2008 Mercedes-Benz S
Based on analysis of 81 S reviews and test drives.
Mercedes-Benz S - What the Auto Press Says
The 2008 Mercedes-Benz S ranks 3 out of 5 Super Luxury Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 81 published reviews and test drives of the Mercedes-Benz S, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.
The 2008 Mercedes -Benz S-Class is the flagship car of one of the world's most storied luxury automakers. Mercedes-Benz has now been manufacturing cars for more than 100 years, and the S-Class is what the companyhas arrived at. It offers a state-of-the-art luxury interior, the handling and acceleration of a sports car, and prestige like almost nothing else. But it can be far more expensive than its competition, and some find its electronic driver interface needlessly complicated.
The Mercedes S-Class is the flagship luxury sedan from Mercedes Benz. It is their largest, highest-performance, most luxurious model. It is very powerful, its interior is opulent, and it features every technology the automotive industry can imagine. "The S-Class defines personal luxury," raves the Chicago Tribune. The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel comments, "If there is such a thing as an embarrassment of riches, surely the Mercedes-Benz S550 luxury sedan is somewhere on the list." S-Class sedans offer some of the most powerful engines available on any sedan, combined with nimble handling that belies their large size. Inside, they are so luxurious that the seats themselves are built around 11 separate air chambers that each driver and passenger can inflate to varying degrees to fit the seat to their own form. Those chambers will then inflate and deflate in response to the car's movements to better hold each passenger in place as the driver takes advantage of that handling. There's simply nothing else like that experience, even in this class.
But the S-Class sometimes tries to be too many things to too many segments of the market. In its lowest trim (if it's even possible to use such a term to describe such a car), the S-Class competes with the Lexus LS, Audi A8 and other premium luxury sedans -- and it's more expensive than all of them. Its higher-priced models challenge hand-built vehicles from ultra-premium makes like Rolls Royce and Bentley. The most expensive S-Class costs as much as two of the least expensive, plus a Honda Civic. With that incredible span, Mercedes has produced a car that might be too expensive for competition in the super-luxury class, and not exclusive enough to compete in the rarified air above it. Car and Driver says that the S65 AMG "Costs as much as 15 Ford Focuses," but "looks like the neighbor's half-as-expensive S-class." That could push some premium buyers to more exclusive nameplates. The only other consistent complaint we can find among reviewers is that Mercedes' COMAND (Cockpit Management and Data) driver-interface, which controls most of the car's electronics through one screen, is not for everyone. Some find it difficult to learn. Others do not. You may have to test drive it to know which group you fall into.
The S-Class is sold in an S550 model and an all-wheel-drive S550 4Matic edition powered by a 5.5-liter V8 making 382 horsepower. An S63 AMG edition ups the ante with a 6.2-liter V8 at 518 horsepower. Both of those models use a seven-speed automatic transmission.
A mid-level S600 is driven by a 6.2-liter twin-turbo V12 putting out 510 horsepower. Finally, nearing a $200,000 purchase price, an S65 AMG ultra-high-performance edition laying down an eye-watering 604 horsepower. Mercedes says that one gets from zero the 60 mph in just over 4 seconds. Just over 4 seconds. And we remind you, this is a large, stately sedan. The V12 models both use a five-speed automatic transmission.
