For decades, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class has been the poster child of opulence and luxury in the world of automobiles. Times change quickly though and competition from Audi and BMW had become stiffer in the recent past. This meant that Mercedes-Benz had to spruce up the S-Class and that they exactly did but not quite like most would have expected. Mid-cycle facelifts are generally cosmetic enhancements with a few new features and some powertrain improvements. Mercedes-Benz engineers though had different things in mind so they went ahead and plonked in two new engines, a host of new features inside the cabin, improved Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) and topped it off with a mild update to the design. Now the S-Class was already a great car so improving it was always going to be tough. So Mercedes-Benz invited us to Hyderabad to drive the new facelift S-Class and our objective was to find out if the changes were an actual improvement or just a round of fancy marketable features.
Design
Let’s get the design out of the way quickly as there aren’t many changes here. The most noticeable change is at the front, especially the headlamps, which get three LED DRL strips, reminiscent of eyebrows. The count of these strips also reflects the hierarchy within the Mercedes-Benz family as the smaller E-Class gets two of them, while the C-Class gets only one.
The silhouette of the car remains unchanged and hence there isn’t much change on the side except the new alloy wheels. The new wheels bear a good design but they are a bit small and the high-profile tyres don’t look at home on a car of such great character. Moving to the rear, the LED tail lamps with jewel-effect lend a regal touch and look great, especially in the night.
Powertrain
Now, this is where we expect facelifts to have minor changes but Mercedes-Benz took the tougher road and brought in two new engines, replacing the old ones. Along with a V6 petrol unit, the talking point is the new 3.0 Litre diesel engine. Ditching the V6 architecture from the older S-Class, the new engine is an inline six-cylinder unit that is India’s first BS VI-compliant diesel engine that manages to exhale clean even on lower grade BS IV fuel. This is achieved by using a host of measures within the engine and assisting systems such as a Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and Selective Catalytic Converter with AdBlue treatment. There’s a separate 25 litre AdBlue tank with its filler cap next to that of the diesel tank. The urea-based liquid reacts with exhaust gases and cuts down on harmful emissions, making the tailpipe significantly cleaner. The AdBlue solution is topped up during service of the vehicle but in case the tank runs dry the car will come to a halt.
The engine develops a healthy 286 hp and impressive 600 Nm of torque and is mated to a nine-speed transmission. The engine is butter smooth and hardly any sound filters inside the cabin even when the engine is spinning around 3,000 rpm. In fact, at times it’s hard to believe that a diesel engine is under the hood and during idling there’s almost no engine sound in the cabin. The engine is responsive right from the start and the engine at no point seems to be struggling to pull the almost two-tonnes of the car’s weight. Acceleration through the gears is impressive and the gearbox does a fantastic job of complimenting the character of the S-Class. Neither is the unit too quick nor is it too slow as it shifts in a subtle and sophisticated manner. Having nine ratios also improves fuel-efficiency and during our test, we found out that at 100 kmph, the engine is spinning lazily at just about 1,200 rpm.
Interiors
Once inside the cabin of the S-Class, it’s quickly evident that unlike the futuristic look of the new BMW 7 Series, this one’s more about old-school elegance and class. It’s a personal choice for sure but I certainly like the Merc interiors more as they look more royal and plush. The dual-tone dashboard has been done in tasteful beige and dark brown colours. Material and build quality is almost impossible to fault and the seats too are supremely comfortable. However, this isn’t something you wouldn’t expect on a new S-Class. The party piece in the dashboard is the single HD display screen that combines the centre console and instrument cluster display in one unit.
The controls can be operated through the rotary knob and surrounding buttons in the lower part of the centre console. The user interface is simple, which makes it easy to quickly access any function or information. The steering wheel also has a combination of buttons and touchpads to control the audio system, telephone, Adaptive cruise control and instrument cluster display options. Android Auto and Apple Car Play are present along with Bluetooth and USB connectivity. There’s also a DVD player system, which I’m not sure how many buyers will use even once but it’s better to have than not at all and since the S-Class is all about abundance why complain?
Most S-Class cars are chauffeur-driven so it’s actually the rear seat that is more important than the front. First things first, I’m not going to talk about space since there’s so much of it that irrespective of the person’s size, one won’t feel the need for more. The rear seats can be reclined and pushed back electronically and the seats themselves are exceptionally comfortable. The back support, shoulder support, under-thigh support is spot on. Want to spice up things further? Well, Mercedes-Benz has loaded the cabin with an ambient lighting system, which has 64 options to suit your mood! I can’t even think of those many moods I’ve had in my entire lifetime.
