2019 Mercedes Benz S450 4Matic
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz S450 4MATIC is a full-size luxury sedan that offers a blend of performance, comfort, and advanced technology. It features a 3.0-liter V6 biturbo engine that produces 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. The 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system provides excellent traction and stability in various driving conditions.
Inside, the S450 4MATIC boasts a luxurious and spacious cabin with high-quality materials and advanced features. It includes leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, a panoramic sunroof, and a premium audio system. The sedan also comes equipped with a large touchscreen infotainment system, navigation, and a suite of driver assistance features such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, and automatic emergency braking.
Powertrain
This car features a 3.0-liter V6 biturbo engine that produces 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission The power delivery is smooth with 0 to 60 time around 5.3 seconds. The biturbo V6 engine spools quickly so there is minimal turbo lag and minimal throttle lag.
The Mercedes Benz 9 speed transmission shifts smoothly and seems to be in the right gear most of the time. Ninth gear is a numerically low ratio so the engine turns slow on the highway but must downshift to pass or maintain speed on a hill.
Interior and switches
The overall interior is laid out well and the switch have a high quality feel.
How much does it cost?
The MSRP was around $112k.
Radar cruise control
The radar cruise control works well under most conditions however has too high of a rate of acceleration when resuming set speed. This makes the car downshift when accelerating after a slowdown. The lane tracking is poor around corners and tries to over center the car.
NAVI, sound system and speakers
The Burmester sound system in the Mercedes-Benz S550 is designed to deliver an exceptional audio experience. Burmester, a renowned German audio manufacturer, has partnered with Mercedes-Benz to create a high-end sound system that enhances the luxury and comfort of the vehicle.
That said, I do not care for the sounds of this system because of the lack of a true subwoofer. The bass modules under the front floor do not cut it. They lack deep bass and at times produces too much mid bass. I prefer a real subwoofer and door mounted mid-range speakers.
The NAVI works well, however is slow to bootup. Connecting the car online with Mercedes Benz costs around $150 per year and allows map updates. Full map and systems updates require a USB drive and a computer.
Fuel efficiency and range
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz S450 4MATIC has an EPA-estimated fuel economy of 22 miles per gallon (mpg) combined. This includes 18 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. The car can often exceed the highway rating by 4 MPG or more.
Ride and handling
This car came with run flat tires that road smoothly on good roads and poorly on broken pavement or patched pavement. Wheel control is poor with run flats and a pothole can bottom the front suspension with a bang noise that is out of line for this type of car. Removing the run flat tires improved the ride and lowered tire noise considerable.
Noise levels
Noise levels were low on good roads however course roads caused too much cabin noise with the run flat tires.
Seat comfort
Seat comfort is OK with supportive seats with nice durable leather. The seat heaters work well as does the cooling feature. The seats seems to be too firm for maximum comfort. The messaging feature works well and can use the heated seat in pressure point areas.
AC performance
The AC and heat performance are excellent, however the heater is slow to ramp up in the winter even when the engine has some residual heat from a warm start. The fan on full-auto seems to run too fast and makes more noise than it should in this class.
4Matic performance
The AWD system on this car is full mechanical meaning that all 4 tires drive the car at all times. It is a fully open system which means that the most torque the 4 tires will see is the lowest of any one of them without traction control assistance. A positive for the type of system is that all tires are trying to move the car even during a start on ice, where most AWD systems need to spin a tire before all wheels are engaged.
Excellent rear leg room
The analog clock looks luxurious
The radio display can be split between 2 functions
