The 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class returns with no significant changes because it’s coming off a comprehensive update last year.
However, it gets one notable enhancement. The entire S-Class lineup now gets the MBUX gesture and voice assist as standard.
If you find the S-Class family tree a bit overwhelming, you’re not alone. How many variations of the same car can a carmaker get away with? Mercedes-Benz seems in the midst of beta testing to reveal the answer.
If you are a fan of big, luxurious, and powerful, the S-Class is right up your alley.
We like it for its endless list of amenities, refinement, relentless acceleration, and solid handling.
We won’t spend a lot of ink on the S-Class Coupe and Cabriolet. Instead, we will concentrate on the S-Class Sedan.
Power and Fuel Economy
The 2022 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class.
Mercedes bases its model designations on its engines. There are S 500 models and S 580 models, plus a Maybach S 580 and a Maybach S 680.
Powering the 2022 Mercedes-Benz S 500 is a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline 6-cylinder engine with 429 horsepower. The S 580 gets the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 496 horsepower. Both powerplants have a mild-hybrid boost. Paired to each of these engines is a 9-speed automatic transmission with 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD).
EPA fuel economy for the 2022 Mercedes S 500 is 21 miles per gallon city, 30 mpg highway, and 24 mpg in combined driving.
The S 580 is rated by the EPA at 16 mpg city/25 mpg highway/19 mpg combined. In the Maybach version of the S 580, each measure drops by 1 mpg.
Topping out the S-Class engines is the 6.0-liter twin-turbo V12 found in the Maybach S 680, which puts out a staggering 612 horsepower. EPA fuel economy figures for this Maybach S 680 have yet to be posted.
2022 Mercedes-Benz S 500 (starting at $111,100)
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class wears a coat of Diamond White.
When choosing the S 500, you must pick between the Luxury Line and AMG Line. The latter version comes with unique AMG styling, 4.5 degrees of rear axle steering, and available Night Package styling.
The listed price we use in this Autotrader Trim Review is for the Luxury Line.
Standard equipment includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED taillights, LED headlights with adaptive technology, a 360-degree surround-view camera, and soft-close doors.
Also standard are an adjustable adaptive air suspension, a panoramic sunroof, leather seating, and 64-color interior ambient lighting.
Among the other content are the MBUX infotainment and navigation system with gesture control and advanced voice recognition, a 12.8-inch touchscreen, and six USB ports.
A 15-speaker Burmester audio system is also standard, along with wireless phone charging, wireless Android Auto, and wireless Apple CarPlay.
So comprehensive is the S-Class list of driver aids, it includes technologies you probably have never heard of or even thought you might need.
What we present here are many of the more popular ones.
Included with the driver aids are lane-keeping assist, forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring with brake assist.
Among the other driver aids are self-parking, a surround-view camera, rear cross-traffic alert, and much, much more.
The options are rear-axle steering, E-Active Body control that allows the vehicle to lean into a curve, and a 30-speaker Burmester 4D audio system.
Adding the $1,050 destination fee to the S 500 base price totals $112,150. With no money down for 60 months at 3% interest, financing that amount works out to $1,925 per month. See 2022 Mercedes-Benz S 500 models for sale
2022 Mercedes-Benz S 500 includes:
- Adaptive air suspension – Driver adjustable, this suspension automatically maintains the ride characteristics set by the driver.
- Adaptive technology headlights – These LED headlamps turn, following the steering wheel to illuminate around corners.
- MBUX infotainment & navigation – Gesture and voice-control technology learns from and responds to driver input.
2022 Mercedes-Benz S 580 (starting at $117,700)
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz S 580 in black.
When you choose the S 580, you must select from a Luxury Line, AMG Line, or Executive Line model. The price we’ve listed here is for the Luxury Line.
The S 580 Luxury Line is equipped just like the S 500 Luxury Line, but it gets the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine instead of the inline-6.
Adding the $1,050 destination fee to the S 580 base price equals $118,725. With no money down for 60 months at 3% interest, financing works out to $2,038 per month. See 2022 Mercedes-Benz S 580 models for sale
2022 Mercedes-Benz S 580 includes:
- Twin-turbo V8 – Receiving a little hybrid help, this 4.0-liter V8 develops 496 horsepower and can reach 60 miles per hour in just 4.4 seconds.
- All content from the S 500 – The only difference between the S 500 and S 580 is the engine.
2022 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S (starting at $184,900)
The 2022 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class in dual-tone Rubellite Red and Cashmere White.
The Maybach S 580 is a longer, more extravagant version of the regular S 580. It’s powered by the same engine but provides a lot more goodies for pampering you. Its limousinelike rear-seat area is spacious, supremely comfortable, and befitting a titan of commerce. See 2022 Mercedes-Maybach S 580 models for sale
Adding the $1,050 destination fee to the Maybach S 580 base price equals $185,950. With no money down for 60 months at 3% interest, financing works out to $3,341 per month.
Similarly equipped, the 2022 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 receives its thrust from a mighty V12 engine. Pricing for this Maybach S 680 has not been announced yet, but we expect it to be above $200,000. See 2022 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 models for sale
