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2009 Mercedes-Benz S Class Review

April 4, 2009

STYLING | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

handsome exterior design
Car and Driver

ostentatious and comfortable
ForbesAutos

synonymous with state-of-the-art luxury
Edmunds

defines luxury motoring
ConsumerGuide

continues to set the standard
Motor Trend

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class costs a pretty penny, so experts at TheCarConnection.com expect it to be immaculately designed. Fortunately, the S-Class delivers.

Motor Trend feels the latest S-Class "continues to set the standard" for full-size luxury sedans, while Car and Driver likes its "handsome exterior design," and ForbesAutos calls it "elegant." As Kelley Blue Book says, the Mercedes-Benz 2009 provides a "polished, sleek shape," with its sloping front end and its classic Mercedes grille. Cars.com also singles out this last aspect of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz for its style, stating that its "strong visual presence is highlighted by a sleek front end." The front end of the Mercedes-Benz 2009 isn't its only exterior appeal; Edmunds praises the "aggressive wheelwell flares and a wedge-like profile that's emphasized with a rising character line," and Cars.com reports the optional AMG Sport Package "gives the S-Class some of the look, if not the performance, of a high-performance AMG version of the S-Class."

Cars.com contends the interior of the S-Class "offers a level of power, luxury, technology and prestige" worthy of its hefty price tag. The S-Class's interior is very spacious and well designed; it's "ostentatious and comfortable," according to ForbesAutos. Kelley Blue Book agrees, saying "understated elegance is the theme on the inside" of the Mercedes-Benz 2009, while noting the "amber ambient lighting" that rings the front of the cabin. The outside is a prelude to a car that "defines luxury motoring," ConsumerGuide declares. The instrument panel has a simple but very elegant design, with a broad, sweeping horizontal theme and impressive-looking wood veneers.

TheCarConnection.com’s editors note that the latest version of Mercedes-Benz's COMAND screen-based interface replaces the clutter of smaller controls in the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but it's not always as intuitive as it could be, as will be discussed more in the Features section of this review.

Conclusion

The 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is almost perfectly styled inside and out.

STYLING | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:handsome exterior designCar and Driverostentatious and comfortableForbesAutossynonymous with state-of-the-art luxuryEdmundsdefines luxury motoringConsumerGuidecontinues to set the standardMotor Trend The 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class costs a pretty penny, so experts at TheCarConnection.com expect it to be immaculately designed. Fortunately, the S-Class delivers. Motor Trend feels the latest S-Class "continues to set the standard" for full-size luxury sedans, while Car and Driver likes its "handsome exterior design," and ForbesAutos calls it "elegant." As Kelley Blue Book says, the Mercedes-Benz 2009 provides a "polished, sleek shape," with its sloping front end and its classic Mercedes grille. Cars.com also singles out this last aspect of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz for its style, stating that its "strong visual presence is highlighted by a sleek front end." The front end of the Mercedes-Benz 2009 isn't its only exterior appeal; Edmunds praises the "aggressive wheelwell flares and a wedge-like profile that's emphasized with a rising character line," and Cars.com reports the optional AMG Sport Package "gives the S-Class some of the look, if not the performance, of a high-performance AMG version of the S-Class." Cars.com contends the interior of the S-Class "offers a level of power, luxury, technology and prestige" worthy of its hefty price tag. The S-Class's interior is very spacious and well designed; it's "ostentatious and comfortable," according to ForbesAutos. Kelley Blue Book agrees, saying "understated elegance is the theme on the inside" of the Mercedes-Benz 2009, while noting the "amber ambient lighting" that rings the front of the cabin. The outside is a prelude to a car that "defines luxury motoring," ConsumerGuide declares. The instrument panel has a simple but very elegant design, with a broad, sweeping horizontal theme and impressive-looking wood veneers. TheCarConnection.com’s editors note that the latest version of Mercedes-Benz's COMAND screen-based interface replaces the clutter of smaller controls in the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but it's not always as intuitive as it could be, as will be discussed more in the Features section of this review. ConclusionThe 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is almost perfectly styled inside and out. 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ S-CLASS STYLING | [8 out of 10] Car and Driver: "handsome exterior design" ForbesAutos: "ostentatious and comfortable" Edmunds: "synonymous with state-of-the-art luxury " ConsumerGuide: "defines luxury motoring" Motor Trend: "continues to set the standard" The ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

Major competitors to the 2009 S-Class include the Audi A8, the BMW 7-Series, the Jaguar XJ, and the Lexus LS. The XJ stands out for its distinctly British style that steers away from the crowd. There are powerful 12-cylinder models of the A8 (A8 6.0 L) and 7-Series (760iL) to match the S600; all three have smooth, silent, and immensely torquey engines, but they're gas guzzlers, each and every one. For the green crowd who must have the best, instead of a V-12, Lexus offers a hybrid V-8 powertrain on its top-of-the-line LS 600h L model, which gets a highest-in-class rating of 20 mpg city, 22 highway. Each of these other models are offered in two different wheelbases (and lengths), but the 2009 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is only sold in its long-wheelbase form in the United States. The S-Class has typically been a prestige vehicle, carrying executives and captains of industry in style and comfort, but the S63 and S65 AMG models appeal to those craving acceleration that's on par with exotics, along with a sportscar feel, in the S-Class's spacious package. Audi has the S8, but it's not nearly as powerful or as exclusive as the AMGs, while BMW has the Alpina B7, an elite version with a 500-hp supercharged V-8. There's also the 400-hp Jaguar XJR that, along with the cheaper XJ, is faster than the numbers might indicate due to its lightweight aluminum body.

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See the Mercedes-Benz S Class in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997

Comments (1 total)

  1. By zivsp #1, Posted: 4/5/2009

    A nice car

    Would like to afford it.

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