Jaguar XKE.............

2012 merc amg

I think the 222 is the best S class ever made and maybe that ever will be made. Very happy with mine.

superangrypenguin

I could not disagree more. When the W222 came out the interior was too 'advanced' for me, but right away I thought to myself that it was one hell of a striking car that would age well. Also, we don't need to even extrapolate about the W223 '10' years later after the 224 comes out. Why?

The 221 has aged well. I still maintain the 220 is one of the best looking S classes out there.

From the moment I laid eyes on the W223 I was...unsure to "that's it?". Once I saw the interior I kvetched; however, the exterior is....just bland. I mean, don't get me wrong. The A8's exterior is also bland, but that's a design goal of the latter. The S class should scream presence, and the 223 has none, at least when compared to the 222/221.

hyperion667

One of the best things about the show "the crown" is all the old, beautiful Jaguars they show

places

"Lacking the taste"? Care to elaborate?