Subscribe
Save article | View favourites
June 16, 2010
   2010 Mercedes-Benz S550. Click image to enlarge |
The multi-contour seats also include a massage function, which can be tuned one of four ways, from fast to slow, and hard to vigorous. I normally like massaging seats, but I wasn’t too keen on this one, which felt more like pummelling than massaging. It might be handy on long trips, though, to offset lengthy periods of muscle inactivity.
Climate and other control buttons are a row of identical ribbed metal tabs across the centre stack. They look nice, but they require too much time with eyes off the road as you check to see which one you’re pushing. Audio, navigation, telephone and vehicle settings are handled through COMAND, or Cockpit Management and Data System, a series of computer screens controlled by a dial and number pad (although I’ve never figured out why the pad, which is hidden under a leather cover, sticks out over the dial – you have to reach in under it to access the controller). It’s fairly straightforward and easy to use, except when I was trying to enter a navigation destination by voice, and it misunderstood what I was saying. It gave me a list of incorrect streets, with no way to back out of it and try to correct it. I had to start all over again, instead of simply being able to tell it to try over.
Cruise control is accessed via a slender stalk on the left-hand side of the steering wheel, and I have a minor quibble: it feels more intuitive to pull the lever toward me to cancel the cruise, but on this one, you push it away from you.
    2010 Mercedes-Benz S550. Click image to enlarge |
The instrument cluster is a blend of a simulated speedometer, and real gauges for all others. That’s because some upper-end models include Night View Assist, which uses infrared sensors to detect obstacles in the dark. When the system is switched on, the simulated speedometer turns into a screen that shows what the infrared beams are seeing, with the speed shown as a line under it.
There are other nice little luxury touches. Once you gently close the doors, they screw themselves shut, with no need to slam. The power trunk includes a button inside the lid that not only closes the trunk when it’s pressed, but also locks all of the doors, so it isn’t necessary to hit the key fob after you’ve removed your groceries or luggage. The driver’s set of seat controls can also be toggled to control the front passenger seat. It’s intended so that a chauffeur can give a rear-seat passenger more leg room if there’s no one in the front seat; I find it’s a great tool for annoying one’s husband when he’s sitting there.
The transmission shift points and the suspension settings can be switched between Sport and Comfort modes, and there are paddles on the steering wheel – properly set with one side for upshift, the other for down, rather than redundant toggles – for manual mode.
The new seven-speed is buttery smooth and keeps the engine right where it needs to be, while the 4MATIC all-wheel drive has a 45/55 torque split under normal driving, but can direct power right down to a single wheel if necessary.
Published fuel figures are 14.9 L/100 km (19 mpg Imp) in the city and 9.3 (30) on the highway; I didn’t think I was light-footing it all that much, but I averaged 10.2 (28) in combined driving.
Of course, at this price point, good fuel economy is more of a pleasant surprise than a reason for purchase. Buyers here are looking for luxury and performance first, and the S550 certainly delivers. It doesn’t feel like a sports sedan, but that’s the point: this is old-school opulence with a thoroughly modern technology twist.
|
Pricing: 2010 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC
Click here for options, dealer invoice prices and factory incentives
Specifications
Competitors
Crash test results
|
Related posts:
- Test Drive: 2007 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC
- Test Drive: 2007 Mercedes-Benz S550 4MATIC
- Test Drive: 2010 Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4Matic
- Test Drive: 2007 Mercedes-Benz E280 4Matic
- First Drive: 2007 Mercedes-Benz S550
Review by 