The worst thing about this screen mania is that the dudes who buy this type of car are usually old, and their screen dexterity is sometimes lacking. Anyway, this savagegeese video is as usual very premium and industry leading
I had the same thought. These super expensive Mercedes are usually bought by people who are either old, have very little time or both. Putting such an infotainment looks like an absolute target group failure to me.
I'm not young but not so doddery that I can't see or touch a screen. Also, in that position, the cost of a driver would be part of the purchase value assessment.
@@andrewwilson8273 It's not just about being able to use a screen, but about being able to do so while driving (to be fair, this car won't shake much, but still). It's also about the willingness to learn and explore thousands of submenus, something people tend to loose with age and rank.
Many S classes are chauffeured. Rich guy buys car, gets his driver to drive it for him -- and the driver better learn what he needs to do. Rich old guy doesn't need to worry about personalized lighting or sound mode, or where to find the oil checker -- the driver does it for him.
I think we are on a stupid "touchscreen everything" boom that is going to be both obsolete and cringy in 10-15 years. Eventually manufacturers will find the balance between screens and physical controls, I hope.
Lol meaning no screens and all buttons. Unless you need a ton of tech like in this thing, which would mean roughly one button per outsourced job required to afford one.
It's honestly terrifying to me considering how little attention people were paying before screens started popping up everywhere, and now those screens being what customers are forced to interact with to do anything. As there has been more and more of a push in regulations and laws against phone use while driving, manufacturers have simultaneously put larger and more obstructive screens in the cars, that they now want to integrate all functionality into. If cars could actually drive themselves, then maybe that would be fine, but as it is the last thing cars need is another way for drivers who hate driving to distract themselves while driving.
The idea of fully touch screen interiors makes sense in a world where everyone on the road is in a perfectly working self driving car. However. We are not in that time yet
Im 2 1/2 years in on a 03 S430 and I’m sure it’s no match as far as tech goes but it’s the most comfy car I’ve ever owned I want to see how much better it could get
I think the reason why car manufactures are so eager to replace physical buttons with screens is because they can not only please the average buyer but also cut down the cost of engineering all the physical buttons.
It's about saving them money...putting everything on a tablet screen is annoying. The less buttons, control knobs, etc. they have to design, manufacture and place the more profit. Have computer screens everywhere gives the illusion of more cost to them and luxury for you when in fact it's the opposite..
I appreciate the honest assessment. You highlighted a lot of problems that I think are becoming standard in the automotive industry as a whole. Cars are being built with this YOLO attitude with no regard for future reliability.
Agreed 100%. Everything that "should" be mechanical is switching over to electronic and being controlled via software. Future maintenance and repair will be a major headache and likely need done at a shop. How will you know something is wearing out if you're no longer connected to it? Think brake by wire....
Totally agree. Especially when car manufacturers have to go electric for better emissions and company to go green. But the car now a days are disposable which is counter intuitive to what they are trying to achieve in the first place.
@@karraral-bahathly6990 one would think that turning thousands of pounds worth of leather, medal, batteries, plastic, and other materials that goes into a car into a rolling piece of junk in ten years is bad for the environment. Furthermore, not only are complex new cars just a waste of materials, but the materials needed to replace everything in the next 100,000 miles of the new cars lifespan makes new cars even more environmentally unfriendly than older cars with perhaps worse off mpg but more reliable parts and technology. I know for my simple Headlight from 2012 it would be a simple fix if they broke or something. For an LED headlight, especially the insanely complex ones of today, it would be thousands of dollars and tons of more toxic materials would be needed to fix them. LED headlights do not need to be as complexly designed as they are today with thousands of little LED bulbs for design purposes.
@@colechapman6976 You are spot on man. When the technology is restricted towards one specific goal such as EV's, it doesn't leave much room for innovation and improvement for other technology. The way Toyota operates and its investment in hydrogen powered and hybrid power terrain seems the most logical towards a sustainable future which will ensure product longevity and not a replacement product such as a phone.
As someone who drove a lot of highway miles in the night, I always thought the most brilliant thing in the world was Saabs ability to turn off EVERYTHING inside so the cabin is pitch black, it made the outside look brighter and made the eyes and me less fatigued. Seeing this with all the screens AND the ambient lighting makes me SCARED and obviously people who designed it don't understand how a human eye works!! It could be the most relaxed cruiser in the world, but at night, this thing would be a nightmare to drive!!!
Same with old BMW orange dials. They are arguably not the most exciting to look at, but at least they don't f up your night vision. But nowadays it's all about the screenz and the red-purple ambient lighting of an Amsterdam brothel.
@@The_Stanman Not kissing Mercedes's ass is often the reason why his viewers are here. German luxury started compromising and stopped making sense a long time ago. Only Porsche is still worth talking about.
As I’ve said before, the interior screens are a step back in terms of look. The interior is cheapened by the tablets slapped about the cabin. Previous gen, it was a seamless integrated look under the dash.
As a young guy who drives one of these, this is the number one complaint and I'm hoping Mercedes responds to it. If they could reintegrate some of the normal buttons and controls along with the touchscreen and make the design seamless, it'd make it the best of the current and prior 2 gens. I too was a huge fan of the 2008-2012 or so designs and would like to see the better aspects return in some way.
@@danielprotaganist7551 And, as a younger person, I'm glad to hear you say this (coming from an older person). Because the rest of us think that maybe young people *_like_* everything being accessed only from a multiple sub-menu touchscreen. That being said, the *biggest downside of touchscreen functions access,* by far, is the difficulty and time involved in every single selection you need to make. Someone who is 25 might be distracted for a shorter time, but it's still *absolutely too much time for something that should take less than 2 seconds,* like it does with manual / physical button controls. Given the major focus from governments on the *_huge dangers of distracted driving,_* it continues to amaze and disgust me how none of them are legislating against this type of user interface in new cars.
The screens make sense seeing as you have hundreds of customizable options for driver comfort. The problem is, it causes the interior to look like a cheap thrill for consumers. Real luxury enthusiasts don't care about options. They care about the experience, exotic materials, knobs and switches in brushed aluminum. The outside design is handsome, but you could pretty much guess the type of person that would buy this, and it's not someone you'd want to do business with or be around generally..shallow. If this vehicle depreciates to 10,000$ usd, then it would be fun for an engineer to hack and toy with. Otherwise it represents "new money" distastefully so.
Thanks for the honest review on this car. I know the Mercedes fanbois are going to hate you for it, but it needs to be said. When Mercedes (And to an extent all the European brands) figured out that 95% of the first owners are going to lease it for 3 years, trade it in and forget it they saw no point in creating a car that's built to last and instead focused on creating "techmobiles" designed to "wow" people knowing that the original owner is going to be long gone before the stuff starts to break and creating a maintenance and financial nightmare for whomever purchases this car on the used market which is reflective on the car's horrific resale value.
@footballcoreano Thanks. You just proved Savagegeese's point. Is this car amazing in its tech features and comfort? Absolutely. Will you become best friends with the manager at your local dealer service bay? Also absolutely.
@footballcoreano anyone with a brain knows that putting giant screens in cars is highly distracting and will not hold up a few years from now. On top of that imagine looking at smudges on a screen while driving lol.
What makes me the most sad about the screen mania is that it makes it hard for a car like the S-class to seem premium. If every car has a giant screen, then all of the design of high quality tactile controls, leather/carbon knobs, etc goes out the window, and we're left with some less-than-iPad quality experience. I mean the fact that under the hood, all of these touch screens are basically just some custom Android-derived interface to me is a huge problem. A $160,000 car with a $300 tablet.
Not to mention because of the development periods, the absolute pinnacle of luxury has a hilariously outdated c.2013 infotainment tablet as a feature. Luxury cars should have minimum tech, hidden as possible. Bugatti does it right.
@@YearsOfLeadPoisoning I would much prefer to click/turn/flip a heavy button/dial/switch with a satisfying mechanical feel than some generic haptic touch screen. I'm sure there is probably some deep-rooted, reptilian basal-ganglia explanation for this.
@Lee Iacoca Why would I want my timeless luxury vehicle to become immediately obsolete? There's a reason something like an Apple Watch will never be valued the same way as a Breitling.
The S Classes of the past were brilliant in implementation. This new model is the definition of "overkill". The MBUX interface alone is just too busy and not intuitive at all. Its genuinely distracting and possibly dangerous at this level of integration.
@footballcoreano quit bootlicking, MB could very well funnel funds into making their vehicles be both the pinnacle of technology with the ability to go more than 50k miles. vehicles designed to become obsolete within a handful of years are such bullshit and encourage poor design
@footballcoreano Today MB is by far the worst manufacturer. They have lost there way, resorting to copying Genesis and hoping brand loyalist aren’t catching on. The more intelligent buyers are and we are speaking with our check book. I’ve owned numerous MB products and if you would have told me I’d feel this way in 2007, I’d thought you were crazy. When it came time to trade in my 2016 S-class I bought a Taycan instead.
I don't say this lightly. Savagegeese channel is "car art". The attention to detail, the indepthness, video quality, commentary and humor. I'm in awe everytime I watch a review
I've never owned a Benz but it seems to me that they are both making impressive strides in their designs and totally losing the plot. After watching dozens of reviews of their products I have no idea what to think about them as a company overall.
It's simple make cars that only go trouble free for maybe 36,000 miles the resale values plummet after a week. Oversuff with technology that will be obsolete in about 3 years. But hey if you got the coin and can afford the lease or note go for it.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve been wondering what they’re doing for some time now. All over the place like Hyundai designs. It looks like they are trying to reign it in, still way too much complication just for the sake of being “best”.
