Used Car Review of 2012 Mercedes Benz S550
The Automobile Connection Skillful Review
Editorial Director
April thirteen, 2012
Likes
- High-speed poise
- Fantastic multicontour seats
- Vast backseat infinite
- Exotic performance of AMG models
- The agility of a smaller sedan
Dislikes
- Very, very pricey
- COMAND controller
- Too conservative for some
Buying tip
features & specs
iv-Door Sedan S 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC
4-Door Sedan South 400 Hybrid RWD
four-Door Sedan S 550 4MATIC
The Mercedes-Benz S-Course has a wide range of personalities--all of them superbly comfortably, some of them outrageously powerful.
The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a utility player. That sounds odd to the mass market, merely for the very wealthy, the S-Class covers a wide range of needs, everything from the efficiency of the $92,000-plus S350 BlueTEC 4MATIC diesel sedan to the ultraluxury performance of the $211,000-plus S65 AMG. It's a range that encompasses the one-percents of all kinds, from celebrities to CEOs.
This year, in spite of an imminent redesign, the South-Class gets no fewer than iii new powertrains and new features to become with the shape that's been with it since the 2007 model year. The look'due south not quite equally edgy as the Jaguar XJ, nor as sedate equally that of the Lexus LS--and in truth it's had to grow on us over the years. The same cues knit together meliorate on the smaller CLS Form, we call back, but they've aged well on the Due south-Class, even more then inside, where the living-room aesthetic plays up a relaxed feel accentuated past a broad wave of wood trim.
Six distinct models brand up the Southward-Class family. Two are light-green-tinged: at that place'southward the S400 Hybrid, which blends batteries, motors, and V-six ability for 7-2d acceleration to 60 mph and 25-mpg highway fuel economy, though powertrain integration just isn't as smooth as the superior S350 BlueTEC turbodiesel, which rates 31 mpg highway, and offers about the same acceleration, though it has standard all-wheel drive. The mainstream S550, with rear- or all-bike drive, at present has a 429-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 and a seven-speed automatic with gas mileage equally expert as the Hybrid'south, in our experience, and ride and handling that rival anything in the class save for the very small-driving Jaguar XJ. At the top of the range are the V-12 S600, with 518 hp; the twin-turbo 5-12 S65 AMG, good for a 0-60 mph time of four.ii seconds; and the S63 AMG, just a tick slower, and outfitted with a twin-turbo, 5.five-liter 5-8 with upwards to 560 horsepower and terminate-start technology that keeps gas mileage every bit high as 21 mpg highway.
Review continues below
Regardless of which powertrain you choose, yous get essentially the same interior packaging. And that means yous become superbly accommodating front seats, a spacious, well-designed cabin, and easy access and entry for those in dorsum, too. All S-Class variants hither in the U.S. are long-wheelbase versions—meaning that fifty-fifty with the front seats dorsum all the way, in that location's still enough dorsum-seat space, and doors open up wide for easy access; it'southward truly limo-similar. Whether you get the active break system or the base air suspension, the Due south-Class volition soak upwards even the roughest washboard surfaces or potholed metropolis streets without ever feeling floaty.
Interior tech is among the best in whatever vehicle, with a number of features aiding, not distracting the driving experience. Active Body Control aids ride and performance, while items like multicontour seats help hold you in place and in comfort. One of the few exceptions is COMAND, an interface that's still a scrap involved and distracting—and less intuitive than the systems from nigh other luxury automakers.
In addition to tech features, traditional luxury and comfort features are hither in full strength—including a heated steering wheel; a panoramic sunroof; and a power rear sunshade. Fifty-fifty the S550 has a wood and leather steering wheel; active ventilated and heated front seats; new wheels; ambient lighting and a power trunk lid. A sunroof is standard, along with a power tilt/telescope steering wheel; 14-way power heated front end seats; and leather upholstery. The S400 Hybrid shares all this gear, minus the automatic loftier beams and front-seat ventilation.
Not always smoothly integrated, the Southward-Form' styling themes have aged well.
Telephone call it an prototype maintained. Today'due south Mercedes-Benz Southward-Class has advisedly groomed its styling for long-term immovability, and while information technology'south not the well-nigh expressive or singular statement on 4 wheels, information technology does have some curb appeal, and is showing some lasting entreatment equally it approaches its final twelvemonth of production.
