Is the 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class a good car?
No.
1 of 7checks
- First car: 0 of 5. Price $114,500. Class median $43,010.
- Commuter: $121 a month. Class median $107.
- Seniors: 1 of 3. Height 59.2 in. Class middle half 56.2 to 57.9 in.
- Off-road: 5.1 in clearance. Top 101% of 166.
- Price: 85% above cars like it.
- Good buy: 3 rivals beat it on all four.
20 miles one way, 5 days a week. Gas $3.20. Power 17 cents per kWh.
| Check | Result | Number |
|---|---|---|
| Family car | Yes | 4 of 4 parts |
| First car | No | 0 of 5 parts |
| Commuter | No | $121 vs $107 a month |
| Seniors | No | 1 of 3 parts |
| Off-road | No | 5.1 in, top 101% |
| Worth the money | No | 85% above predicted |
| Good buy | No | 3 beat it on all four |
- Each check compares the cheapest trim with the number to its class.
- A check passes when it misses at most 1 part.
- Yes when the car passes more than half of its checks.
Is the S-Class a good family car?
Yes. Passes 4 of 4 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seats | 5 seats | 5 or more | N/A | Yes |
| Rear legroom | 43.8 in | Median 36.5 in | 84 | Yes |
| Rear headroom | 39.4 in | Median 37.3 in | 84 | Yes |
| Cargo behind the last row | 19.4 cu ft | Median 14.2 cu ft | 73 | Yes |
Is the S-Class a good first car?
No. Passes 0 of 5 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $114,500 | Median $43,010 | 87 | No |
| Horsepower | 429 hp | 151 hp to 351 hp | 88 | No |
| Length | 215.3 in | Median 192.9 in | 83 | No |
| Turning circle | 42.0 ft | Median 38.1 ft | 83 | No |
| Fuel cost per mile | 13.9 cents | Median 12.3 cents | 87 | No |
Horsepower: 10th to 75th percentile of the class.
Is the S-Class a good commuter car?
No. $121 a month to commute. Class median $107.
- Miles a month
- 867
- This car
- $121
- Median of 87 sedans
- $107
- Highway mpg
- 28 mpg, top 77% of 78
Is the S-Class a good car for seniors?
No. Passes 1 of 3 parts.
| Measure | This car | Class | Cars | Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Step-in height | 5.1 in clearance, 59.2 in tall | 5.1 to 5.5 in clearance, 56.2 to 57.9 in tall | 57 | No |
| Front headroom | 42.1 in | Median 38.7 in | 81 | Yes |
| Turning circle | 42.0 ft | Median 38.1 ft | 83 | No |
Step-in: clearance and height in the middle half of the class.
Is the S-Class a good off-road vehicle?
No. 5.1 in clearance. Top 101% of 166 trucks and SUVs.
- AWD or 4WD
- Yes
- Best trim for clearance
- S 500 4MATIC AWD, 5.1 in
- Cohort
- 166 trucks and SUVs, AWD or 4WD trims
Is the S-Class worth the money?
No. Priced 85% above cars like it.
- Price, Maybach S 580 4MATIC AWD
- $193,400
- Predicted price
- $104,738
- Gap
- +$88,662 (+85%)
- Model error
- 15% median, 311 cars
Price model: horsepower, length, width, drivetrain, powertrain, body and luxury, 2023 cars.
Passes at up to 5% above the predicted price.
Is the S-Class a good buy?
No. 3 rivals cost less and beat it on fuel cost, cargo and power.
| Car | Price | Fuel cost per mile | Max cargo | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S-Class S 500 4MATIC AWD | $114,500 | 13.9 cents | 12.9 cu ft | 429 hp |
| Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD | $50,990 | 5.1 cents | 22.9 cu ft | 455 hp |
| Lucid Air Touring AWD | $95,000 | 4.7 cents | 32.1 cu ft | 620 hp |
| Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo 4S AWD | $113,000 | 7.6 cents | 15.8 cu ft | 482 hp |
Compared with 400 trims of other makes, sedans, 2023.
What this cannot tell you
No safety, reliability or insurance data.
Your prices, use and trim may differ.
- 2 or more sources
- 1 source
- Model-level, rule or estimate
- Sources disagree