2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class Reviews, Pricing & Specs

This current seventh generation of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class debuted in 2021 and it’s been going strong with the S 500 and S 580 trims. (The Mercedes-Maybach S 580 and Mercedes-Maybach S 680 trims are ultraluxury versions of the S-Class and are classified as a different nameplate in Canada.) For 2023, the company delved into electrification for its luxury sedan, and for this review our tester is the new S 580e with a plug-in hybrid powertrain and 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD).

The standard full-size S-class exudes nothing but calm sophistication with its clean lines and sculpted front end. However, our tester goes further with the plenty of optional high-gloss black trim, 20-inch AMG wheels, and AMG-style front and rear bumpers and side skirts. It’s still far from a sporty-looking ride, but the options make it a bit less staid than the standard models.

The real story is on the inside. Choose from 15 different colours of sumptuous leather upholstery, including the sublime Carmine Red, and five different trim materials. Our tester wore the Sienna Brown and Black leather. There is a panoramic sunroof, and of course the fit and finish here is superb. We would be remiss if we didn’t mention the ridiculously soft head rests. It’s rough for the driver who wants to stay awake, but the passenger will be able to take some epic cat naps.

The S 580e pairs a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six cylinder engine with a 28.6-kWh battery and an electric motor. You can get 90 kilometres of all-electric range out of the battery, then replace those electrons at 11 kW which is pretty speedy for home charging. We charged the car three times on our home charger, once filling the battery to capacity in about two hours and 20 minutes.

If you want to get going quicker, the S 580e can also be had with DC fast charging to the tune of 60 kW

Natural Resources Canada gives the S 580e PHEV a combined rating of 4.6 Le/100 km factoring both the battery and the gas engine, but during our time we beat the game with a 4.4 Le/100 km average. We drove nearly 650 kilometres total and 360 of those were done without burning any gasoline.

When the gas engine inevitably kicks in, the result is power specs of 510 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque, managed by a nine-speed automatic transmission. You can scoot this PHEV from a stand-still to 100 km/h in about 4.4 seconds. If you’re keeping track, that’s quicker than the other S-Class model, the S 500, and it matches the S 580 with its twin-turbo V8. Isn’t electrification great? But the new S-Class PHEV isn’t exactly a sports car. If you want that, go look at a Mercedes-AMG.

Sure, there is a Sport mode, but you’ll want to keep it in Comfort mode to revel in the luxury of the buttery soft air suspension, which floats over broken pavement and soaks up potholes and speed bumps like they don’t even exist. Rear-wheel steering can move our tester’s wheels up to 4.5 degrees, so even though the S-class has a long 3,210-millimetre wheelbase, it turns like a much smaller vehicle. There is also an option for 10-degree rear-wheel steering for super-tight u-turns.

When driven in Hybrid mode, there is no jitteriness as the car smoothly transitions between pure electric at lower speeds and the gas motor with electric assist should the driver’s right foot demand it. The nine-speed automatic transmission works in the background for the most part, offering up seamless gear shifts so as not to break up the cloud-like ride. However, at times there is a slight jerk when the car downshifts into first gear at lights. A small flaw in an otherwise excellent powertrain.

Drivers can dial in their preferred amount of brake regeneration and can opt for a creep function to keep the car from coming to a full stop with regen. However, it’s easy to turn off if you prefer a one-pedal driving experience.

The Benz is chock-full of standard features—and at this price it had better be. Massaging seats? Check. Oh, you want them heated? You got it—front seats and rear seats. Heck, you’ve even got a heated steering wheel and armrests. What’s that you say? Now you’re hot? Don’t worry, those seats are ventilated too. The only thing our tester was missing is a heated and cooled cupholder, though you can add it to the build sheet if you’d like.

Keeping things cool inside are power sunshades on the rear and side-rear windows, and the doors are soft-closing, so as not to disturb delicate sensibilities. Mercedes does an excellent job with ambient lighting, offering up 64 colours that can be programmed for a fun light show should you so desire. Luxury car, indeed.

During our test drive, the car decided we needed to experience the Energizing Comfort wellness program. This combines the interior lighting, massage, audio, fragrance and climate controls in a short exercise meant to boost your mood and brighten your spirit. In truth, we felt neither happier nor energized, but we were definitely surprised.

