This Car Sucks: A W223 Review
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 3,360
Likes: 1,526
From: Washington DC
No more MB:(
I find it funny that people think unless you own the car you can't have an opinion or have no right to comment, this is a car forum. If someone can't get past the looks, design, or feel it doesn't really matter. Some of us have owned enough S class cars and/or Mercedes products to be able to offer a worthy opinion or editorial. There is a reason some of us don't own the car, we can't get past certain elements. This is a discretionary buy, hence mixed reviews and rightfully so.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 737
Likes: 188
2021 S500 (Mojave Silver), MB S400 (wife), BMW 750Li (passed on to kids)
I find it funny that people think unless you own the car you can't have an opinion or have no right to comment, this is a car forum. If someone can't get past the looks, design, or feel it doesn't really matter. Some of us have owned enough S class cars and/or Mercedes products to be able to offer a worthy opinion or editorial. There is a reason some of us don't own the car, we can't get past certain elements. This is a discretionary buy, hence mixed reviews and rightfully so.
Not sure how you came to that conclusion,,, now THAT’S funny. What was your logic??
Would love to know how you deduced that from my last two posts.
FYI, I was only curious to know how many of the posts were from owners and non-owners. PERIOD.
As for my last post, I was merely responding to ALFAitalia’s statement “I would expect none of them,,,”
(take a chill pill man)
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 3,360
Likes: 1,526
From: Washington DC
No more MB:(
LOL. “Funny?” You know what I find “funny?” That, from my statement, you wrongly assumed I thought one can’t have an opinion unless you own one.
Not sure how you came to that conclusion,,, now THAT’S funny. What was your logic??
Would love to know how you deduced that from my last two posts.
FYI, I was only curious to know how many of the posts were from owners and non-owners. PERIOD.
As for my last post, I was merely responding to ALFAitalia’s statement “I would expect none of them,,,”
(take a chill pill man)
Not sure how you came to that conclusion,,, now THAT’S funny. What was your logic??
Would love to know how you deduced that from my last two posts.
FYI, I was only curious to know how many of the posts were from owners and non-owners. PERIOD.
As for my last post, I was merely responding to ALFAitalia’s statement “I would expect none of them,,,”
(take a chill pill man)
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 5
Likes: 3
2022 GLE 450 & 1999 CLK320
This Car Sucks: A W223 Review
Disclaimer #1: Before you rightfully admonish me for buying a vehicle with which I (will) clearly show my discontent, note that this vehicle purchase was for business purposes to join a fleet of luxury sedans and SUVs that we offer to our clients as part of a limousine service. An S-class is pretty much a necessity for any company here in NYC that serves certain clientele, including global CEO’s, dignitaries, etc. It is considered the “premium” sedan option for decades so most companies have at least one in their fleet- us included.
Disclaimer #2: I consider myself very much “tech-savvy.” I am in my early 30’s and enjoy improvements in technology and cool-factor or even gimmicky tech.
Where to Begin?
I guess I could start my rant with the specs on the car:
2021 S580 Luxury Line
040 Black
Sienna Brown Interior with Black Slate Poplar Wood Trim
Warmth and Comfort Package
20-inch Y-Spoke wheels with Hankook Ventus tires (255’s)
*Not missing anything- Have the front multi contour seats + the active ambient lighting (but I would have rather had the credit; will explain below)
I purchased the car from MB Southampton in Long Island, NY. I got a couple of grand off MSRP and competitive financing terms. These guys were all a pleasure to work with and I appreciated their straightforwardness and willingness to get a deal done. I recommend them for anyone who is still determined to still buy this car.
Like most forum members, this was not my first S-class purchase. I’ve owned a W140, W220, both W221’s, and both W222’s. Every generation, the S gets a little better and better. The shift from the W221 to the W222 as many of you would recall was epic. The W222 was fresh, beautiful, and packed with amazing and useful technology. The W223 not so much.
First Impression
The W223 looks longer and slender than the W222. The fact that the fenders are no longer flared gives it an elongated and Maybach-ish look. Otherwise, the good looks top there. There isn’t a single angle looking at the car that I find appealing. The rear looks like a honda. The front nose treatment is ugly. The chrome lines are tacky. I used to only buy sport package/AMG line variants but opted out this time around despite one in inventory because it was not worth the premium. The AMG Line on the W223 makes it look like a blown-up C class. Also, what's up with the 20” wheels on the AMG Line? They literally brought back the 2014-2017 W222 sports package 20” wheels- talk about lazy.
Mercedes must have gotten the memo that the ride on the S-class (probably mostly due to the harsh runflat tires) was not very compliant so these guys apparently got to work overhauling the suspension. However, they overdid it. The car drives like a boat- I feel like I am back in a Town Car Signature L that we used to have in our fleet. I noticed this with BMW with the 2016+ 7-Series too; manufacturers are making the suspensions much softer however the roll and bounce on these cars are much more pronounced. Driving down the highway I feel like I am maneuvering a massive heavy brick on with tons of body roll. You really feel the weight of the car. Yes, acceleration is silky smooth and it's pretty quick and I am sure this will please a lot of buyers, but previous S-classes were comfortable but also agile when driving a bit aggressively.
The seats are fairly comfortable, however, the front seat headrests when missing the pillows are very hard and firm; minimal padding. The Sienna Brown looks ok in some lighting but most times looks very orange- not very luxurious. Someone in a different thread said it best when noting it looks just like a Spalding basketball.
The Good
To be fair, I do want to list the good stuff. First and most noticeably, the car is dead quiet. I mean silent at all speeds. The insulation is fantastic, although I feel that there is a slight gap in the A-pillar since I hear a faint bit of noise.
The fit and finish is pretty good- there are no gaps in the body lines or interior trim.
The base sound system is fantastic.
The high beam assist function is very impressive- works great and the lights open up in a way similar to theater curtains being drawn.
The steering is light and making sharp turns is easy and quick.
The new steering wheel is good-looking; I like the all-around wood and leather steering rim. Very similar to the 2007-2013 Escalades.
The trunk space seems to be a little larger.
And Now, The Bad
The car has a ton of unsorted electric gremlins. Let's list a few:
- The pop-out door handles don’t always pop out; sometimes you have to get back inside the car through an open window and hit “unlock” on the door to make them pop out again. When they do pop out, the movement is not very linear and it seems as if a screw is loose on the mechanism. Also, sort of difficult to operate them when pulling. It has a type of actuator that pushes the door open when you pull on the handle with a bit of pressure however the amount of pressure required to pull varies; sometimes its light and easy sometimes you have to nudge it pretty hard.
