Mercedes-Benz S-Class 2009 Review

Mercedes-Benz (W221) S 350, S 350 CDI and S 500

What we liked
>> Serene comfort
>> Interesting and practical interior design
>> Musclecar performance and Benz dynamics

Not so much
>> Styling not to everyone's liking
>> A little turbo lag from the diesel
>> Minor ergonomic quirks

Overall rating: 3.0/5.0
Engine and Drivetrain: 2.5/5.0
Price, Packaging and Practicality: 3.0/5.0
Safety: 3.0/5.0
Behind the wheel: 3.0/5.0
X-factor: 4.0/5.0

About our ratings

OVERVIEW

While it's tempting to think the BMW will overhaul the Benz in standing if not sales, the S-Class has proved resilient in the market and has been providing the 7 Series some serious competition for even prior to the car's latest minor facelift and upgrade. The changes to the range-topping Benz can only help keep the BMW at bay.

For the new model year, the S-Class gains LED lighting, revised bumpers, a deeper grille, fully-integrated exhausts and the day-running lights. Diamond White Bright joins the exterior colour selection.

Benz interior designers have gone to work tizzying up the steering wheel and seats. Ambient lighting now operates in three different colour selections, according to the driver's preference: ('solar', 'neutral' and 'polar'). A useful new feature for the S-Class is 'Splitview', a screen mounted in the centre fascia and displaying different information for driver and front passenger. The front-seat passenger can watch a movie while the driver sees only the satnav map, for instance.

Owners of the upgraded S-Class can upload music to the multi-media infotainment system via an SD memory card and the system also features Linguatronic voice-recognition command system and the 'Gracenote' music register to display song data. Lastly, the infotainment system incorporates a 40-gig hard disk to store map data, which Benz will offer customers later in the year.

Never a company to rest on its laurels where safety's concerned, Benz has introduced the facelifted S-Class with a number of new features aimed primarily at assisting the driver and avoiding a prang in the first place.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT
-- No such thing as a free facelift
Mercedes-Benz claims that while the price of the S-Class has risen by an average of 7.8 per cent, the value of the specification has overtaken that -- up by 15 per cent. Prices are now as follows:

S 350 $214,900
S 350 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY $214,900
S 350 L $232,900
S 500 $289,900
S 500 L $307,900
S 63 AMG $380,900
S 600 L $402,900
S 65 AMG L $482,900

All models feature, as standard equipment: Multifunction steering wheel bound in Nappa leather, Attention Assist, Chrome-effect electronic key COMAND colour display, Bluetooth connectivity, four-zone automatic climate control, telephone keypad, COMAND single-point infotainment controller and SD card slot.

Being an S-Class -- and therefore the pinnacle of Benz's range -- the flagship at even the 'entry level' (the S350), boasts features that the company doesn't bother promoting, but are usually found in only the most expensive of lesser cars. These features include cruise control with Distronic radar proximity control, electric adjustment for the front seats with seat/mirror/wheel position memory, electronic parking brake, Harman/Kardon LOGIC7 audio system, Keyless-Go, heated/ventilated front seats, 'Splitview' screen for COMAND display, TV tuner with digital/analogue reception, iPod/USB connectivity for audio system, 12-Volt auxiliary power socket, ambient lighting, eucalyptus woodgrain trim, leather trim, velour floor mats, glass/electric sunroof, Headlight Assist, 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels and electric mirrors/windows.

Long-wheelbase versions of the S 350 and S 350 CDI also gain an electric roller blind for the rear window, electric blinds for rear side windows, front-passenger seat electric adjustment control from the rear seat and electric position adjustment for the outboard seats in the rear. The V8-powered S 500 features the following items in addition to the specification of the six-cylinder cars: Neck-Pro luxury front-seat headrests, Night View Assist including an infrared-reflecting front windscreen, power-closing doors and 19-inch alloy wheels with nine pairs of spokes. Additional features for the LWB version of the S 500 are as for the longer six-cylinder cars, but also with the upper dash trimmed in Artico.

The V12-engined S 600 L moves further upmarket with Active multi-contour front seats, a garage door opener located in the rear-view mirror, heated/ventilated rear seating, Alcantara headlining, 'Passion' leather upholstery, unique 19-inch alloy wheels, five-speed automatic transmission (in lieu of seven-speed unit), Active Body Control, chrome exterior trim, twin trapezoidal exhaust outlets and a radiator grille comprising three pairs of louvres.

Features for the AMG-modified S 63 and S 65 build further on this specification, with exclusive AMG motifs, high-performance brakes and 20-inch alloy wheels.