I've seen many reviews of this generation of S-klasse, but your review is already the best at only 3 minutes and 30 seconds of it. Excellent! Literally nobody talks about seating comfort in conjunction with adaptive suspension technology.
An unbelievably comfortable and the pinnacle of luxury vehicle...built so utterly complicated that one major issue can be so catastrophic that the vehicle can be effectively totalled. It has EIGHT microprocessors, a proprietary CANBUS system(no other MB product uses it), and enough electronics to power a 787 Dreamliner(not quite but sheesh!). It is technological tour de force that you must only lease unless you're an oil baron or techy of Silicon Valley.
It's no secret that S-Class buyers are an older demographic. What makes Mercedes think they want all these distracting tech gimmicks or even know how to use them? I'm 39 and these gimmicks are making my blood boil. What's 'high tech' now is going to age the car horribly in the near future.
i think its poetic at 15:59 how you come across an old town car, something built like a tank and essentially be a couch on wheels you can hand over to grand kids, and approach it in this starship that probably won't even last 3 years
"the best tech solutions are those that seamlessly blend into the background that make your life better" on point. an "experience mode selector" or something like that is a good idea imo.
Thank you for one of the most honest reviews of this car I’ve seen to date. Truth hurts, but starting somewhere around the 7:40 mark, you pull no punches. BTW, even though I’ve owned a “lesser Benz”, I completely agree with your take.
Have had an S class, one each of the last 2 previous generations. Absolutely outstanding cars. Hands down the best riding car period. Navigating the screens and the steering wheel controls takes time and practice. Not fun in the beginning, any thing complex takes time to learn. This generations looks to have taken it to another level like Audi with all the touch screens. What a shame. For budget conscious shoppers The Genesis is very similar and a fantastic bargain used. For that matter, used S class are a pretty decent savings over new as well, 2 and 3 years old. At least they used to be pre covid.
I own this car... not lease! This is my 4th S class and I love it. Yes, it does take time to learn all the features, but it's worth it. Will always own a Mercedes.
@footballcoreano Not sure why you’re throwing insults. YOUR point was made by them, and us, many times. Lost in translation? Maybe, but I don’t throw insults at others if I don’t even grasp what they’re saying. You might want to consider the same. Cheers.
I bought a 7 Series of this generation. I bought it after it was leased to someone who paid $88,000 for it, then purchased it after the lease. I paid $30,000 for it with 80,000 miles. It had a flawless maintenance and service history. After I bought it I took it in for another inspection. Nothing was needed. When I was shopping I looked new Accords at $40,000+, and other cars new "reliable" cars that cost more than I paid for my used 740i. I service it as required and I didn't buy a warranty. I have no regrets. I'd buy an S Class with a good maintenance and service history.
I’m stunned with how many positive reviews this car has received by pros. The interior is HIDEOUS, especially when considering how elegant the previous S class looked. I wish we could have the chassis upgrades applied to the previous S class.
@@kenim Well, for the double price they should. RR are ostentatious cars for people who want everyone to know they are rich.Also, they are ugly AF, but nice interiors.
My dad owns a 1990 Mercedes Benz SDL350. It has tech that was mind-blowing at the time, like power head rest and such. MB has always made the top S class to be like that. When I drive that car, I feel like I'm in a cloud.
I had 1997 w140 S300 TD. It had technology, which vw implement in vw passat only 10 years later. And im not talking about great reliability, comfort and quality of technologies.
I've owned a number of MB products over the years including a couple of the previous generations of Sonderklasse. Whereas I think 20 years ago the S was seen as a sort of automotive harbinger, the first car with sat nav, massaging seats, night vision etc, I'm not sure that's the case today. This car and the model it replaces seem to trying too hard to incorporate more tech for the sake of more tech. I would not want to be the owner of a 5 to 7 year old version of one of these cars. You hit it right on the head with your disposable comment.
To me, modern cars seem like a never ending dick measuring contest to see who can stuff the most technology into a certain price point with little regard for how it functions and no regard for if it's necessary
@@seantaylor2683 well TBH, automotive industries its always has been a dick measuring contest, only this time they're measure it with how many techs you can fit in your car.
You guys are hands down the best car reviewers period. Y’all keep it real while being thorough and being very relatable. Anyone can watch your videos and learn something. As a car enthusiast and engineer I appreciate what you deliver in your videos
Has the most awe inspiring, top grade cinematic intros that rival the most emotionally intense Hollywood dramas of all time cuts to mark in a sweatshirt and jeans casually talking about color options
I want a Best car of the year video. Most comfortable car, most driver-focused car, best value, best SUV, best hatchback, best estate, best use of technology and such
I would love to see a most comfortable car of the year episode. Reviewers really don’t focus on that when really it’s one of the most important factors. Build quality, ride and refinement, the handling and speed…. Maybe I’m getting old 🤣
I own a Mercedes sedan for 10 years now from brand new, nothing but basic maintenance and still going strong. And I live in a northern climate where it gets as cold as -30 C. Can't say the same for BMW or Audi.
I love my 2007 S Class never liked the ride on the BMW or the Audi which is better but no S class. Not everyone has good taste the ones who do choose the S.
I've spent some time in this car, and as a pleb, I also found the seats were my favorite part... But the owner didn't buy it for the massage seats. The buyer seeks isolation from the inconveniences of the outside world, a sanctuary. This car is not for the driver alone, this car is for the people the driver takes with them. This is a private jet for the road.
I drove a new S Class a couple of Months ago. Didn’t have it for too long and it was a Diesel. The ride and comfort were unrivalled. However, I could feel vibration through the accelerator which was disappointing. The screen is a nightmare at night, but I guess you would get used to it over time. Big car for Europe though. Easy to park thanks to four wheel steer.
Really cool video. I love how your videos don’t need to give the full answer. The pose the right questions and give different answers that all have some merit. Jack is also becoming truly excellent. Great work as always
The most marvelous car. The greatest sedan and the greatest "I've made it" car out there imo. I've been lucky to drive a few and no other car like it out there.
If I were considering buying a car like this I’d appreciate hearing the tech frustrations you had. Some people like Doug Demuro just love all the screens but I’d rather have physical buttons and simplicity myself
I feel MB's screen fetish is going to backfire on them some day. I love touch screens as much as the next person but putting every control on a giant piece of glass doesn't seem intuitive to me. I guess it's okay if they are targeting younger buyers. My dad is the typical S buyer and he wouldn't want all this screen stuff, he can barely operate his smartphone for anything beyond calling, texting and occasional bank transfers.
I owned 2 previous generations of S Class and god I loved them both. But instead of buying this piece of “technology” - I switched myself to Lexus. More worse than this is probably only the new EQS.
This channel is criminally underrated. I don’t understand how its not the most ciewed car review channel on TH-cam. So much better than the alternatives/competitors. Bonkers.
The futuristic film analogy of the final thoughts is a great one. Hadn’t looked at it that way but it makes a lot of sense. This S Class, to me, represents what happens when an automaker gets too caught up in consumer trends and market pressure without any critical thought as to whether it actually makes for a better, easier-to-use, enjoyable-to-drive product. With so many other luxury automakers making the tech-everything dive, I wish Mercedes would put their foot down, take a stand, and approach their interiors with a “tech in moderation” mindset. It may not be giving their target market exactly what they say they want, but it would absolutely make for less distracting, more user-intuitive vehicles, especially in the long term (though yes, I know hardly anyone keeps these long term). Not holding my breath, though.
1:34 The sum off all fears for the new SL. Knew it was bad but I never imagined touchscreen reflections could be this horrible. Imagine this same screen top down in the convertible SL covered in fingerprints in the tropical sun. Still, this channel's virtuoso production quality and narratation set the standard for vehicle insight.
@@iCoolaxe It used to be about over-building rather than over-engineering. Over-building means designing something to withstand more than the expected stress for better longevity. Over-engineering means complexity for complexity's sake.
Most of the childs play on this car has nothing to do with engineering. The Driving side of the story is what the amg's have had for ages but tuned for comfort.
I really wanted to hear Mark unleash on this thing, all deprecation and cynicism in full effect. This car is certainly designed for someone who wants to feel absolutely nothing aside from the massage.
Wonder if you haters are saying the same about the LS or the new Genesis... They're the same but worse. Boaty sensory deprived rides but of course, orders of magnitude less sophisticated. Of course, youll always pull that reliability card out of your asses ignoring the facts that historically and currently the S Class has always been proven to be a very reliable car.
Sigh, i think the thing I hate about every new generation of S-class is knowing that most of this technology I don't want is going to trickle down into the lower models. I fell in love with Mercedes in the late 90's when a mechanic friend of my dad's brought over a 1994 E430, forest green exterior with tan interior, that he just finished fixing and was trying to sell him. To me there was just something about how solidly built everything in that car felt, and the materials every component was made of seemed like such a huge step over the 80's/90's GM products my family always owned. I was so amazed by that car that years later when I was in my own career I bought both a w211 and later a w212 e-class when someone hit my w211. But then Mercedes became a tech showcase and the cars just didn't feel as solidly built while costing more for less (4-banger w213 with a higher base price than the v6 in the last gen?), and I never got a w213 nor wanted one. Now looking at the newest S-class, and knowing that 3 years later a shrunk down version is coming in the form of an E300, I realize the last mercedes I probably will ever buy was the one I last bought 9 years ago.