- If you roll a rear side blind, it won't come back up unless you crack open and close the adjacent window
- Driver-side headlamp sometimes flickers as if there is a strobe built-in
- Wipers sometimes stop midway and if you turn on the windshield washing "Magic Vision" function it keeps releasing washer fluid while the wiper remains stuck on a 90-degree angle
- Main center screen sometimes freezes or won't turn on at all
- The sunroof opener (touch) is very difficult to operate and I often found myself opening the roof when I just wanted to close the overhead roller blind
- I keep getting an Active Ambient Light Inoperative Error (so just give me the credit instead please)
- The rear headrest raise and lower function from the center screen does not work at all.
- Random, somewhat frequent error messages related to distronic, sensors, etc etc etc. They all go away after a vehicle shutdown and restart.
- Trunk handless kick function to open not working.
The lock and unlock buttons on the door are quite small and you have to hit it just right.
The seat adjuster controls are awkward to use and you have to put considerable pressure on them to make them operate.
No more power headlamp washers.
No more rear vanity mirrors.
Less leather in the cabin and more carpeting (center tunnel).
Cheap plastics used on steering stalks.
If you don’t press the heated or cooled seat button just right, you end up turning both on.
The center screen attracts a lot of dust and fingerprint marks.
The front headrests do not have any side adjustment function like prior S's. Just a flat hard surface.
The pillows both in the front and rear tend to sag. Also, if you cruise with the windows down any unoccupied seat will result in the pillows flopping around from the wind because it only has one strap attaching it to the headrest.
No more front seat bottom compartments (although I recall they did away with these again 2018+).
The driver seat lower side cover clicks every time I get in and feels like it's about to fall off.
The center screen interface is not intuitive and annoying to operate. Hard to find important menus or options to toggle on or off. Good Luck finding the music sound adjustment settings.
You always have to look down to do anything. Can’t even increase fan speed without taking eyes of the road.
Doesn’t this car have gesture control like the BMW 7-Series? If so I cant find it or how to operate it.
The rear seats are not as comfortable as previous gen’s; they are in an awkward seating position especially in the recline setting.
Despite my best efforts, I cannot permanently turn off the traffic light view popup that comes on everytime you are stopped at a red light. I just want to go about my business changing the radio station or whatever and not have to X out of the popup everytime. We get enough popups on our phones and computers. And also, the concept is pretty dumb. Why would I need the cam to come on the center screen when I ermm can just look up at the light? Do MB engineers think we just stay with our heads down the whole time at a traffic light? Even if that were the case, you can't do anything with the screen when that popup is open.
The brake pedal has some sort of modulating function that you have to get used to. Every now and then while driving it will adjust the pressure needed to stop. It never has a consistent feel to it.
When cruising in stop-and-go traffic with Distronic on, I had situations where someone came into my lane right in front of me at a safe distance and the car would go into full about-to-get-into-an-accident mode and brake on it's own very short. This is not only jarring but pretty dangerous with the risk of a car behind you slamming into you.
When parked curbside, the car has some weird function where it won't let you maneuver out more than a few miles per hour. A warning comes on the main screen saying something like "speed severely limited" and you have to X out of it each time if you want to drive normally. I can't find a way to turn this off without totally turning off the brake assist function.
The steering buttons are not intuitive at all. It's actually pretty hard to manage the touch functions if you want to skip a track, raise or lower the volume, etc. God forbid there is a bit of finger grease on it; then it just won't work at all.
The driver dash readout is a small screen with a thick bezel. There are a ton of icons on it which makes reading anything sort of difficult. Also, what happened to the temperature gauge- seems it's gone for good.
Nothing seems properly integrated. There is no real flow to the car.
The ambient lighting is cool for like 2 minutes. Then it reminds me of the triple axle custom escalade stretch limousines we used to operate for proms; RGB lighting everywhere. Cool for kids not so much for grown adults.
If you don't opt for the Exclusive seating option, the dashboard leather is not the same as the seats. It's not nappa and the grain is more pronounced. It doesn't match well with the rest of the vehicle. I suspect most will not get the exclusive because it's not as well packaged as it used to be on the W222 and not much value in it save for the Alcantara headliner, a little more leather on the door panels, leather overhead handles, and the additional wood trim on the front seatbacks.
What is up with the options packing arrangement? So unless I get the Executive Line I can't have rear climate controls and must settle for a strange-looking open rectangular compartment, making the car look cheap? Rear climate controls are pretty much standard on most "luxury" cars but I guess not on a new S-class?
Side gripe: Those "AMG" embossed carpets on the Sportline versions look very distasteful and tacky. Reminds me of what BMW did with the M-package cars; "M" everywhere. At least with the BMW you get an upgraded exhaust and the M package is only a few grand more.
Final Thoughts
Yes, ofcourse this is a nice car but from what it could have been it sucks very much and not worth the price. Is it better than previous gens? No way. Are there any legitimate improvements? I think so in some aspects (lighting, seat comfort, cabin sound level) but not at a lot. I believe Mercedes dropped the ball on this car big time. I think they just assumed that there would be buyers anyhow and that they could half-*** it which is what I sincerely believe they did here. My rant above is just me frustrated with a brand and model that I used to love and dream about since I was a kid. Is the S class on its dying legs? I'm afraid so because this model is a disaster.
All thoughts welcome.
Disclaimer #1: Before you rightfully admonish me for buying a vehicle with which I (will) clearly show my discontent, note that this vehicle purchase was for business purposes to join a fleet of luxury sedans and SUVs that we offer to our clients as part of a limousine service. An S-class is pretty much a necessity for any company here in NYC that serves certain clientele, including global CEO’s, dignitaries, etc. It is considered the “premium” sedan option for decades so most companies have at least one in their fleet- us included.
Disclaimer #2: I consider myself very much “tech-savvy.” I am in my early 30’s and enjoy improvements in technology and cool-factor or even gimmicky tech.
Where to Begin?
I guess I could start my rant with the specs on the car:
2021 S580 Luxury Line
040 Black
Sienna Brown Interior with Black Slate Poplar Wood Trim
Warmth and Comfort Package
20-inch Y-Spoke wheels with Hankook Ventus tires (255’s)
*Not missing anything- Have the front multi contour seats + the active ambient lighting (but I would have rather had the credit; will explain below)
I purchased the car from MB Southampton in Long Island, NY. I got a couple of grand off MSRP and competitive financing terms. These guys were all a pleasure to work with and I appreciated their straightforwardness and willingness to get a deal done. I recommend them for anyone who is still determined to still buy this car.
Like most forum members, this was not my first S-class purchase. I’ve owned a W140, W220, both W221’s, and both W222’s. Every generation, the S gets a little better and better. The shift from the W221 to the W222 as many of you would recall was epic. The W222 was fresh, beautiful, and packed with amazing and useful technology. The W223 not so much.
First Impression
The W223 looks longer and slender than the W222. The fact that the fenders are no longer flared gives it an elongated and Maybach-ish look. Otherwise, the good looks top there. There isn’t a single angle looking at the car that I find appealing. The rear looks like a honda. The front nose treatment is ugly. The chrome lines are tacky. I used to only buy sport package/AMG line variants but opted out this time around despite one in inventory because it was not worth the premium. The AMG Line on the W223 makes it look like a blown-up C class. Also, what's up with the 20” wheels on the AMG Line? They literally brought back the 2014-2017 W222 sports package 20” wheels- talk about lazy.
