What's the verdict on the W223 now that it has been out for a while?
 

1-Doors are the Gates ofHell! Difficult to close because of long arm reach. Impossible to open and keep at one position other than full open detente. ALWAYS folding back on you. Have to use foot on. Lower interior panel of door to keep open. Truly absurd.
2- electronics quirky. Sometimes Pandora plays, other times it takes six blocks of travel for it to decide to activate. Making a phone call is a toss up between Hey Mercedes and Siri. I’m yet to determine how one is dominant over the other.
3- windshield reflections from a/c vents and from HUD binnacle are a distraction while driving.
Good points
1- a/c works great
2- comfortable,quiet,responsive,luxurious

Great car, but this is the first S-class out of the last 4 generations that I just never felt that I (must) own it, or felt super excited for it. I am on the hunt for a PHEV W223, but will take my time getting one, but I have to admit am not that excited. I might see how the facelift looks like, especially technology wise, and go from there.

I test drove a PHEV W223 a couple months ago when I was looking for a toy. It’s super quite and was even more quite than my W222. However, the dashboard design just doesn’t feel like an S-class. Still better than most other cars on the market though.

clickbait

I agree with all of this and would add:

Ndgatives:
1. Seats not as comfortable as in previous S Class. Lower seat cushion feels too narrow and I’m not a huge guy.
2. Steering wheel controls are not nearly as easy & intuitive to use as in previous MB’s and in some cases, barely work.
3. The black plastic on the steering wheel looks cheap and picks up dust & fingerprints like a magnet.
4. The ride quality with the EABC option, in my opinion, is truly horrible. With the standard AirMatic suspension, it is much better, but not as good as in the previous S Class with AirMatic.
5. The exterior “pop-out” door handles are quite schizophrenic, in my case, working as designed only about half of the time.
6. Ingress & egress is better in previous S Class.
7. I found the layout of the dash to be unattractive. It has an “unfinished” look to me.
8. Too many features buried in MBUX system. I truly miss physical buttons, switches & knobs.
9. With 4-Zone climate option, center armrest storage is ridiculously tiny.
10. Headrests are hard as a rock. The chintzy pillows are made of a material that soils easily, they are unsightly and never seem to be in the right position. Ended up removing the pillows.
11. To me, the driver’s seating position, in relation to the rest of the car is not nearly as comfortable as in the previous S Class.

Positives:
1. Much better front clearance, never scraping parking lot stops, etc.
2. 4D Audio a bit nicer than previous 3D.
3. Rear axle steering is nice, but I would never order the made-up “Executive Line” again just to get it.

Positives

incredibly comfortable/luxurious

very Silent and sound insulated

upgraded interior is very soft leather and luxurious

S580 V8 is smooth and very powerful

love the understated yet timeless looks

Negatives

Haptic controls, give me a break. Bring back rotary knobs for things like volume control, cruise control, radio channels, temperature control etc.

Door opening and closing. Doesn’t stay in place, opens too far. Can’t reach it.

External door handles opening and closing work most of the time but sometimes have a mind of their own

Battery draining and constant warnings on the 16v or 48v really annoying. I’m always concerned if I don’t start the car for a few days. This is a flaw that needs to be corrected!

Overall, I’ve owned the car for over 18 months and am very pleased with. Don’t get the 21 inch tires or the EABC suspension.

Drove a W223 for the first time. I must say it’s a pretty impressive ride. I drove the S580. However, it is the first S Class that I would not care to ever own. For me it’s just not as special as the other S Classes. I’ll take a W222 S450 any day of the week. Newer isn’t always better.

I personally have zero interest in a S450. Most are optioned too low and the engine is too anemic for the size of the sedan IMO. To me, a W222 required features would be the exclusive leather, the sport package and a V8.
From the looks I definitely prefer the W223 with the AMG line. Much has been said about the silly options packaging that I agree with; the same with the black bits. It would be so easy for MB to upgrade them.
As for the battery messages, they occur across all models now, so this is a MB software issue that needs resolution and has nothing specifically to do with the S-Class. Good thing that this can be fixed with a software update…

I have spent the last two weeks aggressively shopping W223s to replace mine. I have driven at least 5 of them, at legnth. While its a very nice car that I'm sure I would be happy to have, I feel the same way...it just doesn't speak to me the way the 222 did. Working a deal my dealer told me I was $9k upside down on my S560 lease, so that means I have to wait a little longer before I can do something (I have time) and frankly, I was relieved...I think I'm going to wait and see the refresh, and if I don't love the refresh a new 7 series probably.