I noticed people who are not tech inclined don't like it , for me tech in the car is perfect and has lived up to the best or nothing ! and honestly how many times are you going to fiddle with screen that its worth complaining about ? Clearly progression is not for everyone . Job well done to Mercedes!
Depends on what sort of "tech incline" people have. I built my computer and know my way around plenty of electronics but am also into cars. Stuff like Tesla or this car don't interest me as I'd much rather the focus be on the driving experience.
My experience with a used VW Phaeton followed by a used S Class. 1) If you get a clean, no accident, dealer serviced vehicle, they are generally reliable, but will involve higher running costs vs. something more normal. 2) Phaeton was memorably nice for long distance travel, ride best described as flying over the road, stable, level, insulated travel with comfy well supported seating. It was not designed to be easily serviced, and had some baked in design issues which made it financially hazardous to own. On the plus side, I managed to sell it on after a few years and 40,000 miles for $3,000 less than I paid for it. ( Still I replaced batteries (self), upper control arms (dealer was ok with my already purchased oem parts), tires, brake pads (self), crank position sensor (dealer)), timing belt service(dealer). Everything worked on the car ( except the tpms batteries started to go just when I was selling it). It had something like 105k on it when sold, the finish was still near new both inside and out, the paint finish was exceptional with no orange peel, when clean it was a black mirror, the used, also near perfect, newer Mercedes that replaced it could not match that level of paint finish. 3) The S-Class is the Honda accord of big luxury cars. They are made in high volumes, are much better developed, and are easily serviced and durable. Everything service related is much easier on the S-Class. They are not friendly to aftermarket additions so its best to get a clean, dealer serviced car to own. The driveline related components are typically reliable and long lasting if maintained. In car service applications ( NYC area) they reported about 270,000 miles until transmission need rebuilding and 325,000 when its time for an engine rebuild. Front air suspension lasts about 100-120k. 4) My experience is that overall this is a nicely designed and executed luxury car. It is unfortunately way more ostentatious than a Phaeton. In a similar ownership period, this car needed almost no repair, dealer service was on the expensive side. Repairs were to the heated windshield washer/headlight washer hose that the fitting leaked(self). Depreciation was higher on the S, close enough to $10,000, so that sort of made up for the lack of repair, also paid a premium for an as new car from an MB dealer, that had preemptively replaced brakes, tires, control arms, batteries, did a current service, etc, such that it presented as a new car, the prior owner must have been thin as the interior leather, and everything else looked untouched. The BMW SUV that replaced it felt like a s***box compared to it. 4) Before the Phaeton, I always had sports or sporty cars and an SUV or wagon. Now I’m spoiled. When you are driving anywhere where its an hour or more, a good luxury car is easy to appreciate. The german examples combine an insulated ride, exceptional safety, with non-boaty handling and grip. The more modern ones are pretty quick as well. It’s also sort of a decompression chamber, being comfortably seated, with a pleasing sound system, quiet riding, even in traffic, you tend to be much more laid back. 5) This current car preserves most of the elements of the prior gen and improves on some things, ride, structure, safety. The UI looks a little annoying. I prefer having hard controls for primary tasks. I think some of the criticism could be mitigated by the use of the steering wheel controls, setting up user profiles by key, configuring desired default settings, and maybe using voice control while driving ( really should have physical switches for primary functions like volume, temp, fan speed, defrost, etc so that you don’t require distract-o-tronic input while you drive) I’d be more than happy to own one of these used when they hit $25k, 6 years old, and 60k miles, which they will. These are really nice for a net cost of $350-500 a month, in place of a more basic, newer car. ( vs $2500/month new if you have a very substantial disposable income ) Drive an S-Class for a month, then get back into your car and see how it compares. Better yet, don’t, you’ll save money by driving what you already have.
I’ve been disappointed in what they did to this car since the moment it dropped. World beating tech but everything else leaves a person wanting for some emotional factor. The last gen was spectacular.
@@aygwm Yeah. With all the crazy safety standards car manufacturers have to meet these days my mind is blow how none of those prohibit the use of touch screens that take your eye off the road. You can go into a menu and look for the turn signals or change the air conditioning settings and it's all fine and dandy, but if you try to glance at your phone to see who messaged you that's somehow irresponsible.
99% of people with negative comments here could never afford this car. Those that can afford this car couldn't care less about long term reliability, maintenance, etc etc.
S class has been pushing the envelope for almost a century. Use restraint in technology? If that was how technology worked we would still be entertained by an Etch a sketch. S class sets a benchmark for the trickle down effect. Sooner or later cheaper cars will inherit this same technology, for greater or for worst. S class was the first car to have a lot of features that we could not live without in our "normal cars". Its not meant to last a lifetime and the people who own these dont want it for a lifetime. Its a canvas of what the automobile could be. I will say this though, the exterior is seriously underwhelming for this generation.
"It's a canvas of what an automobile should be." See, that's where the problem originates...That's a matter of fact opinion. Millions of people in the world, with different tastes and ideas about what a vehicle should be(LS400?)...but then you have a group of people saying "This is the only vehicle." Because we know what's best, lol. It's an AP course in what not to do..a crash course in elitist thinking; Historically we know where that comes from, now don't we?
20:20 well said ! I love the tech in it , if high tech is not your thing then go and buy another product ! The reason the S class exist is to be the leader in innovation, doesn't make sense that you buy this car and complain about high tech. You as the consumer would be the problem because you failed to understand the purpose of the product at this point
Best review i found so far. others do barely criticise, i suppose because they're afraid of not beeing invited to mercedes events anymore. i don't get how they came from the W222, which was the most beautiful and elegant s-class since the W126, to this ugly piece of techno-crap. If i had the money i would rather buy a low mileage W222, then have the better car and a lot money left.
Just the accounting part of the service department, I bet the guys who are going to have to actually work on these things and track down an electrical issue under warranty are going to hate their lives.
I think Mark's thoughts about this car during the intro about sums it up about this car!! I agree completely I'd rather be a passenger in this car!! I wonder if the techs in the shop are looking forward to seeing this car in ah few years??
The interior of this car is what happens when a guy decides to turn all the lights and screens of his mancave into a vehicle. Seriously, very little of this car is "luxurious," it more so screams expensive tech demo. The S class cars from the 90's and early 00's were iconic mafia cars for a reason; simple yet intimidating, with a timeless interior full of wood finish. None of that is present in this car. Mark said it best: the best technology is the kind that improves the situation while being subtle and non overbearing.
I love tech, but I hate touch-everything. I don't understand why it has to be done this way. Granted, you want to have options of a touch screen at times (Maps. etc.), but climate control? I shouldn't have to take my eyes off the road and go through the touchscreen to find it. I also don't understand why more manufacturers don't copy BMW "M" button. Just stick 10 buttons under the touchscreen, which I can program myself. Add a small screen above them, so that when I program them, it changes the "picture" above the button and voila, I am a happy customer. But if I am a 50-60 year old dude, I'm not sure I would be happy with all this touch-tech. And I am not that old.
In my 1% neighborhood every.single. neighbor that used to drive an S Class now drives a Tesla. I'd guess THAT trend is why this new model is such a shit show. That being said, Mark seemed to "get" the experience of an A8 in his A8 review, and I'd have to assume the new S tops that experience for isolation and relaxation and bliss, even if only marginally. However, I believe the biggest draw to the S Class is its curb presence - it's really the top of the top when its comes to saying "wealth" in a tasteful way. More expensive and exotic cars don't have the same "understatedness", and even though the new S class seams to be trying really hard, it still doesn't have the over the top "try hard" character of something like a Bentley or a Rolls etc. I believe this to be THE fact of the S Class.
Really enjoyed your S-class review, as it was spot on. My wife and i scheduled a test drive recently at our local MB dealership and it turned into a real goat f**K. The salesperson decided not to show up the day we had scheduled the test drive with him so the GM assigned us another salesman who quickly discovered that the one and only 2022 demo S-class had a dead battery. No, a really dead battery. So dead that a jumper box wouldn't do anything! After waiting about an hour for the salesman to decide he couldn't get the vehicle started, we decided to get a quote for the vehicle that we had already optioned. It was then that he notified us that the dealer was adding a $10,000 markup to the MSRP just because he could, bringing the total to $141,000. After this disastrous dealer visit, we immediately called our local Lexus dealership and told them the moment that Lexus starts factory orders again to call me so we can factory order a new Lexus, LS500 or ES350 Ultra Luxury. The Lexus we decide on will be based on the drive quality of the vehicles tested.
Was really looking forward to your review of the new S Class. As usual, you did not disappoint. Thank you. As the original owner of a 1992 500 SL for 21 years, I could justify the cost, as Mercedes-Benz vehicles were built to last back then. The quality was exceptional. The reliability, however, I learned, was not. It saddens me that M-B no longer builds its vehicles to the highest durability standards, but, instead, to short lease cycles. Woe be the unfortunate (and unknowing) off-lease buyer. I have always aspired to buying a new S Class, and daily driving it for 20 years or so. That, I now know, is no longer financially feasible, due to the maintenance costs. As a point of reference, M-B did not even offer cupholders in my SL, as it was said at the time that the German auto makers believed cupholders were a frivolous distraction from the serious business of driving their products. And now this is what an S Class -- and M-B -- have become?