Mercedes must have gotten the memo that the ride on the S-class (probably mostly due to the harsh runflat tires) was not very compliant so these guys apparently got to work overhauling the suspension. However, they overdid it. The car drives like a boat- I feel like I am back in a Town Car Signature L that we used to have in our fleet. I noticed this with BMW with the 2016+ 7-Series too; manufacturers are making the suspensions much softer however the roll and bounce on these cars are much more pronounced. Driving down the highway I feel like I am maneuvering a massive heavy brick on with tons of body roll. You really feel the weight of the car. Yes, acceleration is silky smooth and it's pretty quick and I am sure this will please a lot of buyers, but previous S-classes were comfortable but also agile when driving a bit aggressively.
The seats are fairly comfortable, however, the front seat headrests when missing the pillows are very hard and firm; minimal padding. The Sienna Brown looks ok in some lighting but most times looks very orange- not very luxurious. Someone in a different thread said it best when noting it looks just like a Spalding basketball.
The Good
To be fair, I do want to list the good stuff. First and most noticeably, the car is dead quiet. I mean silent at all speeds. The insulation is fantastic, although I feel that there is a slight gap in the A-pillar since I hear a faint bit of noise.
The fit and finish is pretty good- there are no gaps in the body lines or interior trim.
The base sound system is fantastic.
The high beam assist function is very impressive- works great and the lights open up in a way similar to theater curtains being drawn.
The steering is light and making sharp turns is easy and quick.
The new steering wheel is good-looking; I like the all-around wood and leather steering rim. Very similar to the 2007-2013 Escalades.
The trunk space seems to be a little larger.
And Now, The Bad
The car has a ton of unsorted electric gremlins. Let's list a few:
- The pop-out door handles don’t always pop out; sometimes you have to get back inside the car through an open window and hit “unlock” on the door to make them pop out again. When they do pop out, the movement is not very linear and it seems as if a screw is loose on the mechanism. Also, sort of difficult to operate them when pulling. It has a type of actuator that pushes the door open when you pull on the handle with a bit of pressure however the amount of pressure required to pull varies; sometimes its light and easy sometimes you have to nudge it pretty hard.
- If you roll a rear side blind, it won't come back up unless you crack open and close the adjacent window
- Driver-side headlamp sometimes flickers as if there is a strobe built-in
- Wipers sometimes stop midway and if you turn on the windshield washing "Magic Vision" function it keeps releasing washer fluid while the wiper remains stuck on a 90-degree angle
- Main center screen sometimes freezes or won't turn on at all
- The sunroof opener (touch) is very difficult to operate and I often found myself opening the roof when I just wanted to close the overhead roller blind
- I keep getting an Active Ambient Light Inoperative Error (so just give me the credit instead please)
- The rear headrest raise and lower function from the center screen does not work at all.
- Random, somewhat frequent error messages related to distronic, sensors, etc etc etc. They all go away after a vehicle shutdown and restart.
- Trunk handless kick function to open not working.
The lock and unlock buttons on the door are quite small and you have to hit it just right.
The seat adjuster controls are awkward to use and you have to put considerable pressure on them to make them operate.
No more power headlamp washers.
No more rear vanity mirrors.
Less leather in the cabin and more carpeting (center tunnel).
Cheap plastics used on steering stalks.
If you don’t press the heated or cooled seat button just right, you end up turning both on.
The center screen attracts a lot of dust and fingerprint marks.
The front headrests do not have any side adjustment function like prior S's. Just a flat hard surface.
The pillows both in the front and rear tend to sag. Also, if you cruise with the windows down any unoccupied seat will result in the pillows flopping around from the wind because it only has one strap attaching it to the headrest.
No more front seat bottom compartments (although I recall they did away with these again 2018+).
The driver seat lower side cover clicks every time I get in and feels like it's about to fall off.
The center screen interface is not intuitive and annoying to operate. Hard to find important menus or options to toggle on or off. Good Luck finding the music sound adjustment settings.
You always have to look down to do anything. Can’t even increase fan speed without taking eyes of the road.
Doesn’t this car have gesture control like the BMW 7-Series? If so I cant find it or how to operate it.
The rear seats are not as comfortable as previous gen’s; they are in an awkward seating position especially in the recline setting.
Despite my best efforts, I cannot permanently turn off the traffic light view popup that comes on everytime you are stopped at a red light. I just want to go about my business changing the radio station or whatever and not have to X out of the popup everytime. We get enough popups on our phones and computers. And also, the concept is pretty dumb. Why would I need the cam to come on the center screen when I ermm can just look up at the light? Do MB engineers think we just stay with our heads down the whole time at a traffic light? Even if that were the case, you can't do anything with the screen when that popup is open.
The brake pedal has some sort of modulating function that you have to get used to. Every now and then while driving it will adjust the pressure needed to stop. It never has a consistent feel to it.
When cruising in stop-and-go traffic with Distronic on, I had situations where someone came into my lane right in front of me at a safe distance and the car would go into full about-to-get-into-an-accident mode and brake on it's own very short. This is not only jarring but pretty dangerous with the risk of a car behind you slamming into you.
When parked curbside, the car has some weird function where it won't let you maneuver out more than a few miles per hour. A warning comes on the main screen saying something like "speed severely limited" and you have to X out of it each time if you want to drive normally. I can't find a way to turn this off without totally turning off the brake assist function.
The steering buttons are not intuitive at all. It's actually pretty hard to manage the touch functions if you want to skip a track, raise or lower the volume, etc. God forbid there is a bit of finger grease on it; then it just won't work at all.
The driver dash readout is a small screen with a thick bezel. There are a ton of icons on it which makes reading anything sort of difficult. Also, what happened to the temperature gauge- seems it's gone for good.
Nothing seems properly integrated. There is no real flow to the car.
The ambient lighting is cool for like 2 minutes. Then it reminds me of the triple axle custom escalade stretch limousines we used to operate for proms; RGB lighting everywhere. Cool for kids not so much for grown adults.
If you don't opt for the Exclusive seating option, the dashboard leather is not the same as the seats. It's not nappa and the grain is more pronounced. It doesn't match well with the rest of the vehicle. I suspect most will not get the exclusive because it's not as well packaged as it used to be on the W222 and not much value in it save for the Alcantara headliner, a little more leather on the door panels, leather overhead handles, and the additional wood trim on the front seatbacks.
What is up with the options packing arrangement? So unless I get the Executive Line I can't have rear climate controls and must settle for a strange-looking open rectangular compartment, making the car look cheap? Rear climate controls are pretty much standard on most "luxury" cars but I guess not on a new S-class?
Side gripe: Those "AMG" embossed carpets on the Sportline versions look very distasteful and tacky. Reminds me of what BMW did with the M-package cars; "M" everywhere. At least with the BMW you get an upgraded exhaust and the M package is only a few grand more.
Final Thoughts
Yes, ofcourse this is a nice car but from what it could have been it sucks very much and not worth the price. Is it better than previous gens? No way. Are there any legitimate improvements? I think so in some aspects (lighting, seat comfort, cabin sound level) but not at a lot. I believe Mercedes dropped the ball on this car big time. I think they just assumed that there would be buyers anyhow and that they could half-*** it which is what I sincerely believe they did here. My rant above is just me frustrated with a brand and model that I used to love and dream about since I was a kid. Is the S class on its dying legs? I'm afraid so because this model is a disaster.
All thoughts welcome.
You sound like me!
I’ve owned a number of MBs and newest upgrade 2022 is beyond frustrating - handles beautifully and
while the fundamentals don’t change- the seat adjustment on 2022 is still in same spot it is on my 1999 clk
but the “electric gremlins” is no joke!
the interface is so confusing and yes dangerous to operate while driving
hey Mercedes and I do not get along - I don’t speak the specific Mercedes’ tech language I guess -
and I have no clue if I have intuitive gestures and people must think I’m kicking the s*** out of my car, with my arms full of packages standing in parking lots trying I get the hands free trunk kick thing to activate
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,350
Likes: 493
From: Birmingham, AL
2019 S560, 2022 Audi S8
This Car Sucks: A W223 Review
Disclaimer #1: Before you rightfully admonish me for buying a vehicle with which I (will) clearly show my discontent, note that this vehicle purchase was for business purposes to join a fleet of luxury sedans and SUVs that we offer to our clients as part of a limousine service. An S-class is pretty much a necessity for any company here in NYC that serves certain clientele, including global CEO’s, dignitaries, etc. It is considered the “premium” sedan option for decades so most companies have at least one in their fleet- us included.
Disclaimer #2: I consider myself very much “tech-savvy.” I am in my early 30’s and enjoy improvements in technology and cool-factor or even gimmicky tech.
Where to Begin?
I guess I could start my rant with the specs on the car:
2021 S580 Luxury Line
040 Black
Sienna Brown Interior with Black Slate Poplar Wood Trim
Warmth and Comfort Package
20-inch Y-Spoke wheels with Hankook Ventus tires (255’s)
*Not missing anything- Have the front multi contour seats + the active ambient lighting (but I would have rather had the credit; will explain below)
I purchased the car from MB Southampton in Long Island, NY. I got a couple of grand off MSRP and competitive financing terms. These guys were all a pleasure to work with and I appreciated their straightforwardness and willingness to get a deal done. I recommend them for anyone who is still determined to still buy this car.
Like most forum members, this was not my first S-class purchase. I’ve owned a W140, W220, both W221’s, and both W222’s. Every generation, the S gets a little better and better. The shift from the W221 to the W222 as many of you would recall was epic. The W222 was fresh, beautiful, and packed with amazing and useful technology. The W223 not so much.
First Impression
The W223 looks longer and slender than the W222. The fact that the fenders are no longer flared gives it an elongated and Maybach-ish look. Otherwise, the good looks top there. There isn’t a single angle looking at the car that I find appealing. The rear looks like a honda. The front nose treatment is ugly. The chrome lines are tacky. I used to only buy sport package/AMG line variants but opted out this time around despite one in inventory because it was not worth the premium. The AMG Line on the W223 makes it look like a blown-up C class. Also, what's up with the 20” wheels on the AMG Line? They literally brought back the 2014-2017 W222 sports package 20” wheels- talk about lazy.
Mercedes must have gotten the memo that the ride on the S-class (probably mostly due to the harsh runflat tires) was not very compliant so these guys apparently got to work overhauling the suspension. However, they overdid it. The car drives like a boat- I feel like I am back in a Town Car Signature L that we used to have in our fleet. I noticed this with BMW with the 2016+ 7-Series too; manufacturers are making the suspensions much softer however the roll and bounce on these cars are much more pronounced. Driving down the highway I feel like I am maneuvering a massive heavy brick on with tons of body roll. You really feel the weight of the car. Yes, acceleration is silky smooth and it's pretty quick and I am sure this will please a lot of buyers, but previous S-classes were comfortable but also agile when driving a bit aggressively.
The seats are fairly comfortable, however, the front seat headrests when missing the pillows are very hard and firm; minimal padding. The Sienna Brown looks ok in some lighting but most times looks very orange- not very luxurious. Someone in a different thread said it best when noting it looks just like a Spalding basketball.
The Good
To be fair, I do want to list the good stuff. First and most noticeably, the car is dead quiet. I mean silent at all speeds. The insulation is fantastic, although I feel that there is a slight gap in the A-pillar since I hear a faint bit of noise.
The fit and finish is pretty good- there are no gaps in the body lines or interior trim.
The base sound system is fantastic.
The high beam assist function is very impressive- works great and the lights open up in a way similar to theater curtains being drawn.
The steering is light and making sharp turns is easy and quick.
The new steering wheel is good-looking; I like the all-around wood and leather steering rim. Very similar to the 2007-2013 Escalades.
The trunk space seems to be a little larger.
And Now, The Bad
The car has a ton of unsorted electric gremlins. Let's list a few:
- The pop-out door handles don’t always pop out; sometimes you have to get back inside the car through an open window and hit “unlock” on the door to make them pop out again. When they do pop out, the movement is not very linear and it seems as if a screw is loose on the mechanism. Also, sort of difficult to operate them when pulling. It has a type of actuator that pushes the door open when you pull on the handle with a bit of pressure however the amount of pressure required to pull varies; sometimes its light and easy sometimes you have to nudge it pretty hard.
- If you roll a rear side blind, it won't come back up unless you crack open and close the adjacent window
- Driver-side headlamp sometimes flickers as if there is a strobe built-in
- Wipers sometimes stop midway and if you turn on the windshield washing "Magic Vision" function it keeps releasing washer fluid while the wiper remains stuck on a 90-degree angle
- Main center screen sometimes freezes or won't turn on at all
- The sunroof opener (touch) is very difficult to operate and I often found myself opening the roof when I just wanted to close the overhead roller blind
- I keep getting an Active Ambient Light Inoperative Error (so just give me the credit instead please)
- The rear headrest raise and lower function from the center screen does not work at all.
- Random, somewhat frequent error messages related to distronic, sensors, etc etc etc. They all go away after a vehicle shutdown and restart.
- Trunk handless kick function to open not working.
The lock and unlock buttons on the door are quite small and you have to hit it just right.
The seat adjuster controls are awkward to use and you have to put considerable pressure on them to make them operate.
No more power headlamp washers.
No more rear vanity mirrors.
Less leather in the cabin and more carpeting (center tunnel).
Cheap plastics used on steering stalks.
If you don’t press the heated or cooled seat button just right, you end up turning both on.
