Thoughts on S580e hybrid?
Yes,I’m seriously considering getting away from ICE cars and this would seem to be a good transition. I’ve looked at Taycan (uncomfortable especially ingress/egress), Tesla terrible build quality, Range Rover hybrid(will buy for wife), Bentley flying Spur hybrid (expensive and so so reviews), Porsche Cayenne Hybrid (not as comfortable as S class and so so reviews), haven’t really checked out Audi products, don’t like the look of the new 7.
I’m not worried about range anxiety as the car will mainly be used for city driving.
I would get the Mercedes.
No other PHEV’s I can think of looking at in my opinion. BMW just announced the 750e but its only good if you can get past the looks. I’ve seen two in Prague recently (one two-tone, the other Tanzanite with shadowline trim) and they are both just awful to look at, which is a shame because the interior is great.
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Last edited by E55Greasemonkey; May 24, 2023 at 11:00 PM.
The Best of Mercedes & AMG




Below is my original review. Let me know if you have more questions. The car is all about torque and relaxation. It is NOT a performance vehicle though it turns tight. It is a very heavy vehicle and that’s what I notice most about it during drives. The car expresses the statement: get the F out of my way very enthusiastically.
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review excerpt
“Now more specific to the S580e drive, it is whisper quiet until the engine kicks in. It whirrs into existence just like 48Volt cars, but it is far more noticeable. It’s not loud at all but there is a transition point you can feel. Knowing that the car is brand new and still learning my accelerator and braking patterns I’m expecting that be less noticeable and also myself getting used to it. Also I’m still trying to figure out what modes work best for me. Currently I’m keeping it in comfort mode and using the left paddle to drop the mode to D minus, which allows me to predominantly drive it like an EV (one pedal). However yesterday I encountered some road debris and wreckless trucks so I put the car in Sports mode (there is no sports +) and let’s just say I hit triple digits faster than I was expecting, blasting past that mess in a clean lane. The torque was awesome.
Now the brake. That’s borderline scary until you figure it out (and the car figures you out). It is set up for long pedal travel and there is inconsistency to it. The physical brakes are massive. They look like AMG brakes. The stopping power I’m certain is amazing but I’m still in the break in period. But fair warning, I was NOT expecting the braking input the way it is. Full disclosure, I’m used to high performance cars so this is different. As it stands right now, I feel safe, and each time I drive the car it starts to feel more natural. Still, beware the first time you drive this car!
Same goes with the transmission. Initial times I drove the car, I could feel a major downshift transition point while the car was doing Regen, Downshift and Braking all in the same period of time (split second). That has seemingly disappeared as the car has learned my inputs. I’m expecting this item to pop up again as I push the car a little more and the car relearns.
Now more “quirks and features” (Doug Demuro), when you open the gas full cap, there is a period of 2-3 seconds that have to elapse as the fuel tank depressurization occurs since the battery pack and fuel tank are close by. They are reinforced very well but this regulatory requirement is there. I got the onboard DC charging option so my EV flap is larger than the gas flap on the other side of the car. I’m using a home Tesla charger with a Tesla Tap Mini adapter and everything works great. At 80% charge I can get 50 miles with normal driving. It takes about 2 hrs in standard charge mode to go from 0 to 80%. I haven’t yet enabled the fast charge setting. On a DC fast charger supposedly that will be 7 minutes. However, the strange thing is, even when I get to zero percent battery, the car still is using its EV capability rather than relying totally on the engine. This leads me to believe that the power management in the car has plenty more reserve. As I’m still figure out the modes, the car starts in EL mode so I shift it over to Hybrid to reduce pure electric power consumption to make it last longer. This is helpful because when you’re idling with a normal car, you can enjoy this car sitting in traffic or waiting to pick up your kid from school without the engine running. Just makes for a pleasant experience. So does the 4D sound (hint: get it!!!)
This car is for someone who is interested in a daily driver, loves to relax from stressful work, and not looking to make this a performance car. It has plenty of power on reserve if you need it. It is NOT a good car for a limo driver because the trunk is severely reduced in size because of the battery. Overall I am extremely happy with this car and I have driven many different brands/types. It makes me genuinely happy, and my dealer was phenomenal start to finish.”
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Below is my original review. Let me know if you have more questions. The car is all about torque and relaxation. It is NOT a performance vehicle though it turns tight. It is a very heavy vehicle and that’s what I notice most about it during drives. The car expresses the statement: get the F out of my way very enthusiastically.
*******
review excerpt
“Now more specific to the S580e drive, it is whisper quiet until the engine kicks in. It whirrs into existence just like 48Volt cars, but it is far more noticeable. It’s not loud at all but there is a transition point you can feel. Knowing that the car is brand new and still learning my accelerator and braking patterns I’m expecting that be less noticeable and also myself getting used to it. Also I’m still trying to figure out what modes work best for me. Currently I’m keeping it in comfort mode and using the left paddle to drop the mode to D minus, which allows me to predominantly drive it like an EV (one pedal). However yesterday I encountered some road debris and wreckless trucks so I put the car in Sports mode (there is no sports +) and let’s just say I hit triple digits faster than I was expecting, blasting past that mess in a clean lane. The torque was awesome.
Now the brake. That’s borderline scary until you figure it out (and the car figures you out). It is set up for long pedal travel and there is inconsistency to it. The physical brakes are massive. They look like AMG brakes. The stopping power I’m certain is amazing but I’m still in the break in period. But fair warning, I was NOT expecting the braking input the way it is. Full disclosure, I’m used to high performance cars so this is different. As it stands right now, I feel safe, and each time I drive the car it starts to feel more natural. Still, beware the first time you drive this car!
