2026 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Mercedes-Benz charges extremely high prices for custom paint options on the S-Class, such as £10,200 for a special paint job. Buyers may not anticipate these costs upfront as they are presented as lux...

Mercedes-Benz charges £11,000 for orange leather upholstery in the S-Class, which reviewers find unjustifiably expensive for an interior upgrade. This highlights opaque pricing for luxury customizatio...

The S-Class walnut dashboard trim costs £2,500, a price point questioned as unnecessary by reviewers. Such high markups on trim options contribute to unexpected expenses in vehicle customization.

Mercedes-Benz scatters its privacy documentation across multiple vague, legalese-heavy policies that are difficult for potential buyers to understand before purchase. This opacity makes it hard to gra...

Mercedes-Benz does not publicly disclose pricing for Digital Extras subscriptions on the S-Class, leaving buyers unable to determine ongoing costs before purchase despite confirmation that they renew ...

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class voice control system, activated by saying 'Hey Mercedes' or similar wake words, is overly sensitive. It frequently interrupts the driver by activating unexpectedly when casua...

The 2026 S-Class features flush door handles that automatically extend when approaching the vehicle. However, they require manual operation after extending, which frustrates users who prefer tradition...

The climate control unit in the 2026 S-Class has been redesigned with smaller buttons compared to the predecessor. Reviewers find it more complicated to use.

The 2026 S-Class introduces new rear entertainment screens for passengers. Reviewers question their utility, suggesting passengers prefer using their own smartphones.

The S-Class steering wheel uses capacitive touch controls for functions like skipping music tracks. These tiny touch surfaces are frustrating to use accurately while driving.

The infotainment screen in the S-Class appears cheaply integrated, with visible storage space behind it and a piano black finish that easily gets dirty and smudged.

Dashboard vents in the S-Class are positioned asymmetrically and controlled by a single knob for both. This prevents individual adjustment of airflow direction.

The S-Class lacks dedicated storage for phone charging cables, causing them to get tangled or skewed. This can damage the cable when passengers charge and use their phones simultaneously.

The S-Class infotainment system lacks the intuitiveness of competitors like BMW's iDrive. Users find navigation and operation less user-friendly.

The memory parking assist feature stores previous parking maneuvers but executes them too wide on tight curbs and very slowly. This reduces its practicality in constrained spaces.

The wireless phone charger is positioned awkwardly underneath the center stack in the S-Class. It is difficult to access and place phones into, with USB-C ports obstructing cup holders.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles install software updates over-the-air automatically. Customers cannot deactivate this feature, which may lead to unwanted data collection or transmission during updates.

Mercedes-Benz vehicles and apps collect extensive personal data including biometrics, geolocation, driver behavior, vehicle sensors, and inferences about your preferences and attitudes. This happens c...

Mercedes-Benz shares or sells personal identifiers, inferences, network activity, and purchasing history with marketing providers for targeted ads.

Mercedes-Benz shares personal info, audio/video sensory data, and geolocation with law enforcement and government agencies when they deem it necessary.

Even without activating Mercedes me connect, the vehicle collects and transmits geolocation and driver behavior data during collisions or emergencies.

Mercedes-Benz has suffered major data leaks like the 2022 exposure of 1.6 million customers and multiple security vulnerabilities found by researchers.

Mercedes admits no information system is 100% secure and cannot guarantee the security of data collected from vehicles and apps.

With tracking services active, Mercedes shares geolocation and driving behavior with other authorized users like household or fleet members.

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class remote control services, such as app-based features for locking, starting, or preconditioning the vehicle, can be deactivated remotely by the provider. This occurs for securi...

The 2026 Mercedes-Benz S-Class features complex electrical systems and tight packaging for its advanced electronics. Owners report frequent electrical gremlins and wiring problems as a result.