The center screen attracts a lot of dust and fingerprint marks.
The front headrests do not have any side adjustment function like prior S's. Just a flat hard surface.
The pillows both in the front and rear tend to sag. Also, if you cruise with the windows down any unoccupied seat will result in the pillows flopping around from the wind because it only has one strap attaching it to the headrest.
No more front seat bottom compartments (although I recall they did away with these again 2018+).
The driver seat lower side cover clicks every time I get in and feels like it's about to fall off.
The center screen interface is not intuitive and annoying to operate. Hard to find important menus or options to toggle on or off. Good Luck finding the music sound adjustment settings.
You always have to look down to do anything. Can’t even increase fan speed without taking eyes of the road.
Doesn’t this car have gesture control like the BMW 7-Series? If so I cant find it or how to operate it.
The rear seats are not as comfortable as previous gen’s; they are in an awkward seating position especially in the recline setting.
Despite my best efforts, I cannot permanently turn off the traffic light view popup that comes on everytime you are stopped at a red light. I just want to go about my business changing the radio station or whatever and not have to X out of the popup everytime. We get enough popups on our phones and computers. And also, the concept is pretty dumb. Why would I need the cam to come on the center screen when I ermm can just look up at the light? Do MB engineers think we just stay with our heads down the whole time at a traffic light? Even if that were the case, you can't do anything with the screen when that popup is open.
The brake pedal has some sort of modulating function that you have to get used to. Every now and then while driving it will adjust the pressure needed to stop. It never has a consistent feel to it.
When cruising in stop-and-go traffic with Distronic on, I had situations where someone came into my lane right in front of me at a safe distance and the car would go into full about-to-get-into-an-accident mode and brake on it's own very short. This is not only jarring but pretty dangerous with the risk of a car behind you slamming into you.
When parked curbside, the car has some weird function where it won't let you maneuver out more than a few miles per hour. A warning comes on the main screen saying something like "speed severely limited" and you have to X out of it each time if you want to drive normally. I can't find a way to turn this off without totally turning off the brake assist function.
The steering buttons are not intuitive at all. It's actually pretty hard to manage the touch functions if you want to skip a track, raise or lower the volume, etc. God forbid there is a bit of finger grease on it; then it just won't work at all.
The driver dash readout is a small screen with a thick bezel. There are a ton of icons on it which makes reading anything sort of difficult. Also, what happened to the temperature gauge- seems it's gone for good.
Nothing seems properly integrated. There is no real flow to the car.
The ambient lighting is cool for like 2 minutes. Then it reminds me of the triple axle custom escalade stretch limousines we used to operate for proms; RGB lighting everywhere. Cool for kids not so much for grown adults.
If you don't opt for the Exclusive seating option, the dashboard leather is not the same as the seats. It's not nappa and the grain is more pronounced. It doesn't match well with the rest of the vehicle. I suspect most will not get the exclusive because it's not as well packaged as it used to be on the W222 and not much value in it save for the Alcantara headliner, a little more leather on the door panels, leather overhead handles, and the additional wood trim on the front seatbacks.
What is up with the options packing arrangement? So unless I get the Executive Line I can't have rear climate controls and must settle for a strange-looking open rectangular compartment, making the car look cheap? Rear climate controls are pretty much standard on most "luxury" cars but I guess not on a new S-class?
Side gripe: Those "AMG" embossed carpets on the Sportline versions look very distasteful and tacky. Reminds me of what BMW did with the M-package cars; "M" everywhere. At least with the BMW you get an upgraded exhaust and the M package is only a few grand more.
Final Thoughts
Yes, ofcourse this is a nice car but from what it could have been it sucks very much and not worth the price. Is it better than previous gens? No way. Are there any legitimate improvements? I think so in some aspects (lighting, seat comfort, cabin sound level) but not at a lot. I believe Mercedes dropped the ball on this car big time. I think they just assumed that there would be buyers anyhow and that they could half-*** it which is what I sincerely believe they did here. My rant above is just me frustrated with a brand and model that I used to love and dream about since I was a kid. Is the S class on its dying legs? I'm afraid so because this model is a disaster.
All thoughts welcome.
Disclaimer #1: Before you rightfully admonish me for buying a vehicle with which I (will) clearly show my discontent, note that this vehicle purchase was for business purposes to join a fleet of luxury sedans and SUVs that we offer to our clients as part of a limousine service. An S-class is pretty much a necessity for any company here in NYC that serves certain clientele, including global CEO’s, dignitaries, etc. It is considered the “premium” sedan option for decades so most companies have at least one in their fleet- us included.
Disclaimer #2: I consider myself very much “tech-savvy.” I am in my early 30’s and enjoy improvements in technology and cool-factor or even gimmicky tech.
Where to Begin?
I guess I could start my rant with the specs on the car:
2021 S580 Luxury Line
040 Black
Sienna Brown Interior with Black Slate Poplar Wood Trim
Warmth and Comfort Package
20-inch Y-Spoke wheels with Hankook Ventus tires (255’s)
*Not missing anything- Have the front multi contour seats + the active ambient lighting (but I would have rather had the credit; will explain below)
I purchased the car from MB Southampton in Long Island, NY. I got a couple of grand off MSRP and competitive financing terms. These guys were all a pleasure to work with and I appreciated their straightforwardness and willingness to get a deal done. I recommend them for anyone who is still determined to still buy this car.
Like most forum members, this was not my first S-class purchase. I’ve owned a W140, W220, both W221’s, and both W222’s. Every generation, the S gets a little better and better. The shift from the W221 to the W222 as many of you would recall was epic. The W222 was fresh, beautiful, and packed with amazing and useful technology. The W223 not so much.
First Impression
The W223 looks longer and slender than the W222. The fact that the fenders are no longer flared gives it an elongated and Maybach-ish look. Otherwise, the good looks top there. There isn’t a single angle looking at the car that I find appealing. The rear looks like a honda. The front nose treatment is ugly. The chrome lines are tacky. I used to only buy sport package/AMG line variants but opted out this time around despite one in inventory because it was not worth the premium. The AMG Line on the W223 makes it look like a blown-up C class. Also, what's up with the 20” wheels on the AMG Line? They literally brought back the 2014-2017 W222 sports package 20” wheels- talk about lazy.
Mercedes must have gotten the memo that the ride on the S-class (probably mostly due to the harsh runflat tires) was not very compliant so these guys apparently got to work overhauling the suspension. However, they overdid it. The car drives like a boat- I feel like I am back in a Town Car Signature L that we used to have in our fleet. I noticed this with BMW with the 2016+ 7-Series too; manufacturers are making the suspensions much softer however the roll and bounce on these cars are much more pronounced. Driving down the highway I feel like I am maneuvering a massive heavy brick on with tons of body roll. You really feel the weight of the car. Yes, acceleration is silky smooth and it's pretty quick and I am sure this will please a lot of buyers, but previous S-classes were comfortable but also agile when driving a bit aggressively.
