• Summary
• What's Good
• What's Bad
• On the Road
• In The Cabin
• Prices and Specs
• Owners' Reviews

Latest Update 1-3-2012. Alerted to Urgent Safety Recall for Mercedes Benz diesels.  This relates to a possible diesel fuel leak which may develop at the fuel filter assembly.  The dealer will replace the fuel filter.  

Introduction:

The old W220 S-Class is to most eyes a beautiful looking car, the svelte lines of which belie its bulk. It has been a great favourite, selling 17,852 in the UK alone, the most common car parked kerbside outside the embassies and consulates of Kensington. Now you can pick one up used for around £12,000 they are even gracing the station taxi ranks of posh suburbs like Walton-on-Thames.

I liked the car very much. Always felt at ease behind the wheel of a big Benz, especially the twin-turbo S600 and the LHD only S500 4-Matic that cornered in the wet as you might imagine a Mitsubishi Evo limousine.

But the car had its critics. Not enough boot room was one complaint. Quite a lot of niggles. And a perception that quality of build and materials used was progressively downgraded. Add to that extremely high servicing and repair costs and there had to be another reason why 70% - 90% of owners stayed loyal to the model rather than desert to Audi, BMW, Lexus or Jaguar.

The looks? The 3 pointed star? The way the car drives? What it says about them? Make your up own mind if you aren't already an S-Class owner and know.