Mercedes-Benz S-Class Pre Model 350 BlueEFFICIENCY L 4dr Car Review - March 2012

The S-Class saloon is one of the best luxury cars on the market. The engines are all powerful and refined. The handling and steering are sharp and responsive.

The V6 engine is 3498cc and uses unleaded petrol with a fuel tank capacity of 90 litres. There is a seven-speed automatic gearