2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class review: Quick drive

When Carl Benz conjured up the Benz Patent-Motorwagen back in 1886, he would have had no inkling of what he’d started.

Not only had the visionary engineer set in motion the future of mobility, but the first Benz vehicle also kicked off a legacy that has gone from strength to strength in the 140 years since.

Coinciding with the 140 th anniversary of Mercedes-Benz, the three-pointed star has launched a heavily upgraded S-Class (W223) that’s claimed to be 50 per cent new, thanks to over 2700 new parts.

Apart from refreshed styling and an improved MBUX multimedia interface, the highlight is a new AMG-fettled M177 Evo twin-turbo petrol V8 that boosts potency and efficiency in the range-topping S580L 4Matic we’re testing here.

It’s not too difficult to distinguish the 2027 S-Class from the outgoing model as exterior tweaks include a restyled front fascia with a 20 per cent larger grille that’s illuminated, plus star motifs in the front and rear LED lights and new 20-inch alloy wheels.

We covered 2300km (from Florence to Vienna) in the updated S580L as part of a Mercedes-Benz world tour in which three S-Class vehicles are travelling around the globe to commemorate the marque’s 140th anniversary. It gave us plenty of time to comprehensively assess the three-pointed star’s incoming flagship sedan.

How much does the Mercedes-Benz S-Class cost?

Specification levels for the 2027 S-Class are significantly improved vis-à-vis the outgoing model, but pricing also rises accordingly.

Available to order now ahead of first local deliveries from November, the entry-level S450 4Matic starts at $264,200 excluding on-road costs (up $9973), while the long-wheelbase S580L V8 flagship is pegged at $353,900 plus on-roads (up $7873).

To put the new S-Class’s pricing in perspective, the updated BMW 740 (also due on sale here in the fourth quarter of this year) will start at $277,900 plus ORCs, while the electrified i7 60 xDrive range-topper starts at $306,900 plus ORCs.

The facelifted Mercedes-Maybach S-Class, meanwhile, will be offered in two model grades in Australia, with a new V8-powered S580 joining the range-topping V12-powered S680.

The updated range is due in Australia during the first quarter (January to March) of 2027 and the new Mercedes-Maybach S580 will be priced from $517,900 before on-road costs.

It’s no secret that – over the past couple of decades – many buyers have been deserting the limo segment and opting instead for ultra-luxury SUVs, of which there are now many on the market. Even so, Mercedes Australia spokesperson Jerry Stamoulis says the new S-Class has a key role to play for the German brand locally.

“The new S-Class introduces new technology and performance enhancements, alongside elevated levels of luxury and refinement, further strengthening the appeal of this iconic nameplate among Australian customers,” he said.

To see how the Mercedes-Benz S-Class lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What is the Mercedes-Benz S-Class like on the inside?

Where BMW’s latest 7 Series embraces a minimalist sci-fi ambience inside, Mercedes-Benz has opted instead to meld classical design flourishes with a cutting-edge user interface and a plethora of mod-cons.

There’s artistry on show everywhere, with premium trim materials and elegantly sculpted surfaces endowing the cabin with a genuine sense of occasion.

The interior layout is dominated by the expansive user interface, which comprises a 14.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and an optional 12.3-inch front passenger display. The latest MB.OS operating system uses new software, has a more natural voice assistant, and brings over-the-air update capability.

The refreshed MBUX experience also introduces an enhanced ‘Zero Layer’ interface and MBUX Surround Navigation, which uses advanced graphics and real-time visualisation to create a more life-like navigation experience.

Although each of the displays is brilliantly clear, it’s a case of screen overload, as even the temperature controls, air vent settings, and seat massage/heating/cooling functions have to be adjusted via the infotainment screen. As with most touchscreens, the large central interface also gets coated in fingerprint smudges, which look particularly unsightly when it’s turned off.

A new Digital Vent Control system adjusts airflow from the afterburner-styled vents to suit your selected setting, while buyers can option heated front seatbelts for the first time – perfect for cold Melbourne mornings.