There are plenty of small cubbies inside for smaller storage and the centre armrest offers up plenty of space. However, at only 350 litres, the cargo space in the trunk is definitely on the wee side. The standard S-Class sits much better at 550 litres, but if you really want space, look at the Porsche Panamera plug-in hybrid with its hatchback lift gate. That nets just over 403 litres of space. Or if you need much more, choose one of the many luxury plug-in hybrid SUVs.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class gets a reconfigurable 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster but the star is the 12.8-in OLED touchscreen centre display. Here, you’ll find the latest edition of the MBUX infotainment system, where the home screen is the big ol’ map. Different tiles can be overlaid on the map, or drivers can tap the home button twice to get them all laid out on a black background. If you find yourself bored at a charging station, the system has a variety of games to pass the time, including sudoku.

The Mercedes natural-language AI assistant is pretty good, turning up the air conditioning if we said we were hot. Heck, she even told us a funny joke. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both here, but Mercedes is one of the rare manufacturers that has a native navigation system we are happy to use, thanks in part to its augmented reality. If you’re searching for a particular house or not sure which fork in the road to take, just look to the screen to find a convenient numerical address or arrow overlaid on a video from the forward-facing camera. This augmented reality even carries over to the optional large colour head-up display.

However, the company takes this a bit too far with its stoplight view, which will automatically turn on that forward facing camera to give the driver a video of the intersection ahead. A view one can get by just, you know, looking up.

Wireless charging is here as is a smattering of USB ports. However, they are all the smaller USB-C outlets, so buy your cords accordingly. Audiophiles will enjoy the standard Burmester sound system.

If you’re looking for all the ADAS safety features you can shake a stick at, go pick a big one because the S-Class has it all. All the usual suspects are here like lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking. (Bizarrely, rear cross-traffic alert is an extra-cost option in Canada.) However, the Benz kicks it up a notch with its hands-on highway driver-assist system. Here, the car will use adaptive cruise control to stay at a set distance behind a lead car and keep itself centred in its lane. To change lanes, simply signal. The car will proceed on its own when it is safe to do so.

Another feature not found on many sedans is the Crosswind Assist that can keep the car straight when the wind, either natural or from a passing truck, approaches from the side. We also appreciate the Speed Limit Assist, which reads traffic signs and adjusts a pre-set cruising speed accordingly. No speeding tickets in this car!

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S 580e and other S-class variants have not yet had crash tests performed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz S 580e Plug-in Hybrid starts at a new car manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $161,600, not including the destination charge, which is set by individual dealers in Canada. Our tester included extra-cost rear-axle steering, high-speed charging, upgraded wheels and a few optional packages.

Don’t expect any incentives to bring that price down. The Mercedes-Benz S 580e Plug-in Hybrid is too expensive to qualify for federal and provincial EV rebate programs in Canada.

You’ll have to be sure to keep your S 580e charged up to see any real fuel-economy benefits. When the juice runs out, you’ll get fuel economy of 10.0 L/100 km combined, which is very close to the 10.4 L/100 km from the Mercedes-Benz S-Class S 500 4Matic sedan that has the same 3.0-litre engine under the hood, just minus the battery and electric motor. But at least it does better than the 12.2 L/100 km combined delivered by the standard S 580 4Matic with its V8 engine and mild hybrid system.

There aren’t too many PHEVs at this six-figure price point, but if you have the means you should also look at the Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid. It’s available with either 455 or 552 horsepower. However, you won’t get the same kind of all-electric range from the sporty sedan as you do in the Benz.

Don’t look to the rest of the Germans to provide any kind of competition. The Audi A8 doesn’t offer an plug-in hybrid powertrain, and neither does the BMW 7 Series. You could get a BMW 530e plug-in hybrid, but it’s smaller than the S-Class without the same level of luxury features.

You could drop $77,950 or so on the Volvo S90 Recharge with 61 kilometres of all-electric range, or spend a whole lot more—what’s a few zeros anyways—and snag yourself the Bentley Flying Spur with 34 kilometres of electric range.

You’ll get a four-year/80,000-kilometre limited warranty on the Mercedes S-Class sedan.

We like the 2023 Mercedes-Benz S 580e for its excellent powertrain and sumptuous luxury features, but it’s got a sky-high price tag to match. The all-electric range is very high, but its overall fuel economy and range are both a bit disappointing.

Note: Images show a US model.