I think Mark’s assessment is spot on in that the person who will “own” this car will be a passenger who has a driver that will put in the 32 weeks to read through the manual to know how to operate every part of the car and know how to adjust it when the owner briefly mentions a discomfort.
This is a great review that really sums up the design flaw in this car. It’s a brag machine that has every box checked, but leaving the user feeling empty.
This is perfect after a long day of crushing deals at the Gogurt Factory, I want to be cradled in the lap of luxury. My wife’s boyfriend will also enjoy all the interior lights as well, job well done Mercedes.
14:41 To be fair, if 'repairing your car' is anything else to you than to hand the key to the secretary when entering the office and having a lease in the same price range waiting for you by the time you leave it, you are too poor to own this thing.
A lost opportunity for a cinematic expose of all the features this car has and how it performs. My dad owned an S55 AMG and he loved spending time with it, studying the user Bible which was over 2” thick, and then sharing with passengers “want to see what this does?” This is a tough one to review because it’s technology features can be so overwhelming. That’s what older customers who have money and time on their hands want. People really like this car for its plethora of features. This flagship car becomes a part of the family like another child you look forward to spending quality time with every time you drive it. I guess the user manuals are all digital now and can be seen on the massive center console for easy reading.
Hi, my name is Serge, I was born in France and I live in NC. I like very much what you are doing on your channel. But I do not agree with your comments about the S Class. I am not rich but I bought a 2015 S Class Coupe, which could be an emotional buy because it a wonderfull car, design, technology and driving are above everything I have driven so far. I have four german cars and have owned all of german brands. The S Class Coupe is the best car I have ever had. I know I am 72 years old but I have two Porsches and I know how to get pleasure in driving for a long time now, it is like riding a bicycle, you never forget it. Having many cars I do not drive the Mercedes every day but I can tell you that apart of the depreciation the cost of ownership is more than reasonnable and not the money pit you are talking about in your video. The depreciation is my luxury I have decided I can afford. Car lovers could have different criteria on how to spend their money than... We are not normal people, my wife sometime think I am nuts. I would like to have a way to talk with you because you are so good and I would appreciate to exchange on the subject. Cordially. Serge (pronounce Surge not Sergei)
Not sure that's a good strategy with what will cost in repairs and maintenance at that point. I mean a lot of the stuff is going to break and it's only going to be specialists that are going to be able to fix it and it's going to cost a lot.
It is still a $150.000 car to maintain, there are some other TH-cam automotive channels about what can go wrong with these cars after the warranty expires.
@@MLHunt Counterpoint, to buy and maintain a car like this after a decade is certainly going to cost far less than buying a new model in ten years time. The trick is being able to afford the maintenance at that time. That's what I do now. A relatively expensive 'older' car purchased on the foothills of mountainous depreciation that gets all the looking after that it ever needs. The cost of operating in this way is way less than buying even a relatively inexpensive new car. I doubt that picture will change overmuch in the next few years.
This is such a refreshing review compared to what most TH-cam reviewers would give. This was honest about the lack of usability on the tech especially the center screen. I would think that screen would wow all the other reviews. However, this review rightly pointed out the excessive amount of attention the driver would have to focus just to use that center screen for just basic things.
Savage you remind me of expensive wine , the older it gets the better it taste. This is an amazing review and I can only see you get even more better . Such amazing channel so underrated.
the IOS6 style UI that looks already outdated (not to mention the lagginess) once again proved Germans should stick to what they're good at, industrial design & engineering, not software.
FYI, I worked at Harman when we were developing this dashboard for Mercedes and other manufacturers. I was like "this is cool, in my house. But in a car, while you're driving!?" But this is mainly designed for when cars drive themselves. The 3D technology is the same as the Nintendo 3DS lol.
I never understood high end speakers in cars either, the last thing you're gonna enjoy in one is the music. On electric cars you could at least make use of it
@@Daniel-dj7fh Sure, but the same tires can be fitted to an ICE car. I would go as far as to say that dollar for dollar, as of currently, ICE cars are in general more quiet than their EV cost equivalent, even with the factory fit tires.
Just bought this car. Did not like it. Selling it for the half the price to someone poor.
Lol yeah right, nothing depreciates that fast unless it's human.
you such a philanthropist, you should have bought a Hyundai.
LMFAO
Whoosh
@@evans4you its the best or nothing.. and they are the best at depreciating like a falling boulder crushes a car
Your assessment of how this is a disposable car for 1 percenters that no one wants to maintain over the long run is so spot on.
*Your
It's really an expensive piece of shit. The term luxury used to encompass a concept of durability.
Once it’s over 3 years old, it ceases to work for its intended purpose as a status symbol. MB caught on to this in the early 90’s.
@@masterexploder6802 Fixed!
100k shitbox
The worst thing about this screen mania is that the dudes who buy this type of car are usually old, and their screen dexterity is sometimes lacking. Anyway, this savagegeese video is as usual very premium and industry leading
I had the same thought. These super expensive Mercedes are usually bought by people who are either old, have very little time or both. Putting such an infotainment looks like an absolute target group failure to me.
I'm not young but not so doddery that I can't see or touch a screen. Also, in that position, the cost of a driver would be part of the purchase value assessment.
They're constantly trying to lower their average age. Misguided planning and brand management. Marketing morons.
@@andrewwilson8273 It's not just about being able to use a screen, but about being able to do so while driving (to be fair, this car won't shake much, but still). It's also about the willingness to learn and explore thousands of submenus, something people tend to loose with age and rank.
Many S classes are chauffeured. Rich guy buys car, gets his driver to drive it for him -- and the driver better learn what he needs to do. Rich old guy doesn't need to worry about personalized lighting or sound mode, or where to find the oil checker -- the driver does it for him.
I think we are on a stupid "touchscreen everything" boom that is going to be both obsolete and cringy in 10-15 years. Eventually manufacturers will find the balance between screens and physical controls, I hope.
Genesis does a far better balance of technology - i.e. screens and physical controls.
The new Hummer interior did a surprisingly great job balancing it
Lol meaning no screens and all buttons. Unless you need a ton of tech like in this thing, which would mean roughly one button per outsourced job required to afford one.
It's honestly terrifying to me considering how little attention people were paying before screens started popping up everywhere, and now those screens being what customers are forced to interact with to do anything. As there has been more and more of a push in regulations and laws against phone use while driving, manufacturers have simultaneously put larger and more obstructive screens in the cars, that they now want to integrate all functionality into. If cars could actually drive themselves, then maybe that would be fine, but as it is the last thing cars need is another way for drivers who hate driving to distract themselves while driving.
The idea of fully touch screen interiors makes sense in a world where everyone on the road is in a perfectly working self driving car. However. We are not in that time yet
You should back to back this with a 10 year old S550 and chat about the differences. Would love to see that type of comparison.
You mean 30 years old.
@@marccusumano1138 agreed, go older. Do it with all the luxury brands.
S550s looked so nice back then.
Throttle house does this
Im 2 1/2 years in on a 03 S430 and I’m sure it’s no match as far as tech goes but it’s the most comfy car I’ve ever owned I want to see how much better it could get
I'm so sick of all the touch screens with all of the menus to do simple things. There's nothing wrong with having buttons in a car.
Preach!
I love an old school analog radio!
I think the reason why car manufactures are so eager to replace physical buttons with screens is because they can not only please the average buyer but also cut down the cost of engineering all the physical buttons.
apparently those pysical buttons and analog gauges are too expensive for manufacturers to afford anymore
It's about saving them money...putting everything on a tablet screen is annoying. The less buttons, control knobs, etc. they have to design, manufacture and place the more profit. Have computer screens everywhere gives the illusion of more cost to them and luxury for you when in fact it's the opposite..
"In the right light, with enough fingerprints, you cant see a god damn thing on it" I laughed out loud.
😂 spot on.
HIs anger was palpable.
@@rxdawg75 mark just sounds butthurt teh whole video about not being rich
@@NewSmithsonian He speaks for all of us
@@calebwany8422 poor car nerds?
I appreciate the honest assessment. You highlighted a lot of problems that I think are becoming standard in the automotive industry as a whole. Cars are being built with this YOLO attitude with no regard for future reliability.
Well like the iPhone there will be a new one you can lease in a little while as soon as your old phone slows down.
Agreed 100%. Everything that "should" be mechanical is switching over to electronic and being controlled via software. Future maintenance and repair will be a major headache and likely need done at a shop.
How will you know something is wearing out if you're no longer connected to it? Think brake by wire....
Totally agree. Especially when car manufacturers have to go electric for better emissions and company to go green. But the car now a days are disposable which is counter intuitive to what they are trying to achieve in the first place.
@@karraral-bahathly6990 one would think that turning thousands of pounds worth of leather, medal, batteries, plastic, and other materials that goes into a car into a rolling piece of junk in ten years is bad for the environment.
Furthermore, not only are complex new cars just a waste of materials, but the materials needed to replace everything in the next 100,000 miles of the new cars lifespan makes new cars even more environmentally unfriendly than older cars with perhaps worse off mpg but more reliable parts and technology.
I know for my simple Headlight from 2012 it would be a simple fix if they broke or something. For an LED headlight, especially the insanely complex ones of today, it would be thousands of dollars and tons of more toxic materials would be needed to fix them. LED headlights do not need to be as complexly designed as they are today with thousands of little LED bulbs for design purposes.
@@colechapman6976 You are spot on man. When the technology is restricted towards one specific goal such as EV's, it doesn't leave much room for innovation and improvement for other technology.