The seats are fairly comfortable, however, the front seat headrests when missing the pillows are very hard and firm; minimal padding. The Sienna Brown looks ok in some lighting but most times looks very orange- not very luxurious. Someone in a different thread said it best when noting it looks just like a Spalding basketball.
The Good
To be fair, I do want to list the good stuff. First and most noticeably, the car is dead quiet. I mean silent at all speeds. The insulation is fantastic, although I feel that there is a slight gap in the A-pillar since I hear a faint bit of noise.
The fit and finish is pretty good- there are no gaps in the body lines or interior trim.
The base sound system is fantastic.
The high beam assist function is very impressive- works great and the lights open up in a way similar to theater curtains being drawn.
The steering is light and making sharp turns is easy and quick.
The new steering wheel is good-looking; I like the all-around wood and leather steering rim. Very similar to the 2007-2013 Escalades.
The trunk space seems to be a little larger.
And Now, The Bad
The car has a ton of unsorted electric gremlins. Let's list a few:
- The pop-out door handles don’t always pop out; sometimes you have to get back inside the car through an open window and hit “unlock” on the door to make them pop out again. When they do pop out, the movement is not very linear and it seems as if a screw is loose on the mechanism. Also, sort of difficult to operate them when pulling. It has a type of actuator that pushes the door open when you pull on the handle with a bit of pressure however the amount of pressure required to pull varies; sometimes its light and easy sometimes you have to nudge it pretty hard.
- If you roll a rear side blind, it won't come back up unless you crack open and close the adjacent window
- Driver-side headlamp sometimes flickers as if there is a strobe built-in
- Wipers sometimes stop midway and if you turn on the windshield washing "Magic Vision" function it keeps releasing washer fluid while the wiper remains stuck on a 90-degree angle
- Main center screen sometimes freezes or won't turn on at all
- The sunroof opener (touch) is very difficult to operate and I often found myself opening the roof when I just wanted to close the overhead roller blind
- I keep getting an Active Ambient Light Inoperative Error (so just give me the credit instead please)
- The rear headrest raise and lower function from the center screen does not work at all.
- Random, somewhat frequent error messages related to distronic, sensors, etc etc etc. They all go away after a vehicle shutdown and restart.
- Trunk handless kick function to open not working.
The lock and unlock buttons on the door are quite small and you have to hit it just right.
The seat adjuster controls are awkward to use and you have to put considerable pressure on them to make them operate.
No more power headlamp washers.
No more rear vanity mirrors.
Less leather in the cabin and more carpeting (center tunnel).
Cheap plastics used on steering stalks.
If you don’t press the heated or cooled seat button just right, you end up turning both on.
The center screen attracts a lot of dust and fingerprint marks.
The front headrests do not have any side adjustment function like prior S's. Just a flat hard surface.
The pillows both in the front and rear tend to sag. Also, if you cruise with the windows down any unoccupied seat will result in the pillows flopping around from the wind because it only has one strap attaching it to the headrest.
No more front seat bottom compartments (although I recall they did away with these again 2018+).
The driver seat lower side cover clicks every time I get in and feels like it's about to fall off.
The center screen interface is not intuitive and annoying to operate. Hard to find important menus or options to toggle on or off. Good Luck finding the music sound adjustment settings.
You always have to look down to do anything. Can’t even increase fan speed without taking eyes of the road.
Doesn’t this car have gesture control like the BMW 7-Series? If so I cant find it or how to operate it.
The rear seats are not as comfortable as previous gen’s; they are in an awkward seating position especially in the recline setting.
Despite my best efforts, I cannot permanently turn off the traffic light view popup that comes on everytime you are stopped at a red light. I just want to go about my business changing the radio station or whatever and not have to X out of the popup everytime. We get enough popups on our phones and computers. And also, the concept is pretty dumb. Why would I need the cam to come on the center screen when I ermm can just look up at the light? Do MB engineers think we just stay with our heads down the whole time at a traffic light? Even if that were the case, you can't do anything with the screen when that popup is open.
The brake pedal has some sort of modulating function that you have to get used to. Every now and then while driving it will adjust the pressure needed to stop. It never has a consistent feel to it.
When cruising in stop-and-go traffic with Distronic on, I had situations where someone came into my lane right in front of me at a safe distance and the car would go into full about-to-get-into-an-accident mode and brake on it's own very short. This is not only jarring but pretty dangerous with the risk of a car behind you slamming into you.
When parked curbside, the car has some weird function where it won't let you maneuver out more than a few miles per hour. A warning comes on the main screen saying something like "speed severely limited" and you have to X out of it each time if you want to drive normally. I can't find a way to turn this off without totally turning off the brake assist function.
The steering buttons are not intuitive at all. It's actually pretty hard to manage the touch functions if you want to skip a track, raise or lower the volume, etc. God forbid there is a bit of finger grease on it; then it just won't work at all.
The driver dash readout is a small screen with a thick bezel. There are a ton of icons on it which makes reading anything sort of difficult. Also, what happened to the temperature gauge- seems it's gone for good.
Nothing seems properly integrated. There is no real flow to the car.
The ambient lighting is cool for like 2 minutes. Then it reminds me of the triple axle custom escalade stretch limousines we used to operate for proms; RGB lighting everywhere. Cool for kids not so much for grown adults.
If you don't opt for the Exclusive seating option, the dashboard leather is not the same as the seats. It's not nappa and the grain is more pronounced. It doesn't match well with the rest of the vehicle. I suspect most will not get the exclusive because it's not as well packaged as it used to be on the W222 and not much value in it save for the Alcantara headliner, a little more leather on the door panels, leather overhead handles, and the additional wood trim on the front seatbacks.
What is up with the options packing arrangement? So unless I get the Executive Line I can't have rear climate controls and must settle for a strange-looking open rectangular compartment, making the car look cheap? Rear climate controls are pretty much standard on most "luxury" cars but I guess not on a new S-class?
Side gripe: Those "AMG" embossed carpets on the Sportline versions look very distasteful and tacky. Reminds me of what BMW did with the M-package cars; "M" everywhere. At least with the BMW you get an upgraded exhaust and the M package is only a few grand more.
Final Thoughts
Yes, ofcourse this is a nice car but from what it could have been it sucks very much and not worth the price. Is it better than previous gens? No way. Are there any legitimate improvements? I think so in some aspects (lighting, seat comfort, cabin sound level) but not at a lot. I believe Mercedes dropped the ball on this car big time. I think they just assumed that there would be buyers anyhow and that they could half-*** it which is what I sincerely believe they did here. My rant above is just me frustrated with a brand and model that I used to love and dream about since I was a kid. Is the S class on its dying legs? I'm afraid so because this model is a disaster.
All thoughts welcome.