MECHANICAL
-- Leaner running with all the comforts of home
Changes intended to improve the fuel efficiency of the S-Class range from minor aerodynamic improvements to the use of lower-rolling-resistance tyres. Benz engineers have tuned the steering mechanism, fuel pump and 7G-Tronic automatic transmission for greater efficiency. According to the manufacturer, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced by as much as seven per cent. 

Other than those changes listed above, the S-Class is carried over from the pre-facelift W221 range. V6 engines comprise a diesel 3.0-litre unit and the 3.5-litre petrol powerplant. The former develops 173kW of power and 540Nm of torque for a combined-cycle consumption of 7.6L/100km (SWB) and between 199 and 211g/km of CO2 emissions, according to variant. Producing 200kW of power and 35Nm of torque, the petrol V6 uses between 10.0 and 10.5L/100km of fuel for CO2 emissions ranging between 234 and 245g/km.

Other than the high-performance AMG engine in the S 63 AMG, the S 500 is the only V8 in the current range and that (5.5-litre) unit generates 285kW of power and 530Nm of torque, consuming between 11.0 and 11.4L/100km, according to combined-cycle testing, and emitting 258 to 266g/km of CO2. The S 63 is powered by AMG's hand-built 6.2-litre V8 and the peak power and torque figures for that engine are 386kW and 630Nm, respectively. In the combined-cycle fuel test, the S 63 uses 14.4L/100km and emits 344g/km of CO2.

Both the S 600 and S 65 are twin-turbo V12-powered, the former a 5.5-litre engine, the latter a 6.0-litre unit. Power and torque figures are 380kW/830Nm for the S 600, 450kW/1000Nm for the S 65. Combined-cycle fuel consumption is 14.3L/100km for the S 600, 14.5L/100km for the S 65 and CO2 emissions figures are 340g/km (S 600) or 346g/km (S 65).

V6 and V8-engined variants drive through the 7G-TRONIC (seven-speed) automatic transmission to the rear wheels, while the V12 variants drive through a five-speed automatic.

Kerb weights measure between 1955kg and up to 2270kg, depending on the variant, which can be V6 petrol-powered on a short wheelbase (3035mm) or V12 petrol-powered on a long wheelbase (3165mm). The turning circle is either 11.8m for the shorter models or 12.2 for the long-wheelbase cars.

PACKAGING
-- Unorthodox answers to conventional problems
For every element of design ergonomics you could fault in the upgraded Mercedes S-Class, Benz has an answer. You don't like the position of the cruise control stalk on the left of the steering column? It's there for easy reach and the indicator stalk is lower on the column because that's where it has to be for the prescribed 'quarter to three' hand-hold.

The steering wheel itself is unnaturally large? It provides a clear view of the expanse of instruments in the binnacle.

Takes you a while to find the seat adjustment; or they've removed the foot pedal in favour of a hand-pull that also pushes to engage the parking brake; or it takes two menu items to reset the trip meter? Answers: seat adjustment is arranged graphically in plain view so there's no groping around down beside the seat, the foot pedal cannot now cause injury to the lower extremities in a crash and two menu operations are easier and safer than reaching in between the spokes of the steering wheel to push a button while the car's on the move.

In short, Benz sets its own course when it comes to design. The whole car is like that, from start to finish. Not always completely logical at first glance, the car's design quickly proves itself in time.

Quite simply, the comfort, efficiency and common sense of the driving position all beggar belief. There are little items, which, if you're not expecting them, genuinely surprise and delight. There is, for example, the LED-based analogue speedo, an instrument that looks like a conventional analogue dial, but is actually an illuminated matrix of light sources. The sweep of the needle across the face of the dial is not a physical movement, but a wave of light energy.

Another such item is the seat ventilation/cooling (and heating), which can be adjusted using the same seat adjustment cluster. Graduating blue LEDs indicate the level of cooling and the actual refrigeration was impressive on a sunny 21-degree day.

So when these gadgets work so well, you start to expect other gadgets like powered tilt adjustment for the headrests -- something that Benz doesn't actually offer in the car, but why not?! Everything else that opens, shuts, folds and spins is power-operated.

The seats themselves, for support and comfort are bordering on remarkable, for the compromise they afford. This is a big, boofy luxury car in which the seats don't feel aggressively bolstered, but you just don't move around during harder cornering.

There's plenty of head and legroom -- and you can set yourself up to be equally at home closer or further from the wheel and dash. Not many cars can achieve that feat, and certainly none in the minimal time required in the S-Class.

Take a look at the quality, the finish, the interior styling. You may not like all the colour and trim options, but you're bound to find something to suit -- and the stuff that doesn't change (the sweep of the dash top and the matt aluminium finish for the vents and bright-finish HVAC controls), looks the goods anyway.

All of this -- and we've barely looked beyond the driver's seat!