The way Toyota operates and its investment in hydrogen powered and hybrid power terrain seems the most logical towards a sustainable future which will ensure product longevity and not a replacement product such as a phone.
Looking at the footage of this interior makes me miss its predecessor. That gen of S-Class I think had one of the best dashboard designs ever.
@ Mark U I agree. Love my 2015 AMG W222
As someone who drove a lot of highway miles in the night, I always thought the most brilliant thing in the world was Saabs ability to turn off EVERYTHING inside so the cabin is pitch black, it made the outside look brighter and made the eyes and me less fatigued.
Seeing this with all the screens AND the ambient lighting makes me SCARED and obviously people who designed it don't understand how a human eye works!!
It could be the most relaxed cruiser in the world, but at night, this thing would be a nightmare to drive!!!
Same with old BMW orange dials. They are arguably not the most exciting to look at, but at least they don't f up your night vision. But nowadays it's all about the screenz and the red-purple ambient lighting of an Amsterdam brothel.
This is something I appreciate about my 2013 WRX. Red dials, and you can turn them wayyyy down.
You can turn all that crap off bud
Highway driver, the 2022 Volvo S90 is a better car imo
Nothing but gimmicks for new cars and I fucking hate it.
Great timing, I can buy this and write if off before the year is over
Good to see you here bro. Love your channel!!!! Specially those 100k reviews
@@willesco5211 humbled to have your support my friend thank you 🙏
I’m an idiot. Thanks for the comment. My personal assistant just left to get one for me.
Flexing and then saying you are humbled. Lol
@@g2jxGhF5G8z1gL7S Well that’s the end of any jokes, sarcasm, or humor. I guess society doesn’t need any of that moving forward anyway 👍
“I don’t want to offend anyone …” and then goes and pulls off one of the best offenses I have heard in a long time 😁 Keep up the good work 👍
the best defense is offense
I have a feeling SG will continue to not get priority treatment from Mercedes 😁
@@The_Stanman 😅
@@The_Stanman Not kissing Mercedes's ass is often the reason why his viewers are here. German luxury started compromising and stopped making sense a long time ago. Only Porsche is still worth talking about.
@@The_Stanman lol
As I’ve said before, the interior screens are a step back in terms of look. The interior is cheapened by the tablets slapped about the cabin. Previous gen, it was a seamless integrated look under the dash.
You're just old
As a young guy who drives one of these, this is the number one complaint and I'm hoping Mercedes responds to it. If they could reintegrate some of the normal buttons and controls along with the touchscreen and make the design seamless, it'd make it the best of the current and prior 2 gens. I too was a huge fan of the 2008-2012 or so designs and would like to see the better aspects return in some way.
@@danielprotaganist7551 And, as a younger person, I'm glad to hear you say this (coming from an older person). Because the rest of us think that maybe young people *_like_* everything being accessed only from a multiple sub-menu touchscreen.
That being said, the *biggest downside of touchscreen functions access,* by far, is the difficulty and time involved in every single selection you need to make. Someone who is 25 might be distracted for a shorter time, but it's still *absolutely too much time for something that should take less than 2 seconds,* like it does with manual / physical button controls.
Given the major focus from governments on the *_huge dangers of distracted driving,_* it continues to amaze and disgust me how none of them are legislating against this type of user interface in new cars.
The screens make sense seeing as you have hundreds of customizable options for driver comfort. The problem is, it causes the interior to look like a cheap thrill for consumers. Real luxury enthusiasts don't care about options. They care about the experience, exotic materials, knobs and switches in brushed aluminum. The outside design is handsome, but you could pretty much guess the type of person that would buy this, and it's not someone you'd want to do business with or be around generally..shallow. If this vehicle depreciates to 10,000$ usd, then it would be fun for an engineer to hack and toy with. Otherwise it represents "new money" distastefully so.
Thanks for the honest review on this car. I know the Mercedes fanbois are going to hate you for it, but it needs to be said. When Mercedes (And to an extent all the European brands) figured out that 95% of the first owners are going to lease it for 3 years, trade it in and forget it they saw no point in creating a car that's built to last and instead focused on creating "techmobiles" designed to "wow" people knowing that the original owner is going to be long gone before the stuff starts to break and creating a maintenance and financial nightmare for whomever purchases this car on the used market which is reflective on the car's horrific resale value.
Entirely 'on point' and absolutely correct.
They know this already and don’t care.
I’ve always been a massive mercedes fan and I agree with everything you just said. They’ve been disappointing me severely with the gimmicky features
@footballcoreano Thanks. You just proved Savagegeese's point. Is this car amazing in its tech features and comfort? Absolutely. Will you become best friends with the manager at your local dealer service bay? Also absolutely.
@footballcoreano anyone with a brain knows that putting giant screens in cars is highly distracting and will not hold up a few years from now. On top of that imagine looking at smudges on a screen while driving lol.
What makes me the most sad about the screen mania is that it makes it hard for a car like the S-class to seem premium. If every car has a giant screen, then all of the design of high quality tactile controls, leather/carbon knobs, etc goes out the window, and we're left with some less-than-iPad quality experience. I mean the fact that under the hood, all of these touch screens are basically just some custom Android-derived interface to me is a huge problem. A $160,000 car with a $300 tablet.
Not to mention because of the development periods, the absolute pinnacle of luxury has a hilariously outdated c.2013 infotainment tablet as a feature.
Luxury cars should have minimum tech, hidden as possible. Bugatti does it right.
It literally looks like a Samsung tablet. For that price may as well out an actual iPad Pro there.
@@YearsOfLeadPoisoning I would much prefer to click/turn/flip a heavy button/dial/switch with a satisfying mechanical feel than some generic haptic touch screen. I'm sure there is probably some deep-rooted, reptilian basal-ganglia explanation for this.
The last gen S Class used the center console to showcase the quality and craftsmanship of the vehicle, now that’s thrown out the window
@Lee Iacoca Why would I want my timeless luxury vehicle to become immediately obsolete? There's a reason something like an Apple Watch will never be valued the same way as a Breitling.
"In the right light, with enough fingerprints you can't see a ..."
The Mercedes engineers felt that in their souls 🤣
The S Classes of the past were brilliant in implementation. This new model is the definition of "overkill". The MBUX interface alone is just too busy and not intuitive at all. Its genuinely distracting and possibly dangerous at this level of integration.
@footballcoreano copy pasta nonsensical garbage
@footballcoreano quit bootlicking, MB could very well funnel funds into making their vehicles be both the pinnacle of technology with the ability to go more than 50k miles. vehicles designed to become obsolete within a handful of years are such bullshit and encourage poor design
Just give me the w221 and I’ll be happy
IMO, the peak of the S Class was the W140. It started to go downhill after that.
@footballcoreano Today MB is by far the worst manufacturer. They have lost there way, resorting to copying Genesis and hoping brand loyalist aren’t catching on. The more intelligent buyers are and we are speaking with our check book. I’ve owned numerous MB products and if you would have told me I’d feel this way in 2007, I’d thought you were crazy. When it came time to trade in my 2016 S-class I bought a Taycan instead.
I don't say this lightly. Savagegeese channel is "car art". The attention to detail, the
indepthness, video quality, commentary and humor. I'm in awe everytime I watch a review
I've never owned a Benz but it seems to me that they are both making impressive strides in their designs and totally losing the plot. After watching dozens of reviews of their products I have no idea what to think about them as a company overall.
It's simple make cars that only go trouble free for maybe 36,000 miles the resale values plummet after a week. Oversuff with technology that will be obsolete in about 3 years. But hey if you got the coin and can afford the lease or note go for it.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve been wondering what they’re doing for some time now. All over the place like Hyundai designs. It looks like they are trying to reign it in, still way too much complication just for the sake of being “best”.
My first car was a 380sl and I must say that they are really starting to get ugly. I can’t believe someone approved that tail light design.
All German luxury automakers are now husks.
@@MrCarGuy You must be overlooking Porsche. And from what I've seen BMW still makesa few excellent driving cars if you overlook long-term reliability.
I've seen many reviews of this generation of S-klasse, but your review is already the best at only 3 minutes and 30 seconds of it. Excellent! Literally nobody talks about seating comfort in conjunction with adaptive suspension technology.
Lol really what made it the best I'm genuinely confused at this comment
An unbelievably comfortable and the pinnacle of luxury vehicle...built so utterly complicated that one major issue can be so catastrophic that the vehicle can be effectively totalled. It has EIGHT microprocessors, a proprietary CANBUS system(no other MB product uses it), and enough electronics to power a 787 Dreamliner(not quite but sheesh!). It is technological tour de force that you must only lease unless you're an oil baron or techy of Silicon Valley.
@footballcoreano troll alert
It's no secret that S-Class buyers are an older demographic. What makes Mercedes think they want all these distracting tech gimmicks or even know how to use them? I'm 39 and these gimmicks are making my blood boil. What's 'high tech' now is going to age the car horribly in the near future.
They are selling them to the Chinese
All those screens are going to age like milk behind a radiator.
the screen idiocy will only get worse
Oh, the W222 interior will certainly age better. Even the 221.
Especially since the main one is an OLED lmao.
But technically spoken those should be super easy fixes, price is a different thing tho.
i think its poetic at 15:59 how you come across an old town car, something built like a tank and essentially be a couch on wheels you can hand over to grand kids, and approach it in this starship that probably won't even last 3 years
Great spot. My Mom bought a new 1986 MB 300E. She kept that thing almost 20 years with limited fuss. It was a tank. Where have you gone, Mercedes?
