Base S 500 4dr All-Wheel Drive 4MATIC Sedan
2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class sets the standard for luxury car interiors. It always has, and now that the new 2021 S-Class is out, Mercedes is setting a new bar of excellence to shoot for. In addition to setting a benchmark for others to aim at, the S-Class has always set the tone at Mercedes for its next wave of models. More often than not, that has included interior design and functionality, and that will certainly be the case this time around: the new C-Class has already proven itself to be a mini version of the S-Class’ new digital-forward interior. There’s only one way to find out if the new interior is one we want to see copied and pasted onto every other Mercedes, though. For this test, we’re using a semi-responsibly-equipped S 580 — and yes, this V8-engined Mercedes-Benz is one of the few that will still be available for the 2022 model year. Our test car was fitted with the no-charge Black Nappa Leather interior. It’s perfectly supple and pretty to look at, but you should definitely opt for one of the more interesting colors like Sienna Brown (above left), Carmine Red (above right) or Silver Grey. Since our tester is so sparsely packaged, it didn’t have the $3,800 Warmth and Comfort package. It’s worth every penny if you live in cold climates, as the heated surfaces have shown themselves to be a complete godsend on other Mercedes models. Plus, the package comes with the power-reclining rear seats that are both heated and cooled. Upon being seated in the S-Class’ comfortable driver’s throne with your head resting on the headrest pillow, it’s immediately apparent that this whole interior is a re-think from Mercedes. The traditional seat controls on the door are now touch operated. Similar to the new E-Class, all of the steering wheel controls are touch-sensitive buttons. And you won’t find any of Mercedes’ perfectly tactile climate controls on the center stack, either. This whole dash is about negative space and touchscreens. Welcome to luxury in 2021. Despite this focus on futuristic controls, Mercedes still throws a few bones to the old-school crowd. The engine start/stop button is a gigantic piece that is rather gorgeous in presentation. All of the vents are still manually controlled (thank goodness) with a nice-to-touch ribbed, metal grip. And other things you touch like the cupholder cover and center console opener are similarly adorned with top-notch touch points. Nothing you run your hand over or move feels cheap or compromised for cost, which is as it should be in an S-Class. Mercedes keeps things all classically luxurious when it comes to trim options, too. Our test car has the Slate High-Glass Poplar option, but once again, you should spec something far more interesting. The Silver Aluminum/Fanned Walnut combo might be the best, as the giant slab of wood is split into many different pieces by strips of aluminum. Mercedes’ idea of using the trim as this massive, curved design element of the dash is …
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