Same goes with the transmission. Initial times I drove the car, I could feel a major downshift transition point while the car was doing Regen, Downshift and Braking all in the same period of time (split second). That has seemingly disappeared as the car has learned my inputs. I’m expecting this item to pop up again as I push the car a little more and the car relearns.
Now more “quirks and features” (Doug Demuro), when you open the gas full cap, there is a period of 2-3 seconds that have to elapse as the fuel tank depressurization occurs since the battery pack and fuel tank are close by. They are reinforced very well but this regulatory requirement is there. I got the onboard DC charging option so my EV flap is larger than the gas flap on the other side of the car. I’m using a home Tesla charger with a Tesla Tap Mini adapter and everything works great. At 80% charge I can get 50 miles with normal driving. It takes about 2 hrs in standard charge mode to go from 0 to 80%. I haven’t yet enabled the fast charge setting. On a DC fast charger supposedly that will be 7 minutes. However, the strange thing is, even when I get to zero percent battery, the car still is using its EV capability rather than relying totally on the engine. This leads me to believe that the power management in the car has plenty more reserve. As I’m still figure out the modes, the car starts in EL mode so I shift it over to Hybrid to reduce pure electric power consumption to make it last longer. This is helpful because when you’re idling with a normal car, you can enjoy this car sitting in traffic or waiting to pick up your kid from school without the engine running. Just makes for a pleasant experience. So does the 4D sound (hint: get it!!!)
This car is for someone who is interested in a daily driver, loves to relax from stressful work, and not looking to make this a performance car. It has plenty of power on reserve if you need it. It is NOT a good car for a limo driver because the trunk is severely reduced in size because of the battery. Overall I am extremely happy with this car and I have driven many different brands/types. It makes me genuinely happy, and my dealer was phenomenal start to finish.”
********
If you go in with different expectations you’re very likely to get upset with the purchase. Also if you use the engine in hybrid mode it seems tougher, if you use it “solo” it’s a very smooth inline 6.
I use it for work commute at different locations around town anywhere from 15 mins to 1 hour each way.
One strange thing I forgot to mention (which I like now), is the car on Hybrid Auto Mode (regen auto mode as well) uses traffic cues and terrain to select auto braking/coasting. I don’t know if the car got used to me, or the other way around but I like it. IF you want 100% control you CAN change it. I can see this feature being annoying to most people. Again, niche car for a niche buyer.
If you go in with different expectations you’re very likely to get upset with the purchase. Also if you use the engine in hybrid mode it seems tougher, if you use it “solo” it’s a very smooth inline 6.
I use it for work commute at different locations around town anywhere from 15 mins to 1 hour each way.
One strange thing I forgot to mention (which I like now), is the car on Hybrid Auto Mode (regen auto mode as well) uses traffic cues and terrain to select auto braking/coasting. I don’t know if the car got used to me, or the other way around but I like it. IF you want 100% control you CAN change it. I can see this feature being annoying to most people. Again, niche car for a niche buyer.
The S class was made for electric driving.I was surprised by how much smoother and quieter the S580e rode relative to the S580. And, yes, my test drives were on the exact same roads in similar driving conditions. My only gripe is that the car isn't fully electric, but, given my driving tendencies, I suspect that I'll rarely use the gas motor. Notably, my tester had the AMG package with 20 inch wheels. It's hard to imagine the car driving any smoother or the cabin being any quieter, but I nevertheless ordered my car with 19 inch rims and plan on pairing them with non-run flats.
If you haven't already, I strongly encourage you to test drive the S580e.
I am (was) worried about the S 63 E Performance mainly because of how negative the reviews were for the AMG GT 63 S E Performance and it's transition from ICE to electric was not smooth and ruined the driving experience (the words of the reviewers, and most of them had the same complaint).
Glad to hear they fixed it on their flagship, that said though, the E Performance is a whole different system altogether so it is more of a challenge for them to optimize and perfect that drivetrain. At the end of the day, glad to hear it is smooth on your S-Class and that it is treating you well.
Last edited by W205C43PFL; May 28, 2023 at 06:48 PM.
The S class was made for electric driving.I was surprised by how much smoother and quieter the S580e rode relative to the S580. And, yes, my test drives were on the exact same roads in similar driving conditions. My only gripe is that the car isn't fully electric, but, given my driving tendencies, I suspect that I'll rarely use the gas motor. Notably, my tester had the AMG package with 20 inch wheels. It's hard to imagine the car driving any smoother or the cabin being any quieter, but I nevertheless ordered my car with 19 inch rims and plan on pairing them with non-run flats.
If you haven't already, I strongly encourage you to test drive the S580e.
Congrats on your order and hope it gets to you soon.
And thanks! My dealer is confident that'l come in by end of October, but, as we've seen on this forum countless times, I'm taking it with a grain of salt.
And thanks! My dealer is confident that'l come in by end of October, but, as we've seen on this forum countless times, I'm taking it with a grain of salt.
Mercedes has stepped up the game and finally delivering cars rather timely.
On a side note, I would encourage you to consider the active body control if you live an area with many twists and turns. This car is very heavy and would benefit from that option. It does increase complexity in an already complex car, but for this specific car I think you should consider it (and not necessarily for the non hybrid models).
On a side note, I would encourage you to consider the active body control if you live an area with many twists and turns. This car is very heavy and would benefit from that option. It does increase complexity in an already complex car, but for this specific car I think you should consider it (and not necessarily for the non hybrid models).