New in 2007, the electric current S-Class has never been seen as particularly edgy. A blend of some precisely drawn lines and emphatic curves, it was initially seen as a major departure from the banking concern-vault lines of the S-Form of the 1990s, and the svelte, feminine S-Class of the late 1990s and early 2000s. The tautness of the lines around the fenders has kept information technology fresh, and the interesting chemical compound lines that collect at the rear quarters were the first taste of the dynamic expect that now has erupted across the lineup--most successfully, we retrieve, on the CLS Class. Information technology's non entirely cohesive, only the S-Grade' sheetmetal conveys great route presence, especially from the rear quarters, where the perfectly blistered fenders intersect with a rising bumper line.
Review continues below
Inside the S-Class, Mercedes-Benz has gone with a simplified, living-room aesthetic; the overall await and feel is relaxed, with a broad, ornately grained wave of wood bridging the cabin. It's capped by a large LCD screen for secondary controls and adorned by a minimum of buttons and switches; gauges are lit in brilliant white. The shift control sits on the steering column, which frees the dash from the ataxia that afflicts some competitive cars. Crawl around the interior or merely take a glance within, and it's not surprising that furniture designers were brought in to help style the interior.
Staggering AMG operation meets impressive diesel fuel economy in the 2012 S-Class.
For the 2012 model year, the Due south-Class family adds a new member--ane with ameliorate fuel economy than whatever of the other five models. That brings the lineup to six members in all--ii with V-12 engines, ii with V-8s, one hybrid model, and one turbodiesel.
The new S-Class mileage leader is the S350 BlueTEC 4MATIC, equipped with a 3.0-liter turbodiesel with 240 horsepower and 455 pound-anxiety of torque. Even shod with standard all-wheel drive, it's EPA-rated at 21/31 mpg, and doesn't omit any of the usual Southward-Form standard equipment in the name of cost savings or complexity, as the hybrid does. Performance is competitive with the hybrid--0-60 mph times of most vii.v seconds are possible--and on the move, the diesel fuel drivetrain's very refined.
The S400 Hybrid, in contrast, offers less in the way of gas mileage than the S350, and a less refined driving experience. EPA-rated at 19/25 mpg, and priced to a higher place $92,000 similar the diesel fuel, the Hybrid model's moderate dispatch is the end result of combining a lithium-ion battery pack with xx-hp-equivalent electric motors, a 275-hp Five-6 gas engine, and a seven-speed automatic. The mild hybrid S400 has an electrical-only style, only only at low speeds, and incorporates stop-start technology, but in existent-world driving, only tin can't match the seamless experience of any other S-Form, nor their operation, nor the diesel's extreme economy and range.
This year's S550 keeps its name, just the engine nether the hood is completely new. The sometime Five-eight's been replaced by a four.6-liter, twin-turbo unit that lifts output from 382 horsepower to 429 horsepower. Offered with rear- or all-wheel bulldoze, the S550 puts ability to the ground through a vii-speed automatic that helps fuel economy greatly: information technology's rated at either 15/25 mpg with rear-cycle bulldoze, or 24 mpg highway with the added traction. In our feel, the numbers tin be a lilliputian shy of reality: we've hammered along a 200-mile interstate run at 80 mph and delivered an indicated 25.5 mpg, while cruising on the S550's effortless wave of passing power, with just a trivial whistle and mumble indicating the change in engine fundamentals underhood.
For those looking for something not only meliorate-performing, but more than exclusive, there'south the rear-drive S600, its 510-hp twin-turbo V-12, its 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, and its peaceful whir during any sort of ordinary commuting. The V-12's automated has manual-shift programming and the engine is so torquey that it hardly needs to be worried with shifting, merely its transmission has only v gears instead of seven.
These "mid-range" Southward-Class models--the diesel, the S550 and S600--are connected cars, with good handling and electronic controls that can filter off the worst offenses the highway can offering up. The S-Class has a very absorbent, well-settled ride that manages to soak up small potholes with little jarring inside the motel, while remaining remarkably quiet. We would advise, though that the electric power steering in the S550 feels somewhat lifeless compared to the hydraulic-heave system that other versions get. In any case, there's plenty of feedback when you're rounding tight corners at speed, but piffling 'feel' of the road; the steering's weighting is just a niggling too artificial. Whether you lot get the agile interruption system or the base air suspension, the Due south-Class volition soak up even the roughest washboard surfaces or potholed urban center streets without ever feeling floaty.