"the best tech solutions are those that seamlessly blend into the background that make your life better" on point. an "experience mode selector" or something like that is a good idea imo.
3 modes: poverty / rich / space rocket
It literally has an "Understated" mode for this.
The pinnacle of everything, especially complication and cost to fix. The most expensive disposable car in history.
I guarantee the worst resale values in history of Mercedes just for this reason - complication and cost to fix never ending problems!
Thank you for one of the most honest reviews of this car I’ve seen to date. Truth hurts, but starting somewhere around the 7:40 mark, you pull no punches. BTW, even though I’ve owned a “lesser Benz”, I completely agree with your take.
Have had an S class, one each of the last 2 previous generations. Absolutely outstanding cars. Hands down the best riding car period. Navigating the screens and the steering wheel controls takes time and practice. Not fun in the beginning, any thing complex takes time to learn. This generations looks to have taken it to another level like Audi with all the touch screens. What a shame. For budget conscious shoppers The Genesis is very similar and a fantastic bargain used. For that matter, used S class are a pretty decent savings over new as well, 2 and 3 years old. At least they used to be pre covid.
I own this car... not lease! This is my 4th S class and I love it. Yes, it does take time to learn all the features, but it's worth it. Will always own a Mercedes.
Another way to describe this car: a sales guy's dream, a tech's nightmare.
"Your payment is going to be.... $1700 a month." - Sales Guy
Only if the sales guy sets up his client’s profile…guaranteed two more lease sales before the client is no longer with us.
service manager's wet dream
@footballcoreano Not sure why you’re throwing insults. YOUR point was made by them, and us, many times. Lost in translation? Maybe, but I don’t throw insults at others if I don’t even grasp what they’re saying. You might want to consider the same. Cheers.
I cringed so hard when he said it was over 2 grand a month to LEASE. wtf is wrong with people. I guess they deserve to get scammed.
I love it when Mark and Jack go back and forth with each other, it brings out the true feelings about the car. Great video guys.
I bought a 7 Series of this generation. I bought it after it was leased to someone who paid $88,000 for it, then purchased it after the lease. I paid $30,000 for it with 80,000 miles. It had a flawless maintenance and service history. After I bought it I took it in for another inspection. Nothing was needed. When I was shopping I looked new Accords at $40,000+, and other cars new "reliable" cars that cost more than I paid for my used 740i. I service it as required and I didn't buy a warranty. I have no regrets. I'd buy an S Class with a good maintenance and service history.
I’m stunned with how many positive reviews this car has received by pros. The interior is HIDEOUS, especially when considering how elegant the previous S class looked. I wish we could have the chassis upgrades applied to the previous S class.
The “pros” are under pressure to give positive reviews or risk not getting any cars to review.
Nobody does luxury, conceptually speaking, like Rolls Royce. All these german luxury cars look sketchy and are unrefined attempts to reach the future.
@@moloono1 Stand in front of one in person and this vehicle is stunning.
@@00700556 You can’t really argue subjective things like looks. Everyone has different preferences on subjectives.
@@kenim Well, for the double price they should. RR are ostentatious cars for people who want everyone to know they are rich.Also, they are ugly AF, but nice interiors.
My dad owns a 1990 Mercedes Benz SDL350. It has tech that was mind-blowing at the time, like power head rest and such. MB has always made the top S class to be like that. When I drive that car, I feel like I'm in a cloud.
I had 1997 w140 S300 TD. It had technology, which vw implement in vw passat only 10 years later. And im not talking about great reliability, comfort and quality of technologies.
I've owned a number of MB products over the years including a couple of the previous generations of Sonderklasse. Whereas I think 20 years ago the S was seen as a sort of automotive harbinger, the first car with sat nav, massaging seats, night vision etc, I'm not sure that's the case today. This car and the model it replaces seem to trying too hard to incorporate more tech for the sake of more tech. I would not want to be the owner of a 5 to 7 year old version of one of these cars. You hit it right on the head with your disposable comment.
To me, modern cars seem like a never ending dick measuring contest to see who can stuff the most technology into a certain price point with little regard for how it functions and no regard for if it's necessary
@@seantaylor2683 well TBH, automotive industries its always has been a dick measuring contest, only this time they're measure it with how many techs you can fit in your car.
You guys are hands down the best car reviewers period. Y’all keep it real while being thorough and being very relatable. Anyone can watch your videos and learn something. As a car enthusiast and engineer I appreciate what you deliver in your videos
@footballcoreano 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾
Has the most awe inspiring, top grade cinematic intros that rival the most emotionally intense Hollywood dramas of all time
cuts to mark in a sweatshirt and jeans casually talking about color options
I want a Best car of the year video. Most comfortable car, most driver-focused car, best value, best SUV, best hatchback, best estate, best use of technology and such
That’s a really great idea. I’d love to see something like that too!
I would love to see a most comfortable car of the year episode. Reviewers really don’t focus on that when really it’s one of the most important factors. Build quality, ride and refinement, the handling and speed…. Maybe I’m getting old 🤣
Define "Best Car," please. Different things for different people in different environments.
The best description of this car is “corporate lease!” The throw awayness aspect is because it’s only a lease.
I own a Mercedes sedan for 10 years now from brand new, nothing but basic maintenance and still going strong. And I live in a northern climate where it gets as cold as -30 C. Can't say the same for BMW or Audi.
I love my 2007 S Class never liked the ride on the BMW or the Audi which is better but no S class. Not everyone has good taste the ones who do choose the S.
I've spent some time in this car, and as a pleb, I also found the seats were my favorite part... But the owner didn't buy it for the massage seats. The buyer seeks isolation from the inconveniences of the outside world, a sanctuary. This car is not for the driver alone, this car is for the people the driver takes with them. This is a private jet for the road.
Yes !
I drove a new S Class a couple of Months ago. Didn’t have it for too long and it was a Diesel. The ride and comfort were unrivalled. However, I could feel vibration through the accelerator which was disappointing. The screen is a nightmare at night, but I guess you would get used to it over time. Big car for Europe though. Easy to park thanks to four wheel steer.
Yer mum was unrivaled 😎
@footballcoreano you forgot to take your medications, bud?
@@TORTLESSS He's right though.
@footballcoreano Troll
I’ve noticed the vibrating pedal when accelerating too. I think it’s a traction control warning.
Really cool video. I love how your videos don’t need to give the full answer. The pose the right questions and give different answers that all have some merit. Jack is also becoming truly excellent. Great work as always
The most marvelous car. The greatest sedan and the greatest "I've made it" car out there imo. I've been lucky to drive a few and no other car like it out there.
I think the E-Class T-Model decked out is where it's at.
If they are so good, how come you didnt keep it for 8 to 10 years? Euro cars are pos when it gets to 100k miles. That is if it can hit to 100k miles.
@@troytruong8246 My bud's got an older clk which has over 500k km on the clock, it's scuffed up but runs pretty well.
If I were considering buying a car like this I’d appreciate hearing the tech frustrations you had. Some people like Doug Demuro just love all the screens but I’d rather have physical buttons and simplicity myself
As someone who has a lot to do from day to day this is the perfect weekend distraction, the manual is a fascinating read, highly recommend.
I always appreciate the honesty in these videos. Too many other car reviews don't highlight the true pros and cons and sound like advertisements.
Great review. I'm so done with the technology. Wishing you both a Happy, safe and prosperous New Year.
I feel like after getting a halfway decent screen and waze/google earth integrated I need no more tech in my daily driver.
Same here. Just set it and forget it.
The last gen E-class and S-class interiors are a piece of art. Beautiful integration of the screens. Hate the glued on tablet Tesla look in this one.
I feel MB's screen fetish is going to backfire on them some day. I love touch screens as much as the next person but putting every control on a giant piece of glass doesn't seem intuitive to me.
I guess it's okay if they are targeting younger buyers. My dad is the typical S buyer and he wouldn't want all this screen stuff, he can barely operate his smartphone for anything beyond calling, texting and occasional bank transfers.
recently just got a magno white s580. Beautiful car inside and out. Feels exactly like a flagship.
I owned 2 previous generations of S Class and god I loved them both. But instead of buying this piece of “technology” - I switched myself to Lexus. More worse than this is probably only the new EQS.
Because of the hyperscreen?
You should look into Genesis, they're making solid ass cars for the money.
@@Daniel-dj7fh Genesis us making the best Lexus cars now.
Ls500? How’s your experience been with it so far and how would you compare it to the last s class you had?
Cadillac has better quality and resale value. See if you can dump that Lexus at Cady dealer and get a good trade deal on it.
This channel is criminally underrated. I don’t understand how its not the most ciewed car review channel on TH-cam. So much better than the alternatives/competitors. Bonkers.
The futuristic film analogy of the final thoughts is a great one. Hadn’t looked at it that way but it makes a lot of sense. This S Class, to me, represents what happens when an automaker gets too caught up in consumer trends and market pressure without any critical thought as to whether it actually makes for a better, easier-to-use, enjoyable-to-drive product. With so many other luxury automakers making the tech-everything dive, I wish Mercedes would put their foot down, take a stand, and approach their interiors with a “tech in moderation” mindset. It may not be giving their target market exactly what they say they want, but it would absolutely make for less distracting, more user-intuitive vehicles, especially in the long term (though yes, I know hardly anyone keeps these long term). Not holding my breath, though.
