Mercedes turns 140 this year. And to mark the occasion, they’ve updated the S-Class - the car that started it all. Not a ground-up redesign. A facelift. But calling this “just a facelift” would be doing it a disservice. Over 2,700 parts are new or updated. That’s not a touch-up. That’s basically a new car wearing familiar skin.
So does it still deserve to be at the top of the luxury saloon game? Short answer: yes. Long answer: read on.
The outside hasn’t changed dramatically - and that’s a good thing.
The S-Class has always been about understated presence, not look-at-me drama. The new illuminated grille is bigger and bolder, filled with tiny Mercedes stars. The headlamps and tail lights get the star treatment too - and it actually works. It’s not overdone. The proportions are spot on, and the Verde Silver shade of our test car was genuinely refreshing in a segment that loves black and white.
The long-wheelbase version stretches to 5.30 metres. It sounds intimidating on paper, but thanks to rear-axle steering (up to 10 degrees optional), this car manoeuvres in city traffic far better than its dimensions suggest. In the LWB, that 10-degree steering cuts the turning circle by almost 2 metres. You’ll appreciate that every time you’re navigating a tight basement parking.
Illuminated grille filled with tiny Mercedes stars.
Inside is where the real story is.
Open the door and the fourth-generation MBUX Superscreen greets you. Three screens, one seamless glass panel. A 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 14.4-inch central display, and a 12.3-inch passenger screen. It sounds like too much, but in practice it feels cohesive - not chaotic. Google Maps is baked in. An AI assistant handles conversations. The whole system feels genuinely useful rather than feature-stuffed for the sake of a spec sheet.
The materials are exactly what you’d expect at this price - high-quality leather, real metal, matte wood. The centre console and door trims in matte wood finish were a particular highlight. Four hundred interior customisation options means you can make this car genuinely yours.
Fourth-generation MBUX Superscreen.
Rear passengers get individual 13.1-inch screens, detachable remote controls, HD cameras, and branded headsets for Teams, Zoom, or WebEx calls. Netflix and Disney Plus are on board too. If you’re the kind of buyer who’ll mostly be sitting in the back - and at this price point, many will be - the S-Class rear cabin is as close to a business class seat as a car gets.
The massage seats, warmed seat belts, climate control that refreshes cabin air every 90 seconds, and air quality sensors that detect NOx, CO, and PM2.5 - it’s almost absurd how much thought has gone in here.
Rear cabin with extended footrest and entertainment screens.
For India specifically - it’s coming as a plug-in hybrid.
When the 2026 S-Class arrives in India, it’ll be in two PHEV variants: the S450e LWB and S580e 4MATIC LWB. The S450e makes 449 HP with up to 118 km of EV-only range (WLTP). The S580e makes 577 HP with up to 103 km EV range. Both use a 3-litre turbo-petrol with a 22 kWh battery.
The one compromise: boot space drops from 530 litres to 345 litres on the PHEV models. That’s a meaningful cut. Two medium suitcases, a cabin bag, and a laptop bag - that’s your limit. If you regularly travel with family and heavy luggage, that’s worth factoring in.
530 litres of boot space.
On the road, it’s effortless in every situation.
In Hamburg - half the city roads were under construction - the S-Class glided through without drama. Electric-only mode in the city is genuinely hushed. On the autobahn, it’s a completely different animal. It masks speed better than almost anything else. You hit the 250 km/h limit and it feels like a fast cruise, not a sprint. That’s the S-Class doing what it’s always done best.
The body control is tight for a car that weighs 2.5 tonnes. The ride is comfortable but never soft to the point of feeling disconnected. Lane assist, park assist with fully automated manoeuvring, 360-degree cameras, 15 airbags - the safety net here is comprehensive.
The verdict.
The 2026 S-Class isn’t trying to reinvent luxury. It’s refining it. And at that job, it succeeds almost completely. The PHEV powertrain makes sense for India - both from a regulatory standpoint and for the EV range in urban commuting. The compromised boot is the only real-world annoyance.
If you’re in the market for a flagship luxury saloon and the S-Class is on your list, it should probably be at the top of it.
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