I think the only major change, if any, would be the technology in the car. I hardly believe anything else would change (referring to changes that would impact my feelings towards the car). Hence, while am also anxiously waiting to see the facelift, I hardly feel that my feeling towards the car would change (it will continue to be normal/average connection). The interior cabin design and overall character would continue to be the same and less than what the W222 and W221 had on me. However, given the fact it is an S-class, I’d never exclude it from my list. If they will boost the PHEV range, and refine the engine feeling and hp, I’d be really interested but I don’t have high expectations.

My hope is for a more integrated dash design

I think in the day to day the car would be a better experience with doors that weren't constantly closing on your legs, the transmission wasn't so clunky, the drive modes were better sorted, and they ditched the cheap black plastic.

Interesting to me it's that these are flaws they knew about, couldn't possibly miss, and yet they released the car with them. They are in another viewpoint symptoms of the real problem: The failure of management to remedy known issues during development.

I called those flaws out because they are what pulls me out of the spell the car can cast when it's working. So comfy, so quiet, it looks nice in there... And then it comes to the fore, you notice the cheap black plastic. It looks cheap. It feels cheap. It's covered by fingerprints and before long, scratches. Happy vibe: broken.

Same with the shifting. You're driving along fully immersed in goodness and then you get a bang, clunk, or jerky shift. It pulls you out of your happy place.

The doors; they were literally hitting testers legs in development as well as anything parked next to the mules. They had to be, it couldn't have been avoided unless action was taken. And who thought it would be a good idea to make them open so far a man running north of 6 feet can't reach them when sitting in the car? But they sent the car out into the world anyway; with seriously flawed doors that customers interact with every time they get in and out of the car. I mean c'mon, owners are going to notice doors closing on their legs. There's no sneaking that by.

I like this car; quite a lot actually. When is all working and I'm driving down the road, it's incredibly relaxing. If we want to talk there is never too much road noise. The tunes sound great. I'm very comfortable. By and large it looks nice, things feel good. I would love this car if it weren't for the magic being kneecapped by poor decisions from a management team that should be shown the door.

From someone who has never owned an S Class before, I’m really enjoying my car. I really like the sleek yet still subdued and subtle look. The ride is smooth and comfortable but the run flats are terrible and sometimes the suspension will act strangely or more rougher over unsettled surfaces. I can’t tell if it is the run flats and/or the suspension. It’s hard to explain unless you experienced it, but that doesn’t detract from the overall great ride.

The interior is a great place to be, but the haptic controls are really bad and clumsy and very difficult to precisely use. Some people may feel the ambient lighting is disco like, but I like it a lot. It’s like driving around in a UFO at night. The bass stereo is epic in my opinion. It sounds better than the $4k+ high-end Burmester I had in my GLE.

The door handles are also terrible in my opinion. You really have to place your key into an RF shielded pouch as soon as you get home, otherwise they just won’t respond when you go back to drive it.

I’ve had a few bugs and electrical gremlins that went away in their own, but my overall experience has been great and I’m really enjoying my car.