1:34 The sum off all fears for the new SL. Knew it was bad but I never imagined touchscreen reflections could be this horrible. Imagine this same screen top down in the convertible SL covered in fingerprints in the tropical sun. Still, this channel's virtuoso production quality and narratation set the standard for vehicle insight.
German Engineers over engineering? Never ever....
The S-Class has always been all about over engineering.
@@iCoolaxe It used to be about over-building rather than over-engineering.
Over-building means designing something to withstand more than the expected stress for better longevity.
Over-engineering means complexity for complexity's sake.
Most of the childs play on this car has nothing to do with engineering. The Driving side of the story is what the amg's have had for ages but tuned for comfort.
@@tim3172 That doesn't explain why the centerpiece supposingly creaks
I really wanted to hear Mark unleash on this thing, all deprecation and cynicism in full effect. This car is certainly designed for someone who wants to feel absolutely nothing aside from the massage.
Idk man. If I were that rich, I’d rather go ahead and buy a rolls Royce. Might as well.
Wonder if you haters are saying the same about the LS or the new Genesis... They're the same but worse. Boaty sensory deprived rides but of course, orders of magnitude less sophisticated. Of course, youll always pull that reliability card out of your asses ignoring the facts that historically and currently the S Class has always been proven to be a very reliable car.
Sigh, i think the thing I hate about every new generation of S-class is knowing that most of this technology I don't want is going to trickle down into the lower models.
I fell in love with Mercedes in the late 90's when a mechanic friend of my dad's brought over a 1994 E430, forest green exterior with tan interior, that he just finished fixing and was trying to sell him. To me there was just something about how solidly built everything in that car felt, and the materials every component was made of seemed like such a huge step over the 80's/90's GM products my family always owned. I was so amazed by that car that years later when I was in my own career I bought both a w211 and later a w212 e-class when someone hit my w211. But then Mercedes became a tech showcase and the cars just didn't feel as solidly built while costing more for less (4-banger w213 with a higher base price than the v6 in the last gen?), and I never got a w213 nor wanted one.
Now looking at the newest S-class, and knowing that 3 years later a shrunk down version is coming in the form of an E300, I realize the last mercedes I probably will ever buy was the one I last bought 9 years ago.
The W212 was the last great E Class.
I love your reviews guys, this one is so brutally honest , it doesn't get better than that.
I noticed people who are not tech inclined don't like it , for me tech in the car is perfect and has lived up to the best or nothing !
and honestly how many times are you going to fiddle with screen that its worth complaining about ? Clearly progression is not for everyone .
Job well done to Mercedes!
Depends on what sort of "tech incline" people have. I built my computer and know my way around plenty of electronics but am also into cars. Stuff like Tesla or this car don't interest me as I'd much rather the focus be on the driving experience.
My experience with a used VW Phaeton followed by a used S Class.
1) If you get a clean, no accident, dealer serviced vehicle, they are generally reliable, but will involve higher running costs vs. something more normal.
2) Phaeton was memorably nice for long distance travel, ride best described as flying over the road, stable, level, insulated travel with comfy well supported seating.
It was not designed to be easily serviced, and had some baked in design issues which made it financially hazardous to own.
On the plus side, I managed to sell it on after a few years and 40,000 miles for $3,000 less than I paid for it. ( Still I replaced batteries (self), upper control arms (dealer was ok with my already purchased oem parts), tires, brake pads (self), crank position sensor (dealer)), timing belt service(dealer).
Everything worked on the car ( except the tpms batteries started to go just when I was selling it). It had something like 105k on it when sold, the finish was still near new both inside and out, the paint finish was exceptional with no orange peel, when clean it was a black mirror, the used, also near perfect, newer Mercedes that replaced it could not match that level of paint finish.
3) The S-Class is the Honda accord of big luxury cars. They are made in high volumes, are much better developed, and are easily serviced and durable.
Everything service related is much easier on the S-Class. They are not friendly to aftermarket additions so its best to get a clean, dealer serviced car to own.
The driveline related components are typically reliable and long lasting if maintained. In car service applications ( NYC area) they reported about 270,000 miles until transmission need rebuilding and 325,000 when its time for an engine rebuild. Front air suspension lasts about 100-120k.
4) My experience is that overall this is a nicely designed and executed luxury car. It is unfortunately way more ostentatious than a Phaeton. In a similar ownership period, this car needed almost no repair, dealer service was on the expensive side. Repairs were to the heated windshield washer/headlight washer hose that the fitting leaked(self).
Depreciation was higher on the S, close enough to $10,000, so that sort of made up for the lack of repair, also paid a premium for an as new car from an MB dealer, that had preemptively replaced brakes, tires, control arms, batteries, did a current service, etc, such that it presented as a new car, the prior owner must have been thin as the interior leather, and everything else looked untouched.
The BMW SUV that replaced it felt like a s***box compared to it.
4) Before the Phaeton, I always had sports or sporty cars and an SUV or wagon. Now I’m spoiled.
When you are driving anywhere where its an hour or more, a good luxury car is easy to appreciate. The german examples combine an insulated ride, exceptional safety, with non-boaty handling and grip. The more modern ones are pretty quick as well.
It’s also sort of a decompression chamber, being comfortably seated, with a pleasing sound system, quiet riding, even in traffic, you tend to be much more laid back.
5) This current car preserves most of the elements of the prior gen and improves on some things, ride, structure, safety.
The UI looks a little annoying. I prefer having hard controls for primary tasks. I think some of the criticism could be mitigated by the use of the steering wheel controls, setting up user profiles by key, configuring desired default settings, and maybe using voice control while driving ( really should have physical switches for primary functions like volume, temp, fan speed, defrost, etc so that you don’t require distract-o-tronic input while you drive)
I’d be more than happy to own one of these used when they hit $25k, 6 years old, and 60k miles, which they will.
These are really nice for a net cost of $350-500 a month, in place of a more basic, newer car. ( vs $2500/month new if you have a very substantial disposable income )
Drive an S-Class for a month, then get back into your car and see how it compares. Better yet, don’t, you’ll save money by driving what you already have.
I’ve been disappointed in what they did to this car since the moment it dropped. World beating tech but everything else leaves a person wanting for some emotional factor. The last gen was spectacular.
Also mentioned in the video, people who get this are not for any emotion, they just want to be brought from a to b.
@Ralph B The c class looks like the e class now tho
nice to hear someone being honest about all the tech in this car rather than fawning over it
Someday we're gonna look back and go "Remember when everyone just stuck a touch screen on cars because it was the new thing to do?".
One can only hope they limit or ban it someday.
@@aygwm Yeah. With all the crazy safety standards car manufacturers have to meet these days my mind is blow how none of those prohibit the use of touch screens that take your eye off the road. You can go into a menu and look for the turn signals or change the air conditioning settings and it's all fine and dandy, but if you try to glance at your phone to see who messaged you that's somehow irresponsible.
99% of people with negative comments here could never afford this car.
Those that can afford this car couldn't care less about long term reliability, maintenance, etc etc.
S class has been pushing the envelope for almost a century. Use restraint in technology? If that was how technology worked we would still be entertained by an Etch a sketch. S class sets a benchmark for the trickle down effect. Sooner or later cheaper cars will inherit this same technology, for greater or for worst. S class was the first car to have a lot of features that we could not live without in our "normal cars". Its not meant to last a lifetime and the people who own these dont want it for a lifetime. Its a canvas of what the automobile could be. I will say this though, the exterior is seriously underwhelming for this generation.
"It's a canvas of what an automobile should be."
See, that's where the problem originates...That's a matter of fact opinion. Millions of people in the world, with different tastes and ideas about what a vehicle should be(LS400?)...but then you have a group of people saying "This is the only vehicle." Because we know what's best, lol. It's an AP course in what not to do..a crash course in elitist thinking; Historically we know where that comes from, now don't we?
Merc engineers: what tech do you want?
Merc execs: yes
W222 S Class, especially the facelift, is the Pinnacle of a luxury car with exterior design and interior. Literally perfect
Imagine how amazing a car maybe like the E-Class would be with all of the sophisticated drivetrain and chassis and safety systems and no gimmicks.
20:20 well said ! I love the tech in it , if high tech is not your thing then go and buy another product !
The reason the S class exist is to be the leader in innovation, doesn't make sense that you buy this car and complain about high tech. You as the consumer would be the problem because you failed to understand the purpose of the product at this point
Best review i found so far. others do barely criticise, i suppose because they're afraid of not beeing invited to mercedes events anymore.
i don't get how they came from the W222, which was the most beautiful and elegant s-class since the W126, to this ugly piece of techno-crap.
If i had the money i would rather buy a low mileage W222, then have the better car and a lot money left.
Poor Jack, he’s like “oh boy, dads going on a rant about how senseless it all is again”
it was crazy man..... dude did some pee on your moms grave? no. its a car that has lots of tech
A car where the engineers went crazy and the service departments lick their chops.
Just the accounting part of the service department, I bet the guys who are going to have to actually work on these things and track down an electrical issue under warranty are going to hate their lives.
I think Mark's thoughts about this car during the intro about sums it up about this car!! I agree completely I'd rather be a passenger in this car!! I wonder if the techs in the shop are looking forward to seeing this car in ah few years??
The interior of this car is what happens when a guy decides to turn all the lights and screens of his mancave into a vehicle. Seriously, very little of this car is "luxurious," it more so screams expensive tech demo. The S class cars from the 90's and early 00's were iconic mafia cars for a reason; simple yet intimidating, with a timeless interior full of wood finish. None of that is present in this car. Mark said it best: the best technology is the kind that improves the situation while being subtle and non overbearing.