The centre armrest has new cup holders and in case you’re wondering why am I talking about cup holders in an S-Class, the reason is its smart design. When not in use the bottom tray rises to cover the opening of the cavity by clicking a small button and one simply needs to press them down to use. It might not appear special but you need to experience how special the execution is. Do watch our upcoming video for such detailed things.
Considering the focus on the rear passenger, the S-Class offers a remote control which can be used to control the infotainment system or either of the two screens behind the front seats. It is these screens that give you access to multiple massage options, which can be immensely relaxing after a stressful day in the office or during a long journey.
There are electronically-operated sun curtains and for the rear windshield and rear windows too. If that’s not enough, the rear armrest now comes with a wireless charging socket for mobile phones and there’s one in the front armrest too. Do keep in mind that you’ll need a phone that supports wireless charging to enjoy this feature.
Ride & Handling
The comfort part is still not over so let’s jump to ride quality first, which is definitely the best in its segment and far ahead of the competition. Once in the cabin, the S-Class feels as if it’s driving on a surface of cream and yoghurt. It’s that smooth! The air suspension does a brilliant job of keeping the cabin insulated from vehicle movement over road undulations. Both at slow and high speeds, the S-Class just glides over minor surface cracks, small speed-breakers and expansion joints in flyovers. One can switch between different driving modes but Comfort is the one to choose if you’re looking forward to a relaxed drive.
Handling of the S-Class is good from the perspective of its positioning as a luxury saloon. Given the size and weight of the car, physics does put up a lot of challenges for it, all of which it overcomes with ease. In a straight line and at high speed, the car does tend to be a bit floaty but this can quickly be fixed by engaging the Sport mode, which stiffens up the suspension and steering along with sharpening the throttle response.
Going through long corners the car remains stable but there is noticeable body-roll even in sport mode. A series of quick directional changes is not something the car feels comfortable doing but will still get you through to the direction points toward.
In a nutshell, the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class sets a new benchmark in terms of comfort and ride quality in its segment. The new BMW 7 Series feels more engaging to drive but the S-Class has an unmatched ride quality. More importantly, as mentioned earlier, most cars in this segment in India are chauffeur-driven, working harder to achieve better comfort sound s like a better business decision.
Safety
Mercedes-Benz has always been known for the high safety of its cars and the new S-Class is no different. It has a wide array of active and passive safety features. Passive safety features don’t need a special mention as airbags, ABS, ESP and such features are at par with the segment. What deserves a special note is the bundle of new Advanced Driver Assistance Safety (ADAS) technologies. The new S-Class now offers Blind Spot detection, which alerts you of vehicles lurking in a blind spot every time you try to change lanes or direction. The Steering Assist system warns an inattentive driver of the car moving out of its lane or towards the dividers by passing vibrations through the steering wheel. There’s also an automatic brake assist function, which will first warn a driver of imminent collision by audio alerts and in case of no response, the system can either brake fully or assist the braking pressure depending on the proximity with the vehicle in front.
The other notable feature is the Adaptive Cruise Assist or an adaptive cruise control in simpler words. The system once set to a speed monitors the vehicle in front and manages the distance automatically. It can also change lanes, taking cues from the vehicles in front or the lane markings but cannot negotiate full or sharp turns.
The addition of new ADAS features is a welcome addition in the new S-Class as it raises the safety quotient significantly. However, it’s not the best in the country or the segment as there are vehicles such as the Volvo XC60 with more advanced ADAS technologies. That said, the ADAS systems do add to safety and showcase the increasing scope of autonomous driving in India.
Conclusion
The new 2018 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a big step forward from the older model, especially with its cleaner diesel engine, which is the first in the country. Multiple changes inside the cabin add further to the comfort of an already excellent cabin. The air suspension does a brilliant job and lends the S-Class with the most comfortable ride quality in the segment by a considerable margin. For driving too the new S-Class can be quite fun to drive on the highway and it’s more efficient than earlier.
Put all of these things together and you get a package that scores high in almost all departments and sets new benchmarks in efficiency, comfort and convenience. Improving cars such as the S-Class can be challenging and at times many companies end up plonking too many gimmicks that look great but don’t really add to user experience in real life. Mercedes-Benz though has ensured all changes have improved the user experience and not just ended up in a great-looking video commercial. The best once again got better!
If you’re someone who’s looking for the most luxurious sedan in under Rs 1.5 crore than there is no other car to consider in the market right now apart from the Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The S350d is priced at Rs 1.33 crore, while the S450 petrol is priced at Rs 1.37 crore, both prices being ex-showroom, Delhi.