There’s also an Air Balance electric filtration system that refreshes and purifies the cabin air approximately every 90 seconds, creating a more pleasant environment for the driver and passengers (particularly welcome if you happen to be driving past a sewage processing plant).

Banging beats are part of the recipe, thanks to the standard Burmester premium 3D and the optional ($14,100) High-End 4D surround sound systems with Dolby Atmos, which transform the S-Class into a private concert hall.

We’ll get to the drive impressions shortly, but rear-seat comfort is what the S-Class is really all about, and there are few (if any) better vehicles in which to be wafted around in. Feather-soft pillows caress the back of your noggin, while the diamond-quilted leather- trimmed seats embrace your torso as though they were custom-made to suit your frame.

We covered about 2300km (spread over five days) in the S580L 4Matic – split across the driver’s seat, rear seat, and front passenger seat. Regardless of which seat I was sat in, the common theme at the end of each day was a lack of the travel fatigue that’s normally a byproduct of long road trips.

Apart from the exquisitely sculpted seats (offered with heating/cooling and massage functions), occupants are comprehensively insulated from exterior noise, while road-surface imperfections are effortlessly soaked up by the Airmatic suspension and optional ($17,100) E-Active Body Control – more on these later.

The outside world is literally kept outside, and the only intrusions into an otherwise silent atmosphere is the muted hum of the V8 and a trace of wind rustle from around the A-pillars at highway cruising speeds.

Although the standard interior configuration is already stellar, if you tick the box for the optional Comfort Complete Package ($16,100) you get an ottoman setup that integrates a power-deployable footrest and motorised calf rest built into the seat base and the back of the front passenger seat.

Also optional is the latest MBUX rear-seat entertainment system (part of the Comfort Complete Package) that adds to the first-class experience. Comprising two high-resolution 13.1-inch displays mounted behind the front head restraints, this tech enables app streaming, content sharing and video conferencing on the move.

There’s not too much to fault in terms of the S580L 4Matic’s in-cabin experience, but one gripe is that the plethora of piano-black trim on the dashboard and centre consoles catches a lot of reflections from street lighting at night, and sun during the day, which can be distracting for the driver.

The rear-seat experience is sublime (everyone who sat there usually fell asleep within 10-15 minutes of the journey commencing) but, when carving up serpentine mountain roads, the four-wheel steering system can make back-seat dwellers feel as though the rear-end of the car is sliding around. It can be oddly disconcerting.

Overall, though, travelling in the S-Class is a genuine first-class experience.

To see how the Mercedes-Benz S-Class lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What's under the bonnet?

As before, the entry-level S450 4Matic is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder petrol engine, albeit upgraded via a few tweaks. While peak power output remains unchanged at 280kW, maximum torque has been bumped up from 500Nm to 560Nm, while an overboost function pumps the quota up to 600Nm for brief periods.

The turbo-six’s added grunt (and improved efficiency) is the result of optimised fuel injection, a higher compression ratio, and an enhanced 48-volt mild-hybrid system with integrated starter-generator.

Even the base-grade S-Class is no slug, as Mercedes-Benz says the 0-100km/h sprint is now dispatched in a brisk 4.9 seconds.

However, the big story is the S580L 4Matic’s new M177 Evo twin-turbo petrol V8, which thumps out 395kW and 750Nm.

The AMG-developed V8 features a raft of engineering enhancements that include a more refined injection system, optimised intake and exhaust ports, a revised intake camshaft, and improvements to the compressor wheel and turbocharger housing.

Arguably, the new V8’s most interesting aspect is that it has a flat-plane crankshaft (a configuration that’s been the preserve of supercars until now). The rationale for switching to the new layout is that it serves up quicker response, greater efficiency, and enhanced smoothness.

After our extended time in the car, we can confirm the new 4.0-litre unit is an absolute gem. Turbine-smooth and pleasingly punchy across the rev range, the V8 also has a lovely sonic signature. Although it remains muted at low to middling throttle loads, the force-fed unit emits a delightful (but still not raucous) rumble when you flatten the accelerator pedal.