I have owned every S since the 70’s and in my opinion this is the best one I’ve owned. There are numerous complaints about transmission but mine has been flawless. Mine is a loaded S500 ‘23 and perhaps the software is sorted now. I’ve had absolutely no problems with the door handles. If they don’t pop open due to key being left in car’s vicinity then a swipe causes them to pop open as designed. My driver’s door has a friction point about halfway open that allows easy exit. Yes I would like electric closing but when door is fully open grabbing the lower storage cubby makes closing simple.
The black plastic is an issue if you’re not careful as it will scratch but the scratches can be easily removed with watch crystal polish. I have no trouble with the haptics and I have huge hands. lol. I wonder if the black plastic is necessary as to flex when pressing. Other than rubber I don’t know of another material that would allow the flex needed to actuate the haptics.
The 4D stereo upgrade is the best non custom stereo I’ve ever experienced though I’ve not heard Naim
I did add a screen saver on mbux touchscreen as the fingerprints were annoying. There is annoying reflection on the front windshield that I don’t like but have gotten used to.
To me the run flats are an issue but without a spare it’s the best overall solution. I have Hankooks and like them better than Pirelli’s. I would not use 21” wheels!
I hate gas stations and have been getting 25+ mpg combined which gives me a 500+ mile range.
The ambient lighting can be toned down or turned off if distracting.
When making outgoing calls my setup always defers to carplay if it is connected so I just defer to Siri. If I turn off carplay it returns to hey mercedes.
The seats and massage are wonderful…no complaints. The interior is quieter to me than any previous S I’ve owned. I do have a rattle in passenger seat over very rough roads that I hope to get sorted.
I do wish the DashCam would stay on indefinitely without having to restart each trip. Maybe a software update will rectify.
I know a lot of people on this forum have had issues but my experience has been contrary and for that I’m happy. Personally I think it’s a magnificent car!

This is what holds me back. My 222 has no such things that pull me out of the experience. I truly don’t have any major or even moderate issues with it, it really is the most perfect car I have ever had. I am very concerned about getting rid of it for a car that will cost much more and yet potentially be a source of frustration for me.

The fact that I was relieved that I couldn’t do a deal right now for a 223 tells me a lot.

Things I like about the 223, I love the new active ambient lighting. It is quieter inside, but the 222 is very quiet. The ride seems good to me, even on 20s and runflats, but not really any better than my 222.

I like mine a lot, almost been two years. Comfy, composed, and beautiful to look at. Would I like physical buttons? Yes, but none of the main competitors really have that either, and unlike some of them, most of the HVAC and Seat Heating/Ventilation controls are always present so I've adjusted easily to that. Otherwise I find it super easy to operate and a serene place to be. No issues other than a failed trunk kick sensor very early on.

If I didn’t already have this car I would happily get a 223

Yes, for me I guess it was just KNOWING how good the W223 could have been and SHOULD have been, compared to the W222. I remember watching that lavish video presentation that was done when the 2021 was launched and I was very keen on getting one. Based on my long time experience with the brand, I just assumed that this new car was going to be just SO refined and infinitely well sorted. I even waited to get a 2022, just to be doubly sure that tiny, overlooked issues had been resolved, but that was not to be the case.

For anyone here who doesn’t know, I got a loaded, $153,700 S580 Executive Line model, that was fraught with issues from day one and MBUSA bought it back after 18 months and 12K miles.

I am now back in a relatively basic 2020 S560 and it is such a pleasure, every time I drive it. Honestly, I feel that one really needed to go from a W222 to the W223 to really know how many things they got wrong on the new model. I so hope that an entire slate of changes & upgrades are currently being properly refined for the 2025 face lift model. One can only hope.

I can tell you the verdict when you've been overseas for a few months... It's freaking awesome. Or at least it is once you remember how to do everything; not exactly the car you get into and figure everything out before you leave the neighborhood.

Still, the stereo may not be home theater quality, but it's more than good enough to enjoy and forget about the critiquing. The quiet helps; I've said it several times before and I'll say it again: I love that you can always have a conversation on almost any surface at any speed. I don't normally think of quiet as a feature, but the force is strong with this one. The comfort thing is also excellent, I most def feel coddled in there.

I think where I'm headed with this is that I made my post above in an airport lounge before I had been in the car recently. As I sit here today I've again been reminded why I bought the car in the first place, and it does bring up a thought: The car is good enough that the little things stand out. I take back none of what I said above; those are the things that break the S-class spell for me. But as I sit here now after a hiatus, I understand that those things stand out more because the car is achingly close to being an unqualified success.

