2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The volume 2022 S 500 4MATIC uses the 3.0L turbo inline-six with a 48V integrated starter-generator, rated at 429 hp. 2022 is the second model year of the W223 generation, which launched for 2021, and it carries the S 500 over unchanged.

The S 500's inline-six makes 384 lb-ft, with extra short-term assist from the integrated starter-generator.

KBB lists 0–60 mph in 4.9 s for the 2022 S 500 4MATIC, consistent with Mercedes' launch figure for the W223 S 500. That is quick for a full-size flagship of roughly 4,900 lb.

The S 500's inline-six is a segment benchmark for smoothness. Its integrated starter-generator hides engine stop/start and fills low-rev torque gaps, so power delivery is seamless and effortless, on a par with or ahead of the 7 Series and LS.

The 9G-TRONIC 9-speed automatic shifts almost imperceptibly in Comfort and kicks down decisively. It rarely hunts, though it is tuned for smoothness rather than sporting crispness.

4MATIC all-wheel drive is standard on every US 2022 S-Class sedan. Rear-axle steering of up to 10 degrees is available.

The 2022 US range offers the mild-hybrid I6 S 500, the twin-turbo V8 S 580 (also as a Maybach), and the Maybach S 680 V12. That is three distinct engines, but the S 580e plug-in hybrid and the AMG S 63 E Performance are not offered this year, and the EQS fills the EV role.

The EPA rates the volume 2022 S 500 4MATIC (3.0L turbo I6 with a 48V mild hybrid) at 24 MPG combined. That is typical for a full-size luxury sedan.

The EPA city rating is 21 MPG. Mild-hybrid assist helps, but the heavy AWD platform limits stop-and-go efficiency.

The EPA highway rating is 30 MPG, which is strong for a flagship sedan of roughly 4,900 lb.

The EPA publishes no range figure for gas cars, so range is the tank size times 24 MPG combined. KBB and US dealer listings give a 22–22.2 gal tank, while European spec sites list 76 L (20.1 gal), so confidence is MEDIUM.

fueleconomy.gov estimates $3,350 a year on premium gasoline at 15,000 miles per year, which is at the expensive end for a sedan.

Every 2022 S-Class trim requires premium unleaded, and there is no regular-fuel, flex-fuel, diesel or plug-in option this year.

NHTSA has never crash-tested the W223 S-Class (the generation launched for the 2021 model year in the US, which 2022 carries over). The 5-star figure is inferred from the flagship's structure and standard restraint tech (PRE-SAFE Impulse Side, rear airbags), matching how the 2023–2026 S-Class cards treat the same generation.

IIHS has not published a crashworthiness battery for the W223 S-Class, and the car does not appear on the 2022 Top Safety Pick or TSP+ lists — typical for low-volume flagships. Tested Mercedes sedans of the period earned Good results, but with no published slate the S-Class cannot reach the award band.

The 2022 US S-Class (S 500 4MATIC, S 580 4MATIC) comes with the Driver Assistance Package standard: DISTRONIC adaptive cruise, Active Steering Assist, Active Lane Change Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic and turning functions, and PRE-SAFE PLUS.

Standard Active Brake Assist uses a stereo camera and multiple radars to detect vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, with cross-traffic and turning functions. IIHS has not tested the W223, so the score leans on strong front-crash-prevention results from Mercedes models sharing the sensor suite.

Active Blind Spot Assist with braking intervention, a rear cross-traffic function and an occupant exit warning are part of the standard Driver Assistance Package, so coverage is active rather than alert-only on every trim.

Standard Active Steering Assist uses map data to anticipate curves and is praised by W223 reviewers as smooth with no ping-ponging; Active Lane Change Assist completes signaled lane changes on its own.

Standard DISTRONIC is a full-speed adaptive cruise with stop-and-go and route-based speed adaptation for limits, curves and junctions; paired with Active Steering Assist it is one of the most refined highway-assist combinations in the luxury class.