It’s rapid, too, as evidenced by a 0-100km/h split that’s been pared from 4.4 to 4.0 seconds (claimed). More importantly, there’s an abundance of mid-range torque that makes overtaking on country roads a breeze.

To see how the Mercedes-Benz S-Class lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Mercedes-Benz S-Class drive?

No less important than how the new S580L 4Matic drives is how well it fulfils its role of ferrying passengers. So, we’ll cover both…

Given that 2026 marks Mercedes-Benz’s 140th anniversary, the automaker has mapped out an elaborate world tour, in which three S-Classes journeyed via 140 places (scattered around the globe) in 140 days.

We joined the tour in Florence and progressed via Milan, Maranello and the spectacular Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road (Passo del Rombo), which connects Austria’s Ötztal valley with Italy’s Passeier valley.

Our leg of the ‘140 Places in 140 Days’ tour concluded in Vienna, so the journey gave us ample time behind the wheel and in the back seat to assess the S580L 4Matic’s prowess as both a driver’s car and an executive shuttle.

The S580L 4Matic cossets its occupants as capably as any other vehicle on the market (and we’re including Rolls-Royce and Bentley here), with sumptuous rear seats underpinned by a deftly calibrated chassis that relies on Airmatic air suspension and optional E-Active Body Control.

The latter uses front-facing multifunction cameras and cloud-based Car-To-X data (the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud) to read road imperfections, speed bumps, and potholes ahead of time in order to ready the suspension.

Armed with this road-surface information, the electro-hydraulic suspension system (which operates on a 48-volt architecture) individually regulates spring and damping forces at each wheel ahead of time.

The E-Active system also actively counteracts body roll during cornering, as well as pitch and squat during heavy braking and acceleration, keeping the cabin level. In addition, when ‘curve mode’ is active, the vehicle can lean into bends like a motorcycle to reduce lateral centrifugal forces on passengers.

What it all adds up to is a magic-carpet ride in the rear seat. And we traversed all manner of terrain during our five-day journey – potholed Italian country roads, gravel tracks, mountain passes and freeway schlepping. The big Merc soaked it all up, allowing its occupants to emerge fresh at the end of each day.

The S580L 4Matic is a surprisingly capable driver’s car too. With 4.5-degree rear-axle steering effectively shortening its wheelbase, the big limo has a relatively tight turning radius (handy for tight car parks) and it rotates very effectively when carving up hairpin-strewn mountain passes.

The expansive S-Class can serve up an unseemly turn of speed even across serpentine alpine roads that appear tailor-made for a compact hot hatch. There’s a pleasing directness to the steering, the brakes are reassuring, and the 4.0-litre M177 Evo V8 is a simply lovely powerplant – grunty, sonorous and as smooth as butter.

A shoutout is also due to the new-generation Digital Light adaptive LED headlights (with cornering and self-levelling functions). They literally turn night into day, so you never feel as though you’re having to guess what lies ahead – even on pitch-black mountain roads with no ambient lighting.

To see how the Mercedes-Benz S-Class lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

The S580L 4Matic comes loaded with kit but, as with any high-end Mercedes-Benz, there’s plenty of scope to personalise your car and improve its technical spec.

2027 Mercedes-Benz S580L 4Matic equipment highlights:

• 14.4-inch infotainment touchscreen
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• Burmester premium 3D surround-sound audio system
• 15 speakers and 2 subwoofers
• 710-Watt stereo output
• Wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay
• USB connection
• Auxiliary audio input and USB with external media control
• Speed-sensitive volume control
• Front and rear one-touch power windows
• 1st row power glass extended moonroof
• 2nd row fixed glass moonroof
• Hands-free entry and push-button start
• Heated mirrors
• Powered tilt and telescopic steering wheel adjustment
• Transmission, cruise and audio controls on steering wheel
• Wireless phone charging
• Adaptive cruise control
• Universal remote transmitter (for garage door)
• Front and rear cupholders
• Overhead console with storage
• Front seatback storage
• Heated leather-trimmed steering wheel
• Dual-zone front climate control
• Interior air filtration
• Extended cabin heating/cooling
• Sun sensor
• Dual illuminated vanity mirrors
• Electrochromatic inside rear-view mirror
• 19x8.5-inch alloy wheels with 255/45R19 run-flat tyres

Among the big-ticket options are the Comfort Complete Package ($16,100) that adds massaging multi-contour rear seats and a rear-seat entertainment system.