For those peckish a near exotic-car level of performance (and exclusivity), but with practicality that'southward on par with other Due south-Class models, at that place are 2 blistering AMG models. The S63 AMG installs a new engine this year, a twin-turbo 5.5-liter 5-8 worth 536 hp (or 560 hp with a Performance Bundle), and a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds (or 4.iii seconds). All figures are improve than the prior version's 6.2-liter V-viii. The S65 AMG, topping $211,000, throttles the turbo V-12 for a stupendous 604 hp, twists out a four.3-second time from 0-lx mph, and hurtles on to a express top end of 186 mph. The S63 uses the aforementioned seven-speed automatic as the S550, while the S65 gets the five-speed automatic; both prefer AMG's SpeedShift controls, with iii shift modes (Comfort, Sport and Transmission) for near-total control of power changes. These AMG cars are more different than ever at high speed and on a twisty road because AMG has reworked the electronics for the Agile Body Command and employed a torque-vectoring organisation for quicker plow-in and a more confident corner exit. And the greens accept won a victory here, at least on the S63: terminate-start technology ways upwards to 23 mpg highway, which ways the sedan no longer is bailiwick to the gas-guzzler tax.
Review continues below
Few machines offer the creature comforts or the status massage that an S-Class delivers.
Since all Due south-Form sedans sold in the U.S. are long-wheelbase cars, they're all essentially akin, at least in terms of interior and cargo space. Across the lineup, that means spacious accommodations, superb front seats, easy access for those in dorsum, and height-drawer fit and cease, with some fiddly ergonomics to muddle through.
In front, the Due south-Course offers upwardly standard sixteen-way, power-adjusting seats. They're firmly padded, and wide enough to arrange nigh any frame; leather upholstery is standard on all models, even the vegan-trending diesel and hybrid versions. Ventilated and heated front end seats are an option past themselves, only we'd suggest you spend up to the available multicontour seats. They comprise sets of air pockets that fill and empty according to cornering forces built up by the automobile, and though information technology sounds gimmicky at first, they truly feel useful and comfy when the S-Course speeds upward to a full hustle. Reaction times are quick enough to go along up with even the very fast AMG editions.
The long-wheelbase S-Grade body guarantees plenty of front and rear-seat leg room, even with the front end seats powered all the way back. The rear doors are cut widely, for like shooting fish in a barrel access and limousine-like space, and the seats themselves are sculpted for good comfort.
Y'all'll rarely discover space at a premium within the cabin of the South-Course. There'due south enough of storage space for smaller items—including a glovebox and console large enough for modest handbags and even the larger electronic gadgets. The fold-down armrest in back has its ain hidden stowaway space and a pass-through to the 16-cubic-foot trunk that's well-shaped for suitcases of golf bags.
The Due south-Grade' interior upholstery and trims are top-notch; nosotros specially like the AMG models' sueded fabric. Over repeat drives of various S-Class trims, varying from the Hybrid to AMG, nosotros've plant these big luxury sedans to exist about as tightly assembled and vaultlike every bit their predecessors, with a detailed, delicate look upward close. While the S-Class's motel is outdone at the base of operations level by height efforts from Audi and BMW, step up to any of the uplevel trims and yous get some of the richest textures and finishes you'll see in a German motorcar: example in betoken, the lush wood trim applied to the dash, doors, and consoles.
Review continues below
No crash-test scores are in, but the South-Class' prophylactic technology is pervasive.
Neither the the Insurance Institute for Highway Rubber (IIHS) or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has crash-tested the 2012 Mercedes S-Course, but it scores highly with our editors for a long history of crash safety and pioneering applied science, including some new features bundled into the current generation.
With a reputation globally as one of the safest cars on the road, with one of the lowest fatality rates, the S-Class enjoys a long list of standard equipment. All versions sold in the U.S. come with dual front, front side and rear side airbags, and curtain airbags; anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control; active head restraints; adaptive restriction lights; and PRE-SAFE, which prepares the car when an accident is imminent, past locking doors and tightening seatbelts, and preparing the brakes for full application.
Newer features that have been added include Attention Assist, an alert that senses drowsy drivers and blinks a coffee-loving cup icon to suggest a residue stop. Information technology's standard on all but the S400 Hybrid. Other available features include Nightview Assistance PLUS, a night-vision organization that uses infrared sensors to call out unseen obstacles on night roads; Lane Keeping Assist, which uses electric ability steering to nudge the machine dorsum into the driving lane when it senses a slip over the lines; bullheaded-spot monitors; automatic headlights; and adaptive cruise command. The S-Class can also be fitting with parking aid, which judges parallel-parking spots and suggests ones in which the machine volition fit.
