Close, but there’s only one S-Class
The Mercedes in the clear winner. It’s far from perfect, but does a lot of things exceptionally well. If you want a luxury saloon like an S-Class, get an S-Class. That’s roughly what we expected to find when we started the test, but as the three days went on and the miles mounted up, the ranking was less clear-cut than expected. How come? Because in addition to plenty of hard facts, variables like attitude, personal preference, the effect of brand image and design, character, ergonomics and the man-machine interaction also entered the equation. These are complex cars and they all demand a complex, nuanced response.
And that’s why the Panamera rates second. The Porsche is playing a slightly different game; it’s not failing to be as good as the S-Class, because it’s not trying to be like an S-Class. Rather, it’s appealing to a small sub-set of luxury saloon buyers who put much more emphasis on performance than comfort and passenger-friendliness. It’s a sports car dressed up as a five-door coupe, and it is dynamically the best here, while also being able to go a long way towards satisfying the luxury saloon buyer. The Audi and the BMW have much to commend them. The A8 is a fast and fuss-free cocoon, while this particular 7-series offers a green solution that will work well for some while not challenging for overall victory. Unlike the Porsche, they both very much are trying to woo core S-Class buyers, but on the whole neither the 7-series nor the A8 is quite special enough to vie for the top spot. In long-wheelbase form and with that zig-zag rear steering, this relatively humble six-cylinder S-Class is the current car to beat, albeit with some reservations. But it’s hard to see any version – any combination of trim and powertrain – being special enough to match the Merc.
The plug-in hybrid version of the S-Class has huge promise. But before long it may well be that the market has moved on. Mercedes has already shown what it’s planning with the all-electric EQS, Porsche has its Taycan, Jaguar – traditionally strong in this class, but currently absent – will be back in contention with its electric replacement for the XJ. And for some, Tesla already has the answer with the Model S.
But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Right here we have four fine cars, one of which is a quite remarkable continuation of an unrivalled heritage.