Below is a "thought" from one of the members on here that says our opinions and our past experiences with brand loyalty and brand expectations should be ignored, and in fact, our thoughts on this drag down the forward progression for MB and we should be discarded as valid consumers of future MB products!
Just read below the insulting comment I received from a "progressive".
100% understand the position. i also tend to look at this from a different angle: your years of model loyalty is not an indicator of where the brand should or will go. to be blunt, your opinions of what the brand should maintain as definitions of integrity, technology, leader of xyz is clearly not what the brand agrees with...and further bluntly POVs like yours are not going to continue to growth/strengthen the brand.
instead of looking at this model as the first gen that you've not sought, i tend to look at it as the first gen to drop the old(er) gen audiences and moving onto the next.
hate to say it, but from MBs perspective, who gives a bloody f*ck what old gen customers like u think? the tastes and perceptions of luxury, integrity, leader of xyz no longer pertain to those that have been stated by you or others like you.
instead of looking at this model as the first gen that you've not sought, i tend to look at it as the first gen to drop the old(er) gen audiences and moving onto the next.
hate to say it, but from MBs perspective, who gives a bloody f*ck what old gen customers like u think? the tastes and perceptions of luxury, integrity, leader of xyz no longer pertain to those that have been stated by you or others like you.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 9,062
Likes: 4,565
From: Maryland
2024 S580
Thats ridiculous. A brand stands for something, or they stand for nothing. With Mercedes you have one of the world's great brands, and that brand means something that transcends time and generations.
You want to see a brand that has abandoned the things that defined their brand? Look at Lexus. Lexus today bears no resemblance to Lexus of 20 years ago, and the result is they sell a bunch of warmed over FWD Toyota rebadges to mainstream consumers who don't care, and all of their core customers (including me) are gone. Thats why Lexus will never be one of the world's great brands.
Mercedes can design the car of the future without abandoning who they are.
You want to see a brand that has abandoned the things that defined their brand? Look at Lexus. Lexus today bears no resemblance to Lexus of 20 years ago, and the result is they sell a bunch of warmed over FWD Toyota rebadges to mainstream consumers who don't care, and all of their core customers (including me) are gone. Thats why Lexus will never be one of the world's great brands.
Mercedes can design the car of the future without abandoning who they are.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,350
Likes: 493
From: Birmingham, AL
2019 S560, 2022 Audi S8
Thats ridiculous. A brand stands for something, or they stand for nothing. With Mercedes you have one of the world's great brands, and that brand means something that transcends time and generations.
You want to see a brand that has abandoned the things that defined their brand? Look at Lexus. Lexus today bears no resemblance to Lexus of 20 years ago, and the result is they sell a bunch of warmed over FWD Toyota rebadges to mainstream consumers who don't care, and all of their core customers (including me) are gone. Thats why Lexus will never be one of the world's great brands.
Mercedes can design the car of the future without abandoning who they are.
You want to see a brand that has abandoned the things that defined their brand? Look at Lexus. Lexus today bears no resemblance to Lexus of 20 years ago, and the result is they sell a bunch of warmed over FWD Toyota rebadges to mainstream consumers who don't care, and all of their core customers (including me) are gone. Thats why Lexus will never be one of the world's great brands.
Mercedes can design the car of the future without abandoning who they are.
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 17
Likes: 14
From: Queensland Gold Coast
GLE63S, F8 Ferrari current, Urus,X5m, E63s,911 Turbo., E63s
I have to say my new S580 which i have had now for 6 weeks and absolutely love the car.. Sure it took a bit of time to get on top of everything but now drive with complete ease and use voice activate all the time its fantastic. And there are short cut voice messaging for basics as well. Music louder, next track, etc etc..
This has to be the best luxury car i have ever driven and just so smooth and easy to drive. Just spend time on your own in the car setting it all up. It is impossible for this car to disappoint sorry.!!
This has to be the best luxury car i have ever driven and just so smooth and easy to drive. Just spend time on your own in the car setting it all up. It is impossible for this car to disappoint sorry.!!
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 893
Likes: 397
From: Hong Kong, China
2021 S450 4Matic
I have to say my new S580 which i have had now for 6 weeks and absolutely love the car.. Sure it took a bit of time to get on top of everything but now drive with complete ease and use voice activate all the time its fantastic. And there are short cut voice messaging for basics as well. Music louder, next track, etc etc..
This has to be the best luxury car i have ever driven and just so smooth and easy to drive. Just spend time on your own in the car setting it all up. It is impossible for this car to disappoint sorry.!!
This has to be the best luxury car i have ever driven and just so smooth and easy to drive. Just spend time on your own in the car setting it all up. It is impossible for this car to disappoint sorry.!!
The 3 biggest 'complaints' since day 1 turn out to be 'solved' by my better understanding of the car.
1. Active Brake Assist was too aggresive.
It got triggered 3 times driving around town within the first several months. Super annoying and potentially dangerous too, needless to say.
Solved by adjusting the sensitivity from 'medium(default)' to
2. Door handles do not extend about 10% of the time.
Turns out that 10% is by design (!). Door handles do not extend if I walk away and return while the FOB is within detection range all the time.
3. Door handles do not retract consistently
Turns out slight press/touch of the square (rather than swiping) is the proper method.
Anyway, despite I am happy, I have bought extended warranty. :-)
Last edited by bishop64; May 18, 2022 at 07:30 AM. Reason: terminology corrected
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 737
Likes: 188
2021 S500 (Mojave Silver), MB S400 (wife), BMW 750Li (passed on to kids)
I have mine for about 9 months now.
The 3 biggest 'complaints' since day 1 turn out to be 'solved' by my better understanding of the car.
1. Active Brake Assist was too aggresive.
It got triggered 3 times driving around town within the first several months. Super annoying and potentially dangerous too, needless to say.
Solved by adjusting the sensitivity from 'medium(default)' to 'long' to suit my driving style/environment.
The 3 biggest 'complaints' since day 1 turn out to be 'solved' by my better understanding of the car.
1. Active Brake Assist was too aggresive.
It got triggered 3 times driving around town within the first several months. Super annoying and potentially dangerous too, needless to say.
Solved by adjusting the sensitivity from 'medium(default)' to 'long' to suit my driving style/environment.
Also agree it can be potentially dangerous.
My biggest concern is being rear ended when car suddenly breaks!!!
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2021
Posts: 893
Likes: 397
From: Hong Kong, China
2021 S450 4Matic
Totally agree with this point. Happens every once in a while. First time it happened scared the sh*t out of me! It lets out the most hair raising sound that Im sure people outside vehicle can even hear! Thought I definitely hit something.
Also agree it can be potentially dangerous.
My biggest concern is being rear ended when car suddenly breaks!!!
Also agree it can be potentially dangerous.
My biggest concern is being rear ended when car suddenly breaks!!!
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 435
Likes: 129
From: nova scotia
2025 e 450
Totally agree with this point. Happens every once in a while. First time it happened scared the sh*t out of me! It lets out the most hair raising sound that Im sure people outside vehicle can even hear! Thought I definitely hit something.