Advances to the Due south-Class' stability control at present include torque-vector braking, which applies braking to the inside rear wheel to tighten cornering; it's standard on all models except the S400 Hybrid. On cars with the ABC break, new programming helps the S-Course recoup for heavy crosswinds by adjusting suspension stiffness.
Even though the exterior of the current S-Course is a step curvier than earlier, nosotros've plant visibility to exist first-class. Forepart and rear parking sensors, as well as an available rearview camera further improve parking safety.
Even in its final years on auction, today'south S-Class is still calculation infotainment features.
Despite its length of time on the marketplace--well-nigh seven years--the current Mercedes Due south-Class doesn't lack for the latest infotainment features. In fact, information technology's still adding them as it nears the end of its life cycle.
All South-Class cars sold in the U.S. come with a raft of standard features including leather upholstery; dual power front seats; power locks, windows, and mirrors; a sunroof; a power tilt/telescoping steering bicycle; an AM/FM/CD/Hard disk/XM sound system with USB and Bluetooth connectivity and an SD card slot. A navigaiton system is standard, too, and it's hosted on a hard drive with 4GB of space reserved for music, and overlays Zagat travel information with its maps.
Most versions, from the S550 on up, have even plusher accoutrements, including ventilated and heated front seats; a wood and leather steering bike; ambient lighting; and a power trunk chapeau.
The main driver of the S-Class' infotainment system is COMAND, which uses a knob controller or voice commands or steering-wheel controls to run phone, audio, navigation, climate, and other ancillary features. It displays on the center stack'southward LCD screen, and also on a smaller LCD pane on the gauges, where an available Night Vision system also shows obstacles detected in the dark. New this year is a SPLITVIEW screen that layers images on the center display, then that drivers can notice navigation, for example--while passengers come across a flick or sound data, simply by virtue of the viewing angle.
One complaint of the COMAND organisation is that some features—such as those for the multi-profile seats—are accessible only through the interface, and don't have more easily controlled buttons of their own. That interface, despite being significantly improved, is nevertheless a weak point compared to the latest systems from Audi and Lincoln (likewise as the much-improved BMW iDrive).
Optional on the S400 Hybrid, S550, and S63 AMG are a rear-seat entertainment system; four-zone automated climate control; and multicontour rear seats. All those features are standard on the S600 and S65 AMG.
Other features offered on various models include a heated steering bicycle; a panoramic sunroof; and a power rear sunshade.
Review continues below
Diesel and hybrid models elevator the S-Class fuel-economy ratings from the AMG models' rather dismal lows.
With seven distinct drivetrains in its portfolio, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class offers fuel economy that ranges from the ultra-efficient to the dismally delightful.
The greenest editions are the turbodiesel S350 BlueTEC and S400 Hybrid. The diesel edition, a new powertrain for U.S. buyers in this generation of S-Class this year, offers up EPA ratings of 21/31 mpg, the highest highway ratings of the unabridged lineup. Non far behind is the S400 Hybrid, with its lithium-ion bombardment pack and V-6 gas engine pairing; information technology's rated at 19/25 mpg.
The new twin-turbo, 4.seven-liter V-viii engine available in the mainstream, executive-edition S550 achieves first-class fuel economy in a vehicle the size of the S-Class. Officially rated at 15/25 mpg in the rear-bulldoze S550 and at 15/24 mpg in the S550 with all-wheel bulldoze, it's capable of more. We've clocked an indicated 25.five mpg on a 300-mile interstate trip where speeds averaged nearly 80 mph.
Equally you dip more than securely into the performance end of the range, the numbers fall precipitously. The S63 AMG fares best, its twin-turbo 5.v-liter V-8 putting down EPA ratings of 15/23 mpg. The twin-turbo V-12 cars are on another planet entirely, probably more due to their outdated five-speed automatic transmissions than anything: the S600 and the S63 AMG both are pegged by the EPA at 12/xix mpg, just a highway mile per gallon ameliorate than a Jeep Thou Cherokee SRT8--though the S65 is, at iv.2 seconds to sixty mph, a few ticks faster, besides.
Review continues below
On the bright side, the S-Course models do score pretty well for smog-forming emissions; despite its low mileage, the S65 earns a 6 out of 10 on the EPA Air Pollution Score.
Continue Reading
The Car Connection Consumer Review
April 28, 2015
2012 Mercedes-Benz S Class four-Door Sedan S 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC
The most amazing ride you volition always experience.
people establish this helpful.
Source: https://www.thecarconnection.com/overview/mercedes-benz_s-class_2012
0 Response to "Used Car Review of 2012 Mercedes Benz S550"
Post a Comment