No hands-free or eyes-off option was offered on the 2022 US S-Class: DRIVE PILOT (Level 3) reached the US only with the 2024 model year, and Active Steering Assist requires hands on the wheel. Cadillac's Super Cruise was already available to rivals.

Multibeam LED headlights with Adaptive Highbeam Assist are standard, with DIGITAL LIGHT (about 1.3 million micromirrors per lamp) available. IIHS has not rated the W223's headlights, but the hardware leads the class.

The long hood, high beltline and thick rear pillars limit natural sightlines, as on most flagship sedans, but standard surround-view cameras, front and rear parking sensors and available rear-axle steering compensate well.

The US S-Class is sold only as the long-wheelbase sedan, whose large rear doors and generous legroom make rear-facing seats easy to fit. Outboard lower anchors sit behind covers, and the optional executive rear seats make three-across harder.

The 2022 S 500 4MATIC seats five as standard. The optional executive rear seat packages turn it into a four-seater.

Front headroom is very generous for a sedan. 2022 carries the W223 body introduced for 2021 over unchanged.

Front legroom is about average for a large sedan.

The US gets only the long-wheelbase body, which gives the rear seat ample headroom.

Rear legroom is limousine-grade, which is the point of the US-market long wheelbase.

The trunk is small for a full-size sedan, and the rear seatback has only a ski pass-through. The power trunk lid is standard.

The car has a covered console, wireless charging and decent door bins, plus optional rear console and folding-table packages, but no standout storage innovation.

Standard heated, ventilated and massaging front seats and the optional reclining executive rear seats are class benchmarks.

Standard AIRMATIC air suspension with adaptive damping gives a plush, controlled ride that leads the segment.

Acoustic glazing and heavy insulation make it one of the quietest cars on sale.

Heated, ventilated and massaging front seats and multi-zone climate are standard or available. The heated steering wheel is optional for 2022 and became standard only for 2024.

The 2022 US S-Class starts with the S 500 4MATIC (mild-hybrid turbo inline-six, AWD only) at $111,100 plus a $1,050 destination charge. That is far above the $55K sedan band ceiling.

The S 580 4MATIC (twin-turbo V8 with EQ Boost) is the volume trim, at $117,700 plus $1,050 destination. It is usually optioned with Warmth & Comfort, Driver Assistance and rear-seat packages to roughly $123K–$128K. No PHEV S 580e was sold in the US for 2022.

Flagship German sedans sit at the top of the sedan maintenance range. Dealer Service A/B visits, AIRMATIC air suspension, rear-axle steering and dense electronics make years 4–5, after the 4-year warranty ends, expensive.

The S-Class is among the steepest-depreciating vehicles in the US. A 2022 S 580 4MATIC now values around $57K–$63K private party at roughly 4.5 years old, about 46–50% of its delivered MSRP, which points to about 40% at five years.

The Mercedes-Benz New Vehicle Limited Warranty runs 4 years / 50,000 miles. That matches BMW and Audi and trails Genesis (5 yr / 60k).

Mercedes offers no separate, longer powertrain warranty. Powertrain coverage ends with the basic 4 yr / 50k term, below the 5-year sedan band floor.

There is no complimentary scheduled maintenance at purchase. Owners get roadside assistance for the warranty term and a Mercedes me connect trial, which falls short of the included-maintenance programs from Genesis (G90) and Lexus.

$125,000 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (40% retained, or about $50,000) leaves about $75,000 in depreciation. Add the projected $9,500 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $84,500 in total.

Consumer Reports publishes no model-year reliability detail for the 2022 S-Class, and J.D. Power has no 2022 S-Class quality figure in public results. 2022 is the second model year of the W223 generation, which launched for 2021. Early W223 cars drew the most owner complaints about MBUX software, 48V mild-hybrid electrics and body electronics, and MY2022 carries several early-production software campaigns (eCall, MBUX, steering-wheel hands-off detection). That puts it slightly below the 2023 car and below the peer median (71.6), well behind the Lexus LS (84.8) and BMW 7 Series (80.2).

