The New Super Class: The 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Review [Video]

[fwduvp preset_id=”9″ playlist_id=”41″]

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is a byword for luxury saloon excellence and is widely regarded as one of the best cars in the world. It goes without saying – expectations are incredibly high. Luckily this 6th generation model proves more than up to the task of maintaining effortless superiority, now with cheaper running costs, a host of incredibly clever technology and class leading engine options (including 3 hybrid variants).

 

When you see it, it’s instantly recognisable as a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The classically elegance is a bit more less coupe and much more saloon than before; a separate S-Class coupe variant on offer now means it can be exactly what it should be. The bonnet is longer, the grille bigger and the air intakes more obvious. The ‘drop lines’ run along the sides, subtly framing the taller glass house, into the muscular rear shoulders that meld with the discreetly slopped rear end. It’s a handsome machine but it is a big car so the standard 18” alloys look a bit dwarfed by the sheer enormity of the shell. You’d do well to specify yours with 19” wheels. An interesting point about the LED lights is that this is the first car in the world to go completely without a single light bulb! That’s cutting edge for you. Inside, it is as beautifully crafted and sumptuous as you’d imagine an S-Class to be. And that’s a lot.

The soft leather trimmed chairs feel somehow tailored and you’ll really notice the spaciousness compared to the mark 5 S-class model – there’s substantially more leg and shoulder room. Smooth elegant curves, superb attention to detail and high quality materials and finishes characterise the dash which houses a huge 12.8” infotainment screen that dominates the cabin area. This allows you to access the very best that Mercedes own COMAND infotainment has to offer with the added dimension of excellent futuristic graphics. It seems as though the depth of it might be lost on those who don’t take the time to learn how to use it properly though. There is another screen replacing/digitising the traditional instrument cluster behind the wheel. Amidst all this great high technology, there is a delightfully old school analogue clock in the centre of the dash which is a refreshing touch. At night you are bathed in ambient light in the colour of your choosing.

Overall there’s no denying the pure quality of this front cabin which makes it a lovely place to be behind the wheel. In the back, the loveliness continues as you’d expect for a car that a large amount of buyers will have chauffer driven. There’s plenty of room to simply stretch out and relax. If you plan on spending a lot of time in the back of this car then the Executive Rear package or the 1st Class Rear package will allow you to deck the area out with plenty of dandy gadgetry and comfort functions that will make you feel as if you’re Alan Sugar. It’s also worth combining this with the Rear Seat Comfort package which allows for massaging chairs and seatback mounted entertainment screens for the height of refined journeying. Due to the style of the seating in the back, the boot space isn’t extendable, but the 510ltrs available should be enough to store most things you’ll need to carry – be it a golf bag or a couple of dead bodies… depends on your life of work.

Once behind the wheel of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class you will understand that you are certainly getting what you pay for with this top of the line, thoroughly engineered machine. There is an amazing range of state of the art kit that goes into making this a pleasure to take a ride in. By far the cleverest is the ‘Magic Body Control’ system, which uses road surface scan technology to analyse the quality of the road up to 15 metres ahead and how long it will take to hit it, whereby it adjusts the active suspension accordingly. This has the incredible effect of completely ironing out any kinks in the road so you won’t even notice them. The only downside is that, as a piece of technology that’s based on camera usage, it doesn’t work in the dark. Still in the daylight it’s faultless. That being said, the standard Airmatic suspension that comes as standard if you’re driving in the dark or couldn’t quite stretch up to the Magic system, is still very impressive and will generally give you a lovely smooth ride. The cornering is surprisingly good too due to a stiffer chassis. This is aided by the speed sensitive steering which is accurate if a tad towards the light side in terms of feedback. That being said, you have to keep in mind that this is still a 2 tonne monster of a car and it was never going to handle like a BMW 3 Series.

 

That’s pure physics for you. Other notable technology includes ADS+ adaptive damping and torque vectoring to aid towards confident cornering and ride refinement; as well as cross wind stabilisation, washer jets integrated into the windscreen wipers and intelligent LED lights. On another note, the ride is amazingly quiet due to excellent soundproofing and double glazing. There are some fine engine choices available here yet the majority of the UK sales will undoubtedly be the conventional 3.5ltr 258ltr S350 Bluetech diesel model which hasn’t really changed since its last guise. Not that it needed to – it feels magnificent to drive with some astonishing torque available – 619Nm, all accessible in low revs) which allows it to sprint 0-62mph in 6.8 secs. All models are artificially restrained at 155mph. However if you can spare a small premium then it’s well worth looking at the range of 3 hybrid power plants – the diesel/electric S300, the petrol/electric S400 and the pricey but simply incredible S500 which offers top draw performance, emissions (literally that of a supermini – 69g/pk) and running costs (94.2mpg) and a much better e-only range of 18 miles (as opposed to the S3/400’s singular mile). Hybridisation aside, there is the 5.5ltr twin turbo V8 petrol S63 AMG and the V12 S600 which are mind-bogglingly quick.

All in all, what’s the lowdown with the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class? Spearheading technological advancement in the segment, the S-Class’s range brief covers a lot of bases with its diverse state of the art talents. The AMG version boasts supercar performance, the S500 hybrid allows a 2 tonne luxury saloon to give fuel returns of an astounding 100mpg , while everything else in between is catered for with the incredible technology on offer. That’s not to mention the sheer level of class that the S-Class could already assert. There’s no such thing as a so-so Mercedes-Benz S-Class and like a fine wine it has become more complex and refined, while staying several strides ahead to ensure it will continue to be the top selling luxury car.

If you want to get hold of the 2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class then don’t hesitate to leave us a message on our contact us page or give us a call on 01903 538835 to find out about our Mercedes lease deals.