2022 S580: The World Standard

Sedans have fallen out of favor in the US market, the 2022 S580 proves this is a major mistake on the consumers’ part. Read on to find out why!

Outside

Approaching from the front the 2022 S580 has all the right proportions. With the exception of the hood badge and hood ornament, it is an understated design. The front end is low, wide, and incredibly well sculpted. AMG body lines on the bumper tie in well with the slight bulges and creases in the hood. The Grill is massive with a noticeable portion being used for driver assist hardware.

Moving down the side the incredible length is immediately noticed. At 208 inches it is just a couple inches short of the 2022 Chevy Tahoe. Despite having a great power output, there are no flashy badges or fake vents feigning performance. 20-inch AMG black and polished alloy wheels tie in nicely with this huge sedan. The doors are massive and open very wide for easy entry/exit. While chrome trim is falling out of style the small amounts around the windows and along the side skirt are a nice touch that breaks up the dark green paint and black trim. 

From the back, the S580 has clearly stuck with an aerodynamic design. Gone are all the attractive bulges and creases of the front end. Everything is rounded very smoothly and evenly to reduce drag and increase fuel mileage. On the top of the rear deck lid is a small spoiler shape that is more just a slight angle up to a sharp crease dropping down. Dual exhaust tips tie in nicely with the AMG rear diffuser.

Inside

The interior is what sets the S-class apart from the rest of the world, well along with the powertrain, suspension, rear steer axle, and trunk volume.

Style

Sienna brown leather covers most everything from the dash level down. Tying in with the leather is black piano lacquer with flowing pinstripes.This runs from the driver’s door handle to the front passenger’s door handle.

Technology in the 2022 S580

As is common on most vehicles today, there are a variety of charging options. Up front there is a wireless charging pad that is somewhat tucked into the center console. If you place your phone there and turn off the vehicle without removing your phone the S580 will talk to you reminding you it’s there. Next to the wireless pad are two USB-C ports with two more ports in the center armrest. For the rear seats there are two USB-C ports and a 115 volt outlet.

The Driver Information Center (DIC) is a 12.3” widescreen display that can be customized in a variety of ways to suit the driver’s desires. In the center of the dash is a 12.8” OLED touchscreen. Both are very clear and both can be controlled from buttons and touch pads on the steering wheel. A very clear surround view camera system makes parking this beast in tight spaces a breeze.

One other really nice feature is the head up display. In this case the navigation can be augmented with the front camera showing the precise place to turn or which lane to be in on a freeway exit.

Comfort

As expected, the seats are heated and cooled up front with enough adjustment to make anyone comfortable. For more comfort there are massage settings on the seat. This can simultaneously relax and stimulate the driver for making for a better driving experience without causing drowsiness.

The climate control has a variety of unique features to boost comfort. When approaching the vehicle the interior vents will begin pulling cooler air in from outside if the cabin is too warm. When exiting the vehicle there is an option to continue to heat the cabin from residual engine heat until the driver returns or the engine isn’t hot enough to provide adequate heat. Another interesting feature is the ability to adjust the footwell temperature to be a few degrees warmer or cooler than the rest of the system.

Cargo

Trunk space is massive on the 2022 S580. Cargo volume is increased even more due to the lack of a spare tire. When longer items need to be transported there is a passthrough hatch in the center of the rear seats. This makes a comfortable ski trip no problem for 4 people. Tie down points and a drop down hook that can be used as a hanger help secure cargo.

Driving the 2022 S580

Driving the S580 is almost exactly what you would expect it to be. The ride is incredibly smooth regardless of whether you’re highway cruising or driving around town. AIRMATIC air suspension with adaptive dampers, greatly reduce the impacts from bumps and dips in the road. Switching to sport+ mode stiffens up the ride…a little. Even in the stiffest setting the S-class leans a bit in the corners and maintains a smooth ride over road imperfections. The S-class does what it was designed to do.

Mercedes’ 4.0-liter twin turbo V8 puts out 496 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque in the 2022 S580. A9-speed automatic sends power to all 4 wheels via the 4MATIC system. 0-60 mph times are in the low 4 second range, even at our 4,900 ft elevation test location. Power delivery is smooth, but there’s no hiding the force it takes to move this behemoth.

Around town there are a variety of features that make life easier in the 2022 S580. The surround view camera system is very clear making the edges of the car easy to see. Rear steering makes maneuvering in tight places a non-issue. Also included is a suite of safety features keeping both passengers and pedestrians on the street safe.

Pricing

Starting with a base price of $117,700, our tester had an additional $12,000 in options. Most notable are the Rear-Axle Steering for $1,300, Technology Package (Head up display, 3D instrument cluster) for $3,000, and the AMG line (mostly cosmetics) for $4,300. With the $1,050 destination charge the total MSRP was $130,190. While this is a substantial amount of money it does fall in line with the rest of the full size luxury sedan class. The Audi S8, BMW 7 Series, and Lexus LS all have AWD versions with a similar price to the 2022 S580.

Conclusion

With the push away from full size sedans, Americans are truly missing out. Having driven multiple GLS SUVs (the S class of SUVS) we can say without a doubt that the 2022 S580 is smoother, quieter, more fuel efficient, and easier to handle. 5,000 pound, high horsepower vehicles that achieve over 30 mpg are a rare breed. The only thing more practical would be an S-Class wagon.