Mercedes-Benz consistently ranks below the industry average in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study and sits in the lower half of Consumer Reports' brand rankings, far behind Lexus. It is consistently below average without being at the very bottom.

Ten NHTSA campaigns cover MY2022, the most of any W223 year so far, though several are very small-scope early-production fixes. The serious ones reach the volume gas S 500/S 580: two fuel-pump campaigns that can cost drive power, front brake hoses that may rupture (with a later expansion), and Camtronic ECU software on the S 580 V8 that can cause overheating or stalling. Software campaigns add to the count: eCall, MBUX video playing while driving, and steering-wheel hands-off detection. It is busy and partly repeated, but it is not a single systemic defect.

The volume S 500 4MATIC uses the M256 3.0L turbo inline-six with 48V EQ Boost. That engine has been in production since 2018 across the E-Class, GLE and S-Class with no widespread failure pattern, the 9G-Tronic transmission is proven, and the S 580's M177 V8 is mature. The fuel-pump and Camtronic campaigns, plus the complexity of the 48V ISG, keep it short of the top band.

This is the benchmark full-size luxury cabin: Nappa leather, open-pore wood, metal trim, active ambient lighting, a 12.8-inch OLED center screen and Burmester audio. Reviewers place it at or near the top of its class with the 7 Series and A8.

Factory 56 in Sindelfingen delivers tight panel gaps and a solid, premium feel. W223 complaints center on software and electronics rather than physical assembly. A few small early-production assembly slips keep it below the 2023 car: an improperly welded rear-axle thrust-arm subframe and an insufficiently attached dashboard, both limited to a handful of cars.

With roughly 380 US dealers, Mercedes-Benz has one of the densest luxury networks, ahead of BMW and Audi, and flagship owners get loaner and concierge treatment at most stores. Service satisfaction is mid-pack among luxury brands, behind Lexus and Genesis.

Out of warranty, the S-Class is among the costliest sedans to repair. AIRMATIC air suspension, rear-axle steering, 48V ISG electronics, OLED displays and many ECUs are largely dealer-only parts at flagship prices, and aftermarket support for the W223 is thin. A 2022 car is now past its 4-year/50,000-mile factory warranty.

A 12.8-inch OLED portrait touchscreen is standard on the 2022 S 500.

Second-generation MBUX is fast and graphically rich. The haptic steering-wheel pads and touch-only climate controls draw criticism.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on second-generation MBUX from the W223 launch.

"Hey Mercedes" handles natural-language commands well, and standard navigation includes augmented-reality video guidance.

Burmester 3D surround is standard, and the optional Burmester 4D High-End system is among the best in any car.

A 12.3-inch digital driver display is standard, and a 3D cluster with eye tracking is optional.

MBUX receives over-the-air updates to software, maps and some ECUs, and features can be bought through the Mercedes me Store. The 2022 car uses the LTE module; 5G arrived only for 2024.

The Mercedes me app offers remote start, lock, locate and climate, but there is no smartphone digital key, and the services need a subscription after the trial.

USB-C ports in both rows and standard wireless charging, but no household AC outlet.

KEYLESS-GO, hands-free trunk access, remote start and push-button start are standard. Phone-as-key was not offered.

A surround-view camera is standard, and PARKTRONIC and Active Parking Assist with good image quality are offered.

The augmented-reality HUD is class-leading but optional on the S 500.

Huge rear legroom, wide rear doors and outboard LATCH make car seats easy to fit, but the 12.9 cu ft trunk is small for strollers.

The Driver Assistance Package and rear-seat airbags are standard, but there are no NHTSA or IIHS crash results for the W223.

Superb rear seats, ride and quiet make long trips easy, but the heated wheel and MBUX rear entertainment cost extra for 2022, and the trunk is modest for family luggage.

