2022 Wheels Car of the Year contender: Mercedes-Benz S-Class

You may be wondering, how relevant is an indulgent $300K luxury sedan to COTY in 2022? Well, this award is all about recognising automotive excellence and it’s fair to say that Mercedes-Benz’s flagship has always been synonymous with that ethos. Cars like this are ostensibly Research and Development test beds, and eventually we are all beneficiaries from the expensive exploration process, as the technology filters down to mainstream cars.

As expected, the S-Class presents beautifully, both inside and out. Slightly larger in every dimension than its predecessor, it certainly has road presence. But in today’s landscape of oversized SUVs, it doesn’t stand out as ostentatious. Indeed, since we also had the chic C-Class in the mix, the recurring observation from the judges was the obvious Russian-doll similarity.

There is a quiet confidence surrounding this luxo-cruiser. The cabin design is both opulent in ambience yet restrained in concept. The digital interface is achieved via two separate screens; the driver’s instrumentation screen and a large centre screen which elegantly sweeps up from the centre console.

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The overall theme may not be the vanguard for interior design but the finish is exquisite and the comfort level is sumptuous. Curiously, the precision trimming of the seats is contrasted with the addition of saggy, headrest pillows; “COTY’s softest headrest award,” said Alex.

Not all the judges were happy with the cabin feel, however, as Jez noted that the giant screen “robbed the cabin of opportunities for more jewel-like controls”.

Currently, the only engine option is the mild-hybrid, 3.0-litre, turbo-petrol straight-six. With 270kW and 500Nm, it propels the two-tonne ship to 100km/h in an as-tested 5.6sec. As Curt captured, “So silky, so refined, so fittingly S-Class.”

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“So comfortable ... just a beautiful car to drive” - Dylan Campbell

Most of the judges felt satisfied with the performance, with only Dan left wanting for a bit more oomph for this level of luxury.

At normal traffic pace, the ride is magic-carpet like and its manners belie its hefty proportions. The optional rear-steering system probably has a lot to do with the reassuring feel, as Dan noted: “Not only is it dynamically superior to the previous S-Class, its turning circle drops from 12.5m to 10.7m.”

Nonetheless, the limo persona didn’t deter the judges from putting the car through its paces, and Dan even managed to invoke the “Pre-Safe ‘pink noise’ feature”, which cleverly introduces a synthetic noise of about 80 decibels to prepare your ear drums from a potentially noisy collision. True story!

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The S-Class remains the benchmark for an ICE executive express; smooth, quiet and sumptuous. Loaded with technology, more than adequate performance and a cosseted ride.

But despite the glorious characteristics of its petrol engine, when compared back-to-back with EVs at a fraction of the cost, it actually felt a bit old-fashioned. Surely, we must be reaching the top of the bell curve for development of the combustion engine, notwithstanding the potential of hydrogen.

There is much to admire about the big Merc, but the commendable achievements are not in the tech space that resonates most in today’s automotive landscape. Unavoidably, the EQ range is quickly assuming the tech mantle.