Inside the cabin, all but the very tallest will enjoy better than adequate headroom. Even with a sunroof fitted, the Benz will easily accommodate those taller than average.

The S-Class has a large boot that's up there with similarly sized cars. Standing at the rear of the car and reaching in through the opening, you'll have to stretch to reach stuff that has slid up against the rear seat (Benz does provide luggage nets within). Nitpickers might note it's still a shallow boot, due to the mechanicals beneath the floor.

SAFETY
-- Still the benchmark for crash safety, now with more driver aids
With the release of the upgraded S-Class, Benz has introduced or revised a number of standard and optional safety features. These include: Adaptive High Beam Assist with camera technology, Night View Assist Plus (with pedestrian detection), Lane Keeping Assist, Attention Assist, Direct-Steer, Active Body Control with crosswind stabilisation and Torque Vector Monitoring.

Benz claims that Attention Assist monitors up to 70 different parameters to evaluate the driver's level of fatigue. If the driver has crossed the threshold into an unsafe level of situational awareness, the system will sound an alert and display a message in the instrument binnacle.

Similar to systems in other German (and Swedish) prestige vehicles, Lane Keeping Assist alerts the driver to deviation from the lane in which the car is travelling. It can plot the car's direction of travel from a centre line and need not rely on markings on the shoulder of the road -- a potential boon for drivers on Australian country roads.

Active Body Control is a measure based on the car's stability control system to ensure stability in a crosswind and offset understeer by actuating the inside rear brake during cornering for the Torque Vectoring Brake function. Benz refers to this type of operation as 'targeted one-sided braking'.

COMPETITORS

Audi's A8 is another car in a similar mould. It's big, German and expensive -- and new... [Ed: the all-new A8 has just been unveiled as this review was published in December 2009] For some, that's where the comparison inevitably ends, but open-minded shoppers should consider both the Audi and the BMW.

There's also a handful of other cars that just might be worth bearing in mind during the purchase process. The Lexus LS is a one of the more obvious choices. Jaguar has a new XJ model coming out soon and if you place a higher precedence on styling, Maserati can do you a Quattroporte sedan for a price competitive with the S-Class.

ON THE ROAD
-- C-Class agility and refined muscle
On the outward leg of the drive program, we tested a V8-engined S 500. A diesel-engined S 350 CDI was tried very briefly over lunch and a petrol S 350 was the mount for the return journey. We only recorded a fuel consumption reading for the petrol V6 -- a figure of 12.0L/100km over the course of the journey.

With the V8 up front, the S-Class is quick and capable. With three blokes onboard, the S 500 was able to get past a car travelling at a substantial rate of speed below the limit within a short section of road. In many other cars, you'd be still waiting for a turbo to spool up, a transmission to swap a ratio or the car in front to pull over and let you through. The big Benz was past in a flash -- safely.

On the subject of the sequential-shift auto, it can take its time pondering what gear to adopt, even if the driver is using the shift paddles. There's some processing time taking place, it seems, but then the box adapts to your driving style and the slower response ceases to hinder progress.

Engine noise is muted until such time as you call upon the available power. When gears are selected manually, the V8 remains powerful right across the rev range and its overall refinement encourages the driver to reach for a lower gear in the name of driving enjoyment. At times, on the overrun and then running up to higher revs, the V8 really impresses with the breadth of its power band. It never feels short of breath or under pressure.

The V6 has a nicer engine note than we recall for other Benz installations, which sound slightly clinical. The S 350's engine is also athletic -- although not to the same degree as the V8.

Based on just a brief drive, the diesel S-Class (the S 350 CDI) mustered heaps of torque and had the wherewithal to break traction on dry bitumen. One of our fraternity complained that the diesel is slow away from traffic lights -- a symptom of the neutral-shift transmission re-engaging drive and then the turbo spooling up for the standing start. We can say that a bootful of throttle from a standing start will result in slight hesitation, but the diesel then delivers more than enough torque to compensate -- or possibly even overcompensate.

The S-Class offers a very well balanced ride and handling set-up, tending (as is appropriate for a limo) to err more on the side of ride. At open road speeds, the suspension glides over such things as ripples and expansion joints in freeways. For all its ride quality though, the S-Class never feels squirmy or squirrely accelerating over bumps and potholes. The compliance doesn't come at the expense of control.

In corners, the S-Class skates close to an optimal line through corners and feels not much larger than a C-Class once you get into the twisty bits. Steering allows you to place the car with high-level accuracy on the road and there's always plenty of feedback, without inconsistent loads through the wheel. The Mercedes pulls up with a nice 'soft stop' action too.

Our day with the revised S-Class left us impressed by the big Benz. It provides a relaxed and safe driving environment, but the car can be hurried along in a less dignified manner when need be. This is a car that can be all things to all owners. 
 

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