Which modern Mercedes S-Class is your favourite: W221 or W222 or W223?

A well-maintained W221 turns heads, is super luxurious and safer, more comfortable than 99% of other sedans on the road.

BHPian Aditya recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

When it comes to luxury sedans, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class is arguably the first name that comes to one's mind. It is widely regarded as the best car in the world. With every new generation, there are some new features (which are usually the first seen in any car) added. The S-Class is known to set the benchmark in technology and safety for cars.

Back in 2020, we had a poll in which we voted for our favourite generation of the big S from the time it was launched in 1972. Now, let's shift our focus to the latest three generations. So, please vote and let us know which is your favourite.

W221 (2005-13)

The W221 was the fifth-generation S-Class. It was introduced in 2005 & they say, it was a return to the "Mercedes days of quality", unlike the W220 generation that deteriorated rapidly with age (that's why you don't see any on the road today). It had a crazy amount of tech for the time, but also, it brought a design change that some can see as quirky (IMHO, the body has aged well). A well-maintained W221 will turn heads even today.

Link to Androdev's W221 Ownership Review

W222 (2013-20)

Link to Team-BHP's W222 Review

W222 Pros

• The best luxury sedan on sale in India of its time
• Cabin is incredibly opulent & comfy. It's quite the royal experience!
• Superb new inline-6 diesel is paired to a smooth 9-speed gearbox
• Air suspension offers a plush ride & excellent road manners
• Loaded to the gills with technology, equipment & gizmos
• 5-star safety rating & radar-based systems. Among the safest cars ever built

W222 Cons

• Cost of ownership is only for the 'money-no-object' personalities
• Useable boot space is poor (no wheel well for the spare tyre)
• Owners report electronic niggles. Also, concerns over the air suspension's long-term reliability
• Not as much fun to drive as the BMW 7-Series
• Some misses such as no cooled seats at the front
• Sadly, Magic Body Control was not offered on the Indian S-Class
• The W222 is an enthusiast's favourite - many petrolheads have already replaced the W126/W140 with the W222 as their favourite S-Class.

W223 (2020 - present)

Link to Team-BHP's W223 Review

W223 Pros

• The best luxury sedan on sale in India. Period
• Truly next-level technology, it's visible everywhere!
• More driver-focused than previous generations; owners will be happy to drive themselves
• Cabin is incredibly opulent & comfy. It's quite the royal experience!
• Powerful & punchy engines on offer
• Marvelous air suspension offers a plush ride & excellent road manners
• Loaded to the gills with technology, equipment & gizmos
• 5-star safety kit & radar-based systems. Among the safest cars ever built

W223 Cons

• Lost some of the classiness & charm as compared to the W222 (outside & inside)
• Pricing (even for CKDs) is going to be noticeably higher than the outgoing generation
• Cost of ownership is only for the 'money-no-object' personalities
• Technology overload and lack of buttons means it's going to glitch out sometimes. Be prepared for it
• Many of the features we see on this launch edition will be removed in the CKDs
• Large 20" wheels with low profile tyres are easy to damage. R18 wheels will be better suited to India
• Usable boot space is limited (no wheel well for the spare tyre)
• Reliability concerns over the air suspension & the car’s very complex electronics

The seventh-generation was unveiled in 2020. The W223 is a lot sharper in appearance than its predecessor. Actually hides its size really well, but many feel the W223 lacks the big-car personality that an S-Class is associated with. It is also miles ahead when it comes to technology. The interior includes up to five displays, OLED technology, 3D driver display, augmented reality head-up display, active ambient lighting, seat kinetics, 4D sound system and drivertainment. We felt it was sharper to drive than the W222 and clearly more driver-oriented, although still very comfortable.

So, which is your favourite among the three most modern avatars of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class?

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

All generations are of course fabulous cars - among the best sedans in the world - and they age really well. Even today, a well-maintained W221 turns heads, is super luxurious and safer, more comfortable than 99% of other sedans on the road.

My favourite is the W222 for its styling & presence; I reckon this car will be going down in history as one of the greats. In fact, it has replaced the W140 as a favourite for many petrolheads.

The W223, I enjoyed, but that's it. The presence really isn't S-Class like to me. It's got way too much gadgetry & gimmicks, while the rear seat & suspension (both) surprisingly felt less comfortable than the W222. Suspension is more handling-oriented than any earlier gen S-Class, so it is more fun to drive. But the rear seat's legroom also felt lesser than the W222.

Hope I can own the W222 someday

Here's what BHPian androdev had to say on the matter:

Facelift W222 would be my pick - it was a thoroughly perfected design both exterior and interior-wise. Looks very majestic and built as if to ferry heads of state.

W223 looks very understated and doesn't stand out from the rest of the model lineup like the C and E classes. In fact, this particular design looks fantastic in C class, whereas the W222 design looks the best in S Class and not so much in C class.

From the time of W222 onwards, Mercedes India started removing features and lowering material quality in the Indian launches. I'm only talking about cars sold in India. You will have to buy Maybach if you want a fully loaded S Class.

A facelift W222 Maybach on grand touring duties would be a perfect S Class to enjoy if someone is feeling lucky!

Here's what BHPian Dippy had to say on the matter:

My pick would be the W221 S-Class. Classic Mercedes styling with an old-school touch. Look at one today on the road and it still holds it own with more modern machinery. This was the last S-Class that had distinct styling and character of its own.

The W222 and the W223 seem to me like L size of the Mercedes sedan with similar styling to that of the C and the E-Class.

Even the interior of the W221 still looks so elegant even today along with nice big dials and high-quality buttons.

A friend of mine had bought one of the first W221s to go on sale in India. It was a CBU and had the works like a night vision camera. He had even specced it with AMG rims. That car went like a ship wafting on Indian roads.

Look at a W221 S65 AMG and it is nothing short of mafia feels especially in black.

That said my second choice would be the W222 facelift.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.