S-Class W223 Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W223) Facelift 2024

[Mr. Mercedes]

Disappointing that they are doing a copy paste of the E-class superscreen dash. I hope they put different air vents on the sides and mostly the center console and doors dont have that crap piano black plastic trim.

The E class dash is solid as is the interior overall. The costs have definitely been saved on the doors.

The S class will have a much more lavish treatment of the centre console and doors in particular.

I don't think the screen architecture should be a surprise to us. But I wonder if its running an updated E class MBUX or the new MBOS. The former would be disappointing, as good as it is.

 

[mr.Mister]

Mercedes-Benz Statement:

Also Mercedes-Benz:

I'm disappointed with how Mercedes is losing its exclusivity, craftsmanship, materials, and attention to detail.
Cost-cutting will destroy it.


Of course… in the past, every single button on the dashboard had to be first sketched, then designed, modelled, prototyped, and then they had to make machines and molds so the button could actually be produced and installed in the dashboard — all of that involved a lot of work and expense.
But the owner also got a more unique user experience in return.


Now the business model is clear: buy a cheap LCD screen, which Daimler practically gets for free from China due to the sheer quantity, and all they need to do is upload software that displays all the buttons and functions on it.
Let's leave aside how many times we've already seen these Mercedes LCDs freeze, draw random lines, turn off, or fail in other ways... the user experience is also very poor.
It’s very hard — if not practically impossible — to reach for the screen while driving and try to hit the right icon on the first try with your fingertip. Isn’t that a paradox? A police officer will give you a ticket if you’re messing with your phone while driving — but suddenly this kind of fiddling with a touchscreen is allowed?


Let’s also not forget that NCAP has announced that, going forward, cars with too few physical (haptic) buttons will receive one star less and won’t be able to earn five stars. Which makes sense — this is a matter of safety (despite all the new driving assistants and partial autopilots).


Sure, someone will now say “but new cars already have great voice commands,” and yes, to some extent that’s true, but still not for absolutely every function. Plus, why should I have to go into the “car” menu, then “seat,” and then select heating or cooling — when we could just have a dedicated button to press and activate the function instantly?


But as I’ve said many times before: it’s shameful that in the new W223 there’s one single plastic button with black piano lacquer that controls seven seat functions — while in the W221, you had separate buttons for the same functions, and they were made from cool aluminum.


Don’t take it the wrong way, but I find it insulting that Mercedes charges us these kinds of prices while delivering a product that is significantly worse in build quality and made from cheaper materials.


People should stand up against this kind of scam. Or they’ll just start buying premium Chinese and Korean cars.

---

 

[Rolf]

Mercedes-Benz Statement:

Also Mercedes-Benz:

I'm disappointed with how Mercedes is losing its exclusivity, craftsmanship, materials, and attention to detail.
Cost-cutting will destroy it.


Of course… in the past, every single button on the dashboard had to be first sketched, then designed, modelled, prototyped, and then they had to make machines and molds so the button could actually be produced and installed in the dashboard — all of that involved a lot of work and expense.
But the owner also got a more unique user experience in return.


Now the business model is clear: buy a cheap LCD screen, which Daimler practically gets for free from China due to the sheer quantity, and all they need to do is upload software that displays all the buttons and functions on it.
Let's leave aside how many times we've already seen these Mercedes LCDs freeze, draw random lines, turn off, or fail in other ways... the user experience is also very poor.
It’s very hard — if not practically impossible — to reach for the screen while driving and try to hit the right icon on the first try with your fingertip. Isn’t that a paradox? A police officer will give you a ticket if you’re messing with your phone while driving — but suddenly this kind of fiddling with a touchscreen is allowed?


Let’s also not forget that NCAP has announced that, going forward, cars with too few physical (haptic) buttons will receive one star less and won’t be able to earn five stars. Which makes sense — this is a matter of safety (despite all the new driving assistants and partial autopilots).


Sure, someone will now say “but new cars already have great voice commands,” and yes, to some extent that’s true, but still not for absolutely every function. Plus, why should I have to go into the “car” menu, then “seat,” and then select heating or cooling — when we could just have a dedicated button to press and activate the function instantly?


But as I’ve said many times before: it’s shameful that in the new W223 there’s one single plastic button with black piano lacquer that controls seven seat functions — while in the W221, you had separate buttons for the same functions, and they were made from cool aluminum.


Don’t take it the wrong way, but I find it insulting that Mercedes charges us these kinds of prices while delivering a product that is significantly worse in build quality and made from cheaper materials.


People should stand up against this kind of scam. Or they’ll just start buying premium Chinese and Korean cars.

---

Brilliant comments and I agree with you 100%. Mercedes Benz is becoming more a mainstream car maker that is heading towards Toyota quality and losing its exclusive luxury touch. Look at so many Chinese cars that are coming out using better interior materials than Mercedes models at nearly half the price. No plastic sunvisors or cheap shiny black plastic sunroof slide switch and light combo. They using real leather and alcantara trimmed sunvisors and roof trim. My 2016 W213 E200 has got cheap feeling hard plastic sunvisors that make me grind my teeth everytime I use them and the brittle plastic foldaway vanity mirror already broke.

The older E-class models, even the W211 don't have any cheap looking or feeling plastics and never creak when you press the wood. It is a very annoying experience when they are charging so much money for Mercedes models nowadays.

 

[AbsoluteUnit]

Unfortunately, you can't just throw the supply chain in the bin and spin up an entirely new interior at the snap of a finger. That's not how it works. This super screen stuff they've invested in will continue until they've had time to develop the replacement.