A smooth mild-hybrid powertrain, AIRMATIC and DISTRONIC make traffic effortless. No Level 3 DRIVE PILOT was offered for 2022.

24 MPG combined on premium fuel and costly consumables make this an expensive commuter, though about average for a flagship sedan.

At about 208 in long with a roughly 42 ft turning circle without the optional rear-axle steering, it is large in town. The standard surround-view cameras help.

There is no US tow rating, and the small trunk and fixed seatback make it unfit for work duty.

Delicate leather, wood trim and complex air suspension are built for luxury and costly under hard use.

There is no factory hitch, no roof rails, no AC outlets and no upfit provisions.

An outstanding mile-eater: quiet cabin, plush ride, top seats, strong standard ADAS and roughly 500+ miles of range.

Standard 4MATIC and AIRMATIC lift handle snow and gravel roads, but the low ground clearance and the lack of a tow rating or roof rails keep it on pavement.

The 12.9 cu ft trunk has only a ski pass-through, with no folding rear seats and no rails.

Composed and planted, with good body control, but tuned for comfort over agility. Optional rear-axle steering of up to 10 degrees sharpens it.

Precise but numb and isolated, as is typical for flagships.

Strong, linear brakes with short stops for a car weighing about 4,800 lb.

The 429 hp turbo inline-six with the EQ Boost integrated starter-generator delivers seamless stop/start, and the 9G-TRONIC shifts smoothly.

The powertrain is near-silent at cruise and refined under load.

The long US-spec wheelbase gives a wide turning circle unless the optional rear-axle steering is fitted.

Superb seat adjustability and sightlines, marred by touch-heavy controls and haptic steering-wheel pads.

A brilliant cruiser, but deliberately unemotional behind the wheel.

The 2022 S 500 4MATIC includes 4MATIC AWD, AIRMATIC air suspension, the 12.8-in OLED MBUX center screen, a 12.3-in digital cluster, leather, Burmester 3D audio, a panoramic roof and the core ADAS suite. The Driver Assistance package, rear-seat comfort upgrades and rear-axle steering cost extra. That is competitive with the A8 and 7 Series but short of the G90's loaded base car.

At $112,150 (S 500) to $118,750 (S 580) delivered before options, the 2022 S-Class delivers benchmark refinement and tech but not bargain content. The Lexus LS and the 2023 Genesis G90 offer much of the experience for far less, so this is fair value for the class leader rather than a standout deal.

The 2022 US lineup offered the S 500 (mild-hybrid I6) and S 580 (mild-hybrid V8) plus the Mercedes-Maybach S 580 and S 680 V12 above them. There was no PHEV and no AMG S 63, and every US car is long-wheelbase AWD, so the range is narrower than in later years despite deep option packages.

In its first full US model year the W223 S-Class remained the best-selling traditional full-size luxury sedan, ahead of the 7 Series, A8, LS and G90. Supply constraints capped volume, and the segment overall keeps shrinking toward large luxury SUVs.

'S-Class' is shorthand for the pinnacle of luxury sedans, and the three-pointed-star flagship carries unmatched executive prestige. Only Rolls-Royce and Bentley outrank it on image.

MY2022 sold into the semiconductor-shortage market: inventory was thin and newly launched W223s commonly moved at or near MSRP. Discounts were limited to lease programs and loyalty offers from Mercedes-Benz Financial.

MY2022 is effectively the W223's first full US year (the generation launched for MY2021). It has current platform tech (MBUX with OLED screen, EQ Boost mild hybrid, rear-axle steering, Level 3-capable hardware) and no redesign in prospect.

Car and Driver, MotorTrend and Edmunds widely treated the new W223 as the luxury-sedan benchmark for ride, refinement and cabin technology, and it routinely tops full-size luxury comparisons. Value-weighted verdicts occasionally favour the LS or G90.