As an example when I close the door I'll occasionally notice that the door pull (or whatever you want to call the non handle you're intended to grab) is a little loose, not solid like you have in your Porsche. This doesn't really bother me, it's not big enough to jump over the threshold of pinging my cheap meter. There are other things, equally small, like the plastic being a little rough on the back side of the center screen at the join. There are others but none of those things break the spell. The black plastic on the other hand, it doesn't happen every day, and I mostly forget about it, but sometimes, I notice: Cheap meter blows up like a Geiger counter at Chernobyl. Without that, I think I'm satisfied with the interior despite some choices I don't like and a few quality issues that I notice from time to time.

Same with the rest of my complaints, I think they're amplified by the general goodness that otherwise exists. Just an observation...

I absolutely despise mine. From the get go I had all kinds of electronic gremlins that mostly sorted themselves out. Still get them from time to time. Like BSM suddenly shutting down and giving error messages. Wireless CarPlay periodically losing connection. Center stack going dark. Had it stall out once and light up the dash. I had a 21” Pirelli get blown up with under 500 miles on the odometer. There is a lot of talk about these POS tires. Oh, and guess what, you get non-runflat tires with no spare and just a can of air. Good luck with that. I hate the things others have mentioned, like the doors that are impossible to reach and impossible to keep anywhere but either fully closed or fully open.

My absolute biggest gripe is a multitude of squeaks, creaks and rattles that make me feel like I’m driving a $153k beater. I don’t like loud music, most of the time I prefer not to have music on at all, but it’s simply not possible in this car with all the noise coming from all places. There’s is no avoiding it. They’ve cut every possible corner when it comes to the interior of this car. Other than the nice leather, it’s filled with all sorts of horrible cheap plastics that flex and make noise. The overhead console is rattling, the driver seat is squeaking with every turn, the bottom skirt is made out of plastic you won’t find in a Toyota Corolla. Any surface I apply slight pressure to seems to squeak. I’ve made a service appointment for next week and I am determined to keep bringing it back until either these issues get resolved or Mercedes agrees to buy it back. I think the first outcome is not possible, as the interior is just poorly designed and poorly executed with cheap materials abound.

I’ve never had a single issue with interior noise with over a dozen cars I’ve leased, all of them Lexuses and one Volvo. All were rock solid. This one sounds like a bucket of bolts. It was supposed to be a treat for working my ass off and having a good year. Turned out to nothing but a headache. The only car that was nearly this bad was a Lincoln I leased for my wife once.

I agree with most everything you have said. My S580 had 19” wheels and I dumped the run flats, so I’m convinced the ride in my car was reasonably softer than yours, but I got rattles as well. Do you have EABC? I had it and in certain instances, the ride was jarring, causing rattles. I also experienced all the annoying issues with the screens, Apple CarPlay, losing all my settings, etc.

They repurchased mine (read the thread “My S580 stranded me!”) and I’m in a fairly basic CPO 2020 S560 again and am SO much more comfortable and satisfied. I feel very strongly that the W222 is a better car than the W223 in most every way.

Anyway, I hear you and feel for you. Check the Lemon Law requirements in your state and see what you can do. Best of luck to you!

Yes, sir. Congrats on getting rid of yours without a large financial loss. A friend of mine just got a nice black low-mileage ‘20 S560 and I’m actually jealous of his car. He paid $60-something and I paid about $170k after tax. So that’s where I am.

Yes, my car has the EABC and the ride is horrid even on comfort setting. Some upgrade. There are also occasional rough transmission downshifts but of course the dealer “couldn’t replicate”. At this point I can’t even keep track of every single thing over the past year that made me curse out loud and wish the car would burst into flames and fall into the deepest pits of hell.

My verdict is why is the E class way nicer looking on the inside than the 223?

Much better than the afterthought iPad. Here’s hoping there’s a mid-cycle refresh that brings a hyper screen like presentation to the S class. Sure it’s bigger than an E, and a better driving experience but this just looks cooler.

For now I hold on to my W222…

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...314508618.jpeg

Thats my hope too. Without the superscreen (thats what they call that I guess because the gauge pod is separate) it also looks much better. The wood on the console alone is a huge improvement over the black plastic on the S Class:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...3d2d4ba9f5.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...15eccd26e8.png

And there look to be a few physical buttons below the screen for some key things