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On the road Power, performance and refinement are exactly what you’d expect from a luxury limousine

THE pre-facelift version of the current Mercedes S-class is among the most luxurious and comfortable cars you can buy. The fact that you can pick up a used model that boasts so much advanced technology and luxury equipment for the price of a family hatchback is pretty astonishing.

Little comes close to the S-class when it comes to comfort. The limo glides over lumps and bumps of any size easily, and even the roughest roads are smoothed out with convincing composure.

You don’t need to pay over the odds for a high-power petrol or diesel S-class, either, because the S 350 d model we’ve picked out uses a 254bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel. It’s very smooth and quiet, pulls strongly and delivers strong performance when you need it.

The Mercedes is good to drive, too, because the ride isn’t marred by poor body control; in fact, it is composed at speed. The car is big and heavy, so don’t expect much dynamically, but that’s not what it’s about; it focuses on luxury, refinement and opulence.

The S-class comes in standard and long-wheelbase versions. We’d pick the longer one due to its incredible level of room for rear passengers to stretch out in. The seats cosset you and the optional massage functions will keep you fresh until you arrive at your destination.

Many of these cars were bought by high-end taxi firms and they’re now on the used market, so expect prices to keep falling. There are plenty of high-mileage S-classes around, but you can find some that haven’t been used as hard and therefore have fewer miles at the same age, and this is where bargains lie. Watch out for high maintenance costs, though, and the big Mercedes is sure to keep depreciating once you buy it.