Battery size: 22 kWh
Company car tax: 9%
Emissions: 17 - 19 g/km
Range: 61 – 68 miles (WLTP)
Fuel economy: 314 - 404 MPG
Introduction and model history
Mercedes has been the purveyor of a big, luxury saloon since 1954, but its ultimate, range-topping executive saloon has been named the S-Class since the early ‘70s. This is now the seventh generation of the Mercedes S-Class and, over the years, each generation has become a bit bigger and a bit more luxurious so that for the last few generations the S-Class has been a full limo-class car. You have to be a very fat cat, indeed, to warrant one of these as your everyday company car; most are now used for chauffeur duties, as is its nemesis the BMW 7-Series. Less chauffer-ey plug-in hybrid alternatives include the Range Rover Sport PHEV, and don’t forget the pure electric luxo-spectacular alternatives including Mercedes’ own EQS, the BMW i7 and the Volvo EX90.
The Mercedes S-Class is offered with a variety of petrol- and diesel engines, or there are two petrol-electric plug-in hybrid models. They’re badged the S450 e and the S580e 4Matic, and they’re only available in the long-wheelbase body, which makes this a 5.3-metre car (that’s bigger than a Range Rover, by the way). Both also get the same 22kWh battery a 3.0-litre, in-line, six-cylinder petrol engine, but the S 580 e 4Matic gets lots more power and four-wheel drive, hence the bigger number on the badge.
The chauffeur-centric remit means that it makes perfect sense to have a long range, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) S-Class like the range-topping S 580e that I’ve been lucky enough to smug around in for this Electrifying.com review. So, read on to find out why the PHEV S-Class may just be the best S-Class of all.
Range, battery and charging
The Mercedes S-Class PHEVs both get a 22kWh li-ion NMC battery that’s good for an official range of up to 68 miles in the S450 e, or 62 miles in the S 580 4Matic. You also get DC rapid charging of up to 60kW, which is good as a lot of plug-in hybrids don’t offer rapid charging at all. With the S-Class PHEV, you can plug in via the CCS socket (which is compatible with almost all public chargers in the UK and Western Europe) for an 80% charge in about 20 minutes.
We spent a lot of time on cold motorway runs in the Merc S580 e 4Matic, which is about the worst case scenario for electric vehicle efficiency. Even so, this full-fat S-Class PHEV managed nearly 45 miles to a charge, which isn’t bad at all. If you’re going to spend a lot of time creeping around the city and delivering VIP clients to black-tie galas, you could well see 55 miles or so to a charge.
As for petrol economy? Well, when the battery is drained and you’re relying on the 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, you’ll be lucky to get more than 30 mpg.
Practicality and boot space
You will not be disappointed with the space in the Merc S-Class. This car is a prime piece of overindulgent automotive real estate, so ever S-Class PHEV offers acres of rear leg- and headroom, complete with fluffy airline-style pillows, reclining and heated rear seats, a panoramic sunroof for the airiest of cabins, also with electrically controlled blinds for the rear windows to offer privacy from those pesky paparazzi.
The S-Class PHEV does sacrifice a lot of boot space for the battery, which is hidden beneath the boot floor and leave 350-litres of space – compared with 540-litres of space in the non-PHEV variant. Having said that, the boot is long and wide, and you’ll get a couple of chunky suitcases in there, but it’s still less boot space than you get in a VW ID.3, which is rather disappointing.
Interior, design/styling and technology
The S-Class doesn’t get the huge hyperscreen dashboard that the top-spec Mercedes EQS models get. It ‘makes do’ with a 12.8-inch OLED touchscreen in the centre of the dash, which you can set up to save- and activate your settings via fingerprint recognition. It’s also got all the features you expect including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The ambient lighting in the S-Class cabin is next level, too, with softly merging colours continuously changing (if you want them to), and if you go for the top-spec AMG Line Premium Plus Executive then you also get massage seats with mood settings that apply gentle, spa-like music on the Burmester sound system and relaxing visuals on the screen, to accompany the ‘hot stone’ back massage that you may have chosen from the various back-pummelling options.
There’s also a high-definition head-up display that beams arrows onto the road – among other bits of information - making nav instructions easier to follow. Both the head-up display and the huge, digital driver’s display are all configurable. It can be a bit overwhelming, and the menu setting on the main touchscreen aren’t always obvious to find and adjust. But with familiarity this is an impressive system.
You can’t argue with the perceived quality of the S-Class, either, which feels beautifully built. Our only quibble is that the indicator stalk damping is a bit clicky and cheap-feeling, in context of the rest of the car’s lovely, high-class finish.
Motors, performance and handling
The Mercedes S580 e 4Matic that we drove was peachy to drive, or to be driven in. Standard air suspension makes for a very wafty ride, and while you will notice a thump over bigger bumps, the majority of the time you feel completely isolated from the world thanks to the smooth ride and excellent refinement. There’s very little wind- and tyre noise, and while you do notice the six-cylinder petrol engine thrumming into life sometimes, the S-Class PHEV always feels discreet and serene.
Yes, you can shuffle through the drive modes to sport and enjoy incongruously rapid acceleration of 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds (or 5.9 seconds for the S 450 e), thanks to the S 580’s combination of 362bhp petrol engine and 148bhp electric motor. The big Merc also handles with surprising grace in faster corners, if you want it to. But, ultimately, this is all about coasting around in the satisfying peace and comfort that huge amounts of money can bring you, and that’s exactly what the S-Class PHEV does best.
Our only big issue with the way the S-Class drives is the brake feel. The brake response is a bit inconsistent as it switches between brake regen’ and normal friction brakes, and then the car’s clever semi-autonomous systems also interfere as they try to automatically slow the car for a junction or speed limit, so it can be difficult to predict that and also get the really smooth stopping that you want. It’s the one area of the S-Class’ dynamics that really feels like it could be usefully improved.
Running costs and pricing
It’s not cheap. Go for the top-spec S580 e 4Matic in Premium Plus trim and you’re paying over £123,000 on list price. But then, the S-Class isn’t about being cheap, it’s about being the best, and it’s unlikely that you’re buying it for the great finance deals or affordable running costs. The plug-in hybrid could be well worth it for the company tax benefits that the electric running and lower CO2 brings, though, as well as for the fact that the eery, silent progress suits the S-Class down to the ground.
Verdict
Like I said; it’s not cheap, but you don’t buy the S-Class for its value. You buy it because it’s always been the best of its rarefied breed, and that remains the case – although I’d say that the BMW 7 Series is closer than ever to toppling the Mercedes, so do check it out before making your decision. If it’s ultimate one-upmanship and on-the-road indulgence that you’re after, the Mercedes S-Class is still king, and the plug-in hybrid powertrain only serve to make it even better.
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