I love tech, but I hate touch-everything. I don't understand why it has to be done this way.
Granted, you want to have options of a touch screen at times (Maps. etc.), but climate control? I shouldn't have to take my eyes off the road and go through the touchscreen to find it.
I also don't understand why more manufacturers don't copy BMW "M" button. Just stick 10 buttons under the touchscreen, which I can program myself. Add a small screen above them, so that when I program them, it changes the "picture" above the button and voila, I am a happy customer.
But if I am a 50-60 year old dude, I'm not sure I would be happy with all this touch-tech. And I am not that old.
In my 1% neighborhood every.single. neighbor that used to drive an S Class now drives a Tesla. I'd guess THAT trend is why this new model is such a shit show. That being said, Mark seemed to "get" the experience of an A8 in his A8 review, and I'd have to assume the new S tops that experience for isolation and relaxation and bliss, even if only marginally. However, I believe the biggest draw to the S Class is its curb presence - it's really the top of the top when its comes to saying "wealth" in a tasteful way. More expensive and exotic cars don't have the same "understatedness", and even though the new S class seams to be trying really hard, it still doesn't have the over the top "try hard" character of something like a Bentley or a Rolls etc. I believe this to be THE fact of the S Class.
Best video yet on the S Class, doesn’t get caught up in the fanboy brand nonsense and is honest!
Really enjoyed your S-class review, as it was spot on. My wife and i scheduled a test drive recently at our local MB dealership and it turned into a real goat f**K. The salesperson decided not to show up the day we had scheduled the test drive with him so the GM assigned us another salesman who quickly discovered that the one and only 2022 demo S-class had a dead battery. No, a really dead battery. So dead that a jumper box wouldn't do anything! After waiting about an hour for the salesman to decide he couldn't get the vehicle started, we decided to get a quote for the vehicle that we had already optioned. It was then that he notified us that the dealer was adding a $10,000 markup to the MSRP just because he could, bringing the total to $141,000. After this disastrous dealer visit, we immediately called our local Lexus dealership and told them the moment that Lexus starts factory orders again to call me so we can factory order a new Lexus, LS500 or ES350 Ultra Luxury. The Lexus we decide on will be based on the drive quality of the vehicles tested.
The LS500 is a gorgeous car
Buy Cadillac, you got higher quality for the money.
@@SlickJeff2020 lmfao CT6 was the only one to come close in terms of all out luxury to Lexus. Still behind in quality but way ahead for sportiness
Go with the LS. ES if you really gives zero shits about driving
Was really looking forward to your review of the new S Class. As usual, you did not disappoint. Thank you. As the original owner of a 1992 500 SL for 21 years, I could justify the cost, as Mercedes-Benz vehicles were built to last back then. The quality was exceptional. The reliability, however, I learned, was not. It saddens me that M-B no longer builds its vehicles to the highest durability standards, but, instead, to short lease cycles. Woe be the unfortunate (and unknowing) off-lease buyer. I have always aspired to buying a new S Class, and daily driving it for 20 years or so. That, I now know, is no longer financially feasible, due to the maintenance costs. As a point of reference, M-B did not even offer cupholders in my SL, as it was said at the time that the German auto makers believed cupholders were a frivolous distraction from the serious business of driving their products. And now this is what an S Class -- and M-B -- have become?
R129 gang.🤙🏾lol. Yea at this point I don’t see many newer MBs in my future.
I think Mark’s assessment is spot on in that the person who will “own” this car will be a passenger who has a driver that will put in the 32 weeks to read through the manual to know how to operate every part of the car and know how to adjust it when the owner briefly mentions a discomfort.
It is an S-Class, not a Rolls. $140K is little more than a loaded Escalade or Z06 Vette with dealer mark ups. Doubt many in the US will be chaffuered.
@@briangasser973 Sadly you’re correct. Car prices are insane nowadays. I remember when 45k for a car was “expensive”.
Would love to see your 2023 G90 review once it becomes available!
This is a great review that really sums up the design flaw in this car. It’s a brag machine that has every box checked, but leaving the user feeling empty.
I think that the previous gen looks classier than the new one.
The in car dialogue was top notch, with the two of you trying your best to describe a very challenging and complicated vehicle. I love your debates.
This is perfect after a long day of crushing deals at the Gogurt Factory, I want to be cradled in the lap of luxury. My wife’s boyfriend will also enjoy all the interior lights as well, job well done Mercedes.
Absolutely fantastic review, honest takes like this is why I keep following you guys' work. Hope MB will still lend you cars to review after this.
14:41 To be fair, if 'repairing your car' is anything else to you than to hand the key to the secretary when entering the office and having a lease in the same price range waiting for you by the time you leave it, you are too poor to own this thing.
Gotta say Jack killed it this reviews. Absolutely smashed it. Really finding his groove partnering Mark.
I prefer the 7 series. It’s positively agricultural by comparison, but plenty luxurious and unlikely to lull you to sleep.
The 7 series is much more balanced. The technology is useful, but not overbearing, and there's still physical switches and knobs when appropriate.
@@SomeLazyDr except for that stupid touch/display smart key
@@ormand3000 pretty sure the screen key is optional. You can get the regular BMW key.
A lost opportunity for a cinematic expose of all the features this car has and how it performs. My dad owned an S55 AMG and he loved spending time with it, studying the user Bible which was over 2” thick, and then sharing with passengers “want to see what this does?”
This is a tough one to review because it’s technology features can be so overwhelming. That’s what older customers who have money and time on their hands want. People really like this car for its plethora of features. This flagship car becomes a part of the family like another child you look forward to spending quality time with every time you drive it.
I guess the user manuals are all digital now and can be seen on the massive center console for easy reading.
This car is the epitomy of 'German Engineering'. Basically, overcomplicated and complex. German vehicles are only nice when they are new.
Hi, my name is Serge, I was born in France and I live in NC. I like very much what you are doing on your channel. But I do not agree with your comments about the S Class. I am not rich but I bought a 2015 S Class Coupe, which could be an emotional buy because it a wonderfull car, design, technology and driving are above everything I have driven so far.
I have four german cars and have owned all of german brands. The S Class Coupe is the best car I have ever had. I know I am 72 years old but I have two Porsches and I know how to get pleasure in driving for a long time now, it is like riding a bicycle, you never forget it.
Having many cars I do not drive the Mercedes every day but I can tell you that apart of the depreciation the cost of ownership is more than reasonnable and not the money pit you are talking about in your video. The depreciation is my luxury I have decided I can afford. Car lovers could have different criteria on how to spend their money than... We are not normal people, my wife sometime think I am nuts.
I would like to have a way to talk with you because you are so good and I would appreciate to exchange on the subject. Cordially. Serge (pronounce Surge not Sergei)
Can't wait to buy this in 10 years!
Not sure that's a good strategy with what will cost in repairs and maintenance at that point. I mean a lot of the stuff is going to break and it's only going to be specialists that are going to be able to fix it and it's going to cost a lot.
just buy a 10 year old S class today
It is still a $150.000 car to maintain, there are some other TH-cam automotive channels about what can go wrong with these cars after the warranty expires.
@@MLHunt Counterpoint, to buy and maintain a car like this after a decade is certainly going to cost far less than buying a new model in ten years time.
The trick is being able to afford the maintenance at that time.
That's what I do now. A relatively expensive 'older' car purchased on the foothills of mountainous depreciation that gets all the looking after that it ever needs.
The cost of operating in this way is way less than buying even a relatively inexpensive new car. I doubt that picture will change overmuch in the next few years.
I have a feeling that many things on this car will be "unrepairable" in 10 years.
This is such a refreshing review compared to what most TH-cam reviewers would give. This was honest about the lack of usability on the tech especially the center screen. I would think that screen would wow all the other reviews. However, this review rightly pointed out the excessive amount of attention the driver would have to focus just to use that center screen for just basic things.
Don't ruin all your credibility by saying the Tesla just works, I assume no one in his family lives with one.
Tesla software makes this feel like Windows Me.
Savage you remind me of expensive wine , the older it gets the better it taste. This is an amazing review and I can only see you get even more better . Such amazing channel so underrated.
the IOS6 style UI that looks already outdated (not to mention the lagginess) once again proved Germans should stick to what they're good at, industrial design & engineering, not software.
I love that you guys debate and don't just always agree with each other and both give solid opinions.
That's somewhat of a novelty in todays extreme climate.
@@kensmechanicalaffair For sure!
FYI, I worked at Harman when we were developing this dashboard for Mercedes and other manufacturers. I was like "this is cool, in my house. But in a car, while you're driving!?"
But this is mainly designed for when cars drive themselves.
The 3D technology is the same as the Nintendo 3DS lol.
I never understood high end speakers in cars either, the last thing you're gonna enjoy in one is the music. On electric cars you could at least make use of it
@@Daniel-dj7fh I'll disagree on that one.
@@Daniel-dj7fh Yeah, why would that be? I doubt its noisier than any electric car, more or less.
@@GoldenCroc Cars nowadays usually make mostly tire noise, where the ev's also have a benefit since energy saving tires have less rolling resistance
@@Daniel-dj7fh Sure, but the same tires can be fitted to an ICE car. I would go as far as to say that dollar for dollar, as of currently, ICE cars are in general more quiet than their EV cost equivalent, even with the factory fit tires.