Also agree it can be potentially dangerous.
My biggest concern is being rear ended when car suddenly breaks!!!
Also agree it can be potentially dangerous.
My biggest concern is being rear ended when car suddenly breaks!!!
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 45
Likes: 24
'22 S580 - Manufaktur grey magno/Carmine red nappa; '20 GLS450 - black/black
Some of these are legit, and yes, a bit disappointing. But a lot of these are either someone needs to show you how to use the car or I don’t experience that on mine at all. I’m not going to list which is which, because this is such a long post. But there’s a lot of biased negativity and overindulgence in here, so I wouldn’t take this review as gospel by any means.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 302
Likes: 102
997.2TTS
Some of these are legit, and yes, a bit disappointing. But a lot of these are either someone needs to show you how to use the car or I don’t experience that on mine at all. I’m not going to list which is which, because this is such a long post. But there’s a lot of biased negativity and overindulgence in here, so I wouldn’t take this review as gospel by any means.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,975
Likes: 1,343
From: Cincinnati
2010 E350 4Matic
I find your review on this model very helpful and accurate. I've been a fan of Mercedes Benz vehicles since I was 6 years old when my parents sat me inside a 1968 S class sized car. These cars have always seemed to have a soul to them.
Below is a "thought" from one of the members on here that says our opinions and our past experiences with brand loyalty and brand expectations should be ignored, and in fact, our thoughts on this drag down the forward progression for MB and we should be discarded as valid consumers of future MB products!
Just read below the insulting comment I received from a "progressive".
Below is a "thought" from one of the members on here that says our opinions and our past experiences with brand loyalty and brand expectations should be ignored, and in fact, our thoughts on this drag down the forward progression for MB and we should be discarded as valid consumers of future MB products!
Just read below the insulting comment I received from a "progressive".
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 302
Likes: 102
997.2TTS
this isn't a matter of wrong vs right, cuz these are obviously all subjectivity.
that being said, MB's evolving their definitions of brand, luxury, tech, premium, etc towards those that are different from many of those who have clearly held their nostalgic views close to heart (as described by a few here about daddy's car yada yada).
if ur in disagreement with these new definitions that the brand is steadfastly moving toward, by all means disagree and exit left... MB will not lose a wink just cuz ur no longer going to buy the brand after having done so for the past 40-50yrs. thanks for your business to date, see ya!
time and sales (and repeat sales) will only tell.
but I'm willing to bet the S class reputation will continue to thrive, grow and lead, whilst those opposing opinions here will wane and die away, literally!
lastly, whilst the opposing opinions of the sanctity of brand have been loud on this thread and forum, I'm further willing to bet that that voice is merely a peep in the entire owner universe of this current model... and that that audience very strongly feels that the S is still all those things that the small opposing population is lamenting about losing.
Last edited by tonupbklyn; May 19, 2022 at 02:49 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 9,062
Likes: 4,565
From: Maryland
2024 S580
my counter on this topic is that MB does in fact stand for something... but clearly not for the same things as those who hold opinions like this.
this isn't a matter of wrong vs right, cuz these are obviously all subjectivity.
that being said, MB's evolving their definitions of brand, luxury, tech, premium, etc towards those that are different from many of those who have clearly held their nostalgic views close to heart (as described by a few here about daddy's car yada yada).
this isn't a matter of wrong vs right, cuz these are obviously all subjectivity.
that being said, MB's evolving their definitions of brand, luxury, tech, premium, etc towards those that are different from many of those who have clearly held their nostalgic views close to heart (as described by a few here about daddy's car yada yada).
When the time comes and my lease is up on my W222, if I can get into a W223 for some reasonable amount more than my W222 (which currently is not possible) then I would absolutely get a W223.
Mercedes can be true to what they have always stood for AND develop a new modern interpretation of the S Class. Abandoning what makes a Mercedes a Mercedes is not smart.
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 302
Likes: 102
997.2TTS
all good!
i for one believe this model exemplifies your statement... it does both. clearly others disagree.
however, the further point I'm making is that much of the gripes are "oh why did they mess with a perfectly fine working door handle! MB has gone to ****!" or "so much technology... and i can't figure it out...MB has gone too ****!" and so on.
really??! cuz i bet far more of the total universe of owners in fact love all these things, and actually know how to use them, AND believe these characteristics define the future luxury, premium, class, tech, leadership, etc... the def of S class.
again... some here clearly don't agree with this new interpretation. your opinions are fair and respected.
but to assume they are absolute and true just by sheer fact that one has owned the model for 40yrs or cuz of nostalgia of parents past... please.
sorry... but at least by the opposing arguments vs where MB is headed with S, the former does not appear to represent said interpretations (any longer).
Last edited by tonupbklyn; May 19, 2022 at 06:09 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 4,975
Likes: 1,343
From: Cincinnati
2010 E350 4Matic
no, no...@SW20S i didn't mean u specifically, my bad for that miscomm...i was generalizing the sentiment across this thread and others like it where others have "threatened" leaving the brand and/or that the w222 being their last one cuz they're oh so disappointed with this new release.
all good!
this is a great point, as well as my argument of the subjective divide demonstrated by the discussions here.
i for one believe this model exemplifies your statement... it does both. clearly others disagree.
however, the further point I'm making is that much of the gripes are "oh why did they mess with a perfectly fine working door handle! MB has gone to ****!" or "so much technology... and i can't figure it out...MB has gone too ****!" and so on.
really??! cuz i bet far more of the total universe of owners in fact love all these things, and actually know how to use them, AND believe these characteristics define the future luxury, premium, class, tech, leadership, etc... the def of S class.
again... some here clearly don't agree with this new interpretation. your opinions are fair and respected.
but to assume they are absolute and true just by sheer fact that one has owned the model for 40yrs or cuz of nostalgia of parents past... please.
sorry... but at least by the opposing arguments vs where MB is headed with S, the former does not appear to represent said interpretations (any longer).
all good!
this is a great point, as well as my argument of the subjective divide demonstrated by the discussions here.
i for one believe this model exemplifies your statement... it does both. clearly others disagree.
however, the further point I'm making is that much of the gripes are "oh why did they mess with a perfectly fine working door handle! MB has gone to ****!" or "so much technology... and i can't figure it out...MB has gone too ****!" and so on.
really??! cuz i bet far more of the total universe of owners in fact love all these things, and actually know how to use them, AND believe these characteristics define the future luxury, premium, class, tech, leadership, etc... the def of S class.
again... some here clearly don't agree with this new interpretation. your opinions are fair and respected.
but to assume they are absolute and true just by sheer fact that one has owned the model for 40yrs or cuz of nostalgia of parents past... please.
sorry... but at least by the opposing arguments vs where MB is headed with S, the former does not appear to represent said interpretations (any longer).
ok, ok..u got me there, lol!!
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2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
