Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The S-class is a large rear-drive sedan that invented the word ‘isolation’. Packed with every conceivable gadget, the S-class is traditionally a place where new technology is debuted – and because this is Merc’s flagship it usually works faultlessly.

• Comfort

  This is where the S-class starts to earn its not-inconsiderable cash outlay. The ride quality is exceptional, the isolation all but complete. No wind noise thanks to double-glazed windows, heated/ventilated and massaging seats, oodles of space - there's nothing quite like it.

  

• Performance

  Five engines to choose from, and not one of them a bad deal. There are the private-hire choices of a 173kW 3.0-litre diesel and petrols of 3.0-litre and 3.5-litre V6 varieties, a 5.5-litre V8 with 285kW and a V12 with 450kW. In such a big car they all seem to sing away quite nicely, though the diesel should be enough for most and it gets a reasonable 8.3L/100km to boot. Take the skyrocket S65 AMG route and you're looking at 100km/h in just 4.4 seconds.

  

• Cool

  As a diesel and in a relatively low spec, the S looks like a posh private hire limo. When you start adding in the daft engines and tech, it starts to look a bit more attractive. Don't like taking the Lear? Then the S65 is the car for you - it's better than a Maybach and half the price.

  

• Quality

  Take a ballbearing in your hand and weigh it thoughtfully. That's the kind of engineering you're talking about in an S-class; incredibly satisfying and might last longer than you do. Great materials, lovely interior, the kind of clunk-thunk that you get when you slam a 1000kg safe door into a timelock.

  

• Handling

  Optional Active Body Control tidies up the big S to an eerie degree - it really can shift when it wants to. The weird thing is that the ride still feels as smooth as if you are driving on glass, sitting on a duvet, when completely drunk. The S-class also has the uncanny ability to shrink itself around you when things start to get quicker; the anti-roll bars are all software controlled so that the S can alter the way it handles on the fly and the result is a car that manages to feel agile at low-speed and safe at high speed.

  

• Practicality

  There's a long wheelbase if you need the extra limb space, but otherwise the S-class is eminently practical. The boot is a generous (massive) 560-litres and there's enough space for four in total comfort. There's nothing out there to match it.

  

• Running costs

  For the premium feeling you get to pay premium prices. Residuals are strong though, so you can recoup some of the initial outlay.