CNET editors' take
- Reviewed on: 09/22/2005
Upside: The seats in the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class are a technological marvel unto themselves. Lumbar, shoulder, and sides can all be adjusted via the car's Command system, Mercedes-Benz's vehicle interface. Further, the side bolsters will inflate during heavy cornering to keep the occupants from sliding around. On top of all this, the seats include a massage function. Seven interior temperature sensors and 21 air vents make for a fine-tuned climate-control system. Controls on the steering wheel offer similar navigation through the car's Command system, as do the knob and the quick access buttons on the center console. The LCD, placed just right of the instrument cluster, can display a rearview camera, complete with computer-generated steering guides. Safety systems also go the extra mile. A night-vision system uses infrared beams and a camera to display a view of the road ahead over the instrument cluster. The radar captures information about distance between vehicles and displays the data to the driver via a gauge. A braking system also uses the radar data to assist the driver in providing braking power or applying the brakes if the distance decreases drastically. If the car senses an impending collision through the radar, it will automatically tighten seat belts, close the sunroof, and take other protective measures for the occupants.
All the engines offered have been made more efficient, from the V-6 in the S350 to the V-8 in the S500. The S-Class also uses the seven-speed automatic previously rolled out in other models, such as the R-Class. The shifter configuration, a small steering-column stalk and rocker switches behind the steering wheel, is the same as on the R-Class as well.
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