There’s also the $11,900 Business Class package that includes a full-length centre console in the rear, along with fold-out worktables and temperature-controlled cupholders.

Predictive E-Active Body Control suspension will set you back a whopping $17,100, while the 4D Burmester premium audio is also not cheap at $14,100.

Manufaktur Exclusive paint will set you back (deep breath) $24,300, while Manufaktur Exclusive upholstery is even pricier at $27,600.

To see how the Mercedes-Benz S-Class lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Mercedes-Benz S580L safe?

Given that it’s not a high-volume vehicle, the S-Class is exempt from crash testing by independent auto safety organisations such as Euro NCAP.

Even so, the S580L 4Matic comes loaded with active and passive safety features, and Merc’s flagship sedan has always been synonymous with industry-leading occupant protection and collision avoidance tech.

There’s also the fact that the smaller E-Class and C-Class have both earned five-star safety ratings from Euro NCAP, so it’s reasonable to expect the S-Class would fare at least as well as its smaller siblings.

Standard safety equipment includes:

• Distronic Active Distance Assist
• Active Steering Assist
• Active Lane Change Assist
• Active Lane Keeping Assist
• Emergency Stop Assist
• Parking Assist with 360-degree camera
• Parktronic (impending collisions visual and audible warnings)
• Reverse manoeuvring function
• Rim protection warning
• Enhanced camera and radar sensor suite
• Front and rear cross-traffic alert
• Driver attention alert
• Pre-collision safety system
• Post-collision safety system
• Dual front and rear side airbags
• Front and rear head airbags
• Passenger airbag occupant sensing deactivation
• Stability control
• Traction control
• Child seat anchors
• Rear-door child safety locks
• 4-wheel ABS
• Brake drying
• Emergency braking preparation
• Emergency braking assist
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Dusk-sensing headlights
• Auto delay-off headlights
• LED headlights
• Adaptive self-levelling headlights
• Daytime running lights
• Cornering lights
• Front, side, and rear-view camera
• Indicator repeaters on mirrors
• Power-adjustable front head restraints
• Multi-adjustable rear head restraints
• Remote anti-theft alarm system
• Engine immobiliser

To see how the Mercedes-Benz S-Class lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Mercedes-Benz S580L cost to run?

Along with five years of roadside assistance, Mercedes-Benz currently offers a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty – though for the chauffeurs out there, that reduces to five years or 200,000km – whichever comes first.

With the S-Class set to arrive later this year, service pricing for the new model has yet to be published. However, Mercedes-Benz has service plans based on a choice of three, four, or five years – with intervals of 12 months or 25,000km.

Pricing for the outgoing model starts at $4025 for the three-year plan, and goes up to $8090 for the five-year plan.

To see how the Mercedes-Benz S-Class lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert's take on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The Mercedes S-Class has been a standard bearer for the automotive industry over the past several decades, and other automakers have always sat up and taken notice whenever a new iteration is ushered in.

Inevitably, design cues and engineering innovations pioneered by the big Benz would start appearing on/in other cars – regardless of their country of origin.

The latest S-Class continues the trend of cutting-edge engineering and exhaustive attention to detail. It’s a wonderful car to drive, or be driven in.

That said, the S-Class now sits in a segment that’s dwindled dramatically over the past 25 years, as a raft of large luxo SUVs – such as the Range Rover, BMW’s X7 and Merc’s own GLS – have been quietly eating its lunch (and also that of the BMW 7 Series, which is realistically now the only direct competitor for the S-Class).

Regardless of sales numbers, the latest S580L 4Matic retains the specialness that has made the S-Class a unicorn in the car industry, ever since the first ‘Sonderklasse’ launched in the 1950s.

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