Not just as simple as getting a designer to design a new interior. Have to sort out the materials procurement, manufacturing tooling, assemblies and processes and so on. It's not instantaneous. Comments made by the leadership will take at least a couple of years to take effect.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

Unfortunately, you can't just throw the supply chain in the bin and spin up an entirely new interior at the snap of a finger. That's not how it works. This super screen stuff they've invested in will continue until they've had time to develop the replacement.

Not just as simple as getting a designer to design a new interior. Have to sort out the materials procurement, manufacturing tooling, assemblies and processes and so on. It's not instantaneous. Comments made by the leadership will take at least a couple of years to take effect.

Precisely.

The W223 FL would have started development when the Hyperscreen and Superscreen were the key focus of interior development.

Perhaps Mercedes will manage to sprinkle enough tactile switchgear to keep customers happy.

 

[hannaz]

With these pics below I can see a row of neatly integrated switches & replacing piano black with wood trim will add on practicality & luxury, IMO in this facelift we shouldn’t expect a drastic shift in design all that we can expect on gen S-Class that I believe will be a game changer.

 

[sbd]

The round side air vents look like those from the w222

 

[SKY]

The round side air vents look like those from the w222

We wish…

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

The round side air vents look like those from the w222

Good spotting.

Looks like a vent integrated into the screen perhaps.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

I know the screens are going to be detested by a lot of people, especially if there is no smaller screen variant, which the E has, but I suspect this is going to be a formidable S update. The technology should be impressive and they hopefully bring the E's feeling of cabin solidity to the plusher S interior.

 

[Jacke]

I’m really looking forward to the facelift or next version of the new S-Class, but I seriously hope Mercedes improves the suspension – especially the system now called E-Active body control (previously magic body control).

Honestly, the W222 handled bad roads much better. Potholes, speed bumps, rough surfaces – the old model just smoothed everything out. With the W223, you feel more of the road, even with all the new tech.

Is it just me, or have others noticed this too? I feel like Mercedes took a step backwards here.
Curious to hear your thoughts.

 

[Mr. Mercedes]

I’m really looking forward to the facelift or next version of the new S-Class, but I seriously hope Mercedes improves the suspension – especially the system now called E-Active body control (previously magic body control).

Honestly, the W222 handled bad roads much better. Potholes, speed bumps, rough surfaces – the old model just smoothed everything out. With the W223, you feel more of the road, even with all the new tech.

Is it just me, or have others noticed this too? I feel like Mercedes took a step backwards here.
Curious to hear your thoughts.

I can't agree.

Both our S's had/have the standard airmatic set up. The W222 on 19inch Bridgestone run flats and the W223 on 20inch Bridgestone run flats. Both Mercedes OEM tyres with the internal sound deadening foam.

I find the W223 dynamically superior in every way, including low and high speed ride. In comfort it wafts, but with more body control, and in Sports + its got a dynamic breadth the W222 couldn't match.

NVH is also significantly improved in the W223 IMO.

 

[tennmb]

Brilliant comments and I agree with you 100%. Mercedes Benz is becoming more a mainstream car maker that is heading towards Toyota quality and losing its exclusive luxury touch. Look at so many Chinese cars that are coming out using better interior materials than Mercedes models at nearly half the price. No plastic sunvisors or cheap shiny black plastic sunroof slide switch and light combo. They using real leather and alcantara trimmed sunvisors and roof trim. My 2016 W213 E200 has got cheap feeling hard plastic sunvisors that make me grind my teeth everytime I use them and the brittle plastic foldaway vanity mirror already broke.

The older E-class models, even the W211 don't have any cheap looking or feeling plastics and never creak when you press the wood. It is a very annoying experience when they are charging so much money for Mercedes models nowadays.

Toyota quality? I wish. These new Mercedes are a service nightmare. Constant failures with the mild hybrid and the tech platform crashing. I'm assuming you were referring to materials quality?

 

[Jacke]

I can't agree.

Both our S's had/have the standard airmatic set up. The W222 on 19inch Bridgestone run flats and the W223 on 20inch Bridgestone run flats. Both Mercedes OEM tyres with the internal sound deadening foam.

I find the W223 dynamically superior in every way, including low and high speed ride. In comfort it wafts, but with more body control, and in Sports + its got a dynamic breadth the W222 couldn't match.

NVH is also significantly improved in the W223 IMO.

Yeah, i agree about the standard airmatic its great, but the $7.000 option of the E Active Body control with camera adjustments before hitting bumps has its issues. At night or in the rain, when the camera can’t see the bumps clearly, the system doesn’t adjust properly — the impact feels a lot harsher. It’s a known problem,whereas in the previous gen this option was amazing,because in each wheel there was a motor and now they have 1 motor for the 4 wheels suspension as i’ve read somewhere ,i might be wrong tho

 

[Luca]

Looking at things from the outside, it doesn't seem like Mercedes is developing much on the interiors of the future, the interior of the CLA looks like a smartphone placed horizontally, we should go back to the old elegance of the past with high quality materials, I repeat once again, for me the total turning point will be the new S-Class in 2030.......

 

[SKY]

Looking at things from the outside, it doesn't seem like Mercedes is developing much on the interiors of the future, the interior of the CLA looks like a smartphone placed horizontally, we should go back to the old elegance of the past with high quality materials, I repeat once again, for me the total turning point will be the new S-Class in 2030.......

I would rather look at the AMG GT EV to be unveiled on the 25th to see to which extent MB as a brand is lost.

 

[Jonathan19]

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[Luca]

 

[Jacke]

Sexiest car MB has to offer

 

[Design FIRST]

Sexiest car MB has to offer

I am most impressed by the timelessness of the W/V223's design. While not spectacular, it is so monolithic and always seem to appear fresh. Masterclass in designcraft.