- "The planet's best luxury car." -- Car and Driver
- "There probably is something the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedan can't do. What that may be escapes us at the moment." -- Chicago Tribune
- "Mercedes is making one giant leap with this flashy, technology-packed new edition of its iconic sedan. Not only does the...S-Class represent a significant advance in automotive wizardry, it's also a radical departure from the stoic, conservative big Benzes of yesterday." -- Motor Trend
- "It's easy to sum up our experience with this new flagship of the Mercedes-Benz lineup. Wrote the Editor-in-Chief, 'This is the best S-Class I've ever driven.'" -- Road and Track
- +"It's another gorgeous German V8 luxury limo, with its cloud-like air suspensions, big tires, massive brakes, perfect steering -- a great walloping overload of effortless performance and pleasure, an endless source of sweet machine satisfaction, more car than you would ever need, a sheer, decadent surfeit." -- Los Angeles Times
- +"The only reason I think Mercedes-Benz built the S63 AMG was to show the world it could." -- Detroit News
- +"The car was loaded with everything you would expect in a premium luxury automobile -- an interior of supple leather and rich wood veneer, a beautiful sound system, theater lighting. And there were many things that went beyond expectation." -- Washington Post
- +"How do you improve on an $85,000 luxury sedan so awesomely smooth that even the most spoiled of passengers are impressed -- a car so packed with technology its owner's manual is 700 pages? Well, you could make it faster, offer it with more standard equipment -- and charge more for it. Which is what Mercedes has done with its flagship S-Class." -- Newsday
S Performance - 8.9 (Very Good)
Performance reviews of the 2008 Mercedes-Benz S-Class differ depending on the model driven. The low-end S550 is seen as a fine performer. "Nobody's going to want for power in this Benz," says Motor Trend. At the other end is the S65 AMG's incredible V12. Car and Driver warns, "Acceleration may frighten passengers" in the S65. The S-Class rides on a unique suspension system that uses four air bladders to support the vehicle, which inflate and deflate to level the car in response to every turn. The affect is astonishing: every reviewer seems to take time to remark on the S-Class's handling, with most comparing it to much smaller sport sedans, even though this car weighs a little over 2.4 tons. A full performance review is coming soon. continue
S Exterior - 8.5 (Very Good)
The 2008 Mercedes S-Class updates the traditionally conservative look of Mercedes sedans with some new curves, but is not a radical departure. The Detroit News says "A lot of attention was paid to the car's silhouette. Where the previous model was slab-sided," the new S-Class "is defined by bold wheel arches, side creases and a long hood." Cars in this segment are rarely aggressively sexy, but many reviewers find its cousin, the Mercedes-Benz CLS, a slightly more attractive car. The Los Angeles Times says the S-Class is "not, strictly speaking, a beautiful car. It's big and handsome, thick with Teutonic propriety." A photo gallery and exterior review are coming soon. continue
S Interior - 8.4 (Very Good)
As the signature car for an automaker that prides itself on a 100-year old reputation for luxury, the S-Class has an extraordinary interior. It features 14-way power adjustable seats with bolsters that inflate to cradle passengers through sharp turns, and no reviewer fails to praise them. Reviews also make note of the incredible technology of the cabin. Motor Trend says "buyers may have trouble simply figuring out which gizmo to play with next." All major luxury brands now offer a driver-interface system that controls entertainment, climate control and navigation features through a single screen. COMAND (Cockpit Management and Data) is Mercedes' take on the idea, and while some reviewers praise it, others find it hard to operate. But, Motor Trend points out, "If you absolutely refuse to lift a finger, many of the systems are also voice-activated." A full photo gallery and interior review are coming soon. continue
S Safety - NA
Neither the federal government nor the insurance industry has crash tested the S-class. Perhaps they can't afford one. The S-Class seems likely to do very well if they ever do. The Los Angeles Times says "In a quest for what marketers call 'key differentiators,' Mercedes has come back to its traditional safety message." The safety features are simply too numerous to list. We'll offer a few examples instead. The S-Class features active safety systems that sense hard braking and respond by quickly closing open windows and sunroofs, swelling the seat bolsters to provide more support during an impact, and priming brakes with extra power. Should an accident occur, a complete set of airbags helps to cushion occupants. Rescue workers will even find the best places to cut the frame in order to extract an occupant discreetly marked. Mercedes has apparently made a very serious attempt to think of everything. A full safety review is coming soon. continue
S Reliability - 7.0 (Good)
The 2008 Mercedes-Benz S reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). Mercedes protects S-Class owners with a 2-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty, which buyers can extend at an additional cost. During the first year of ownership, certain maintenance procedures are included in the purchase price. A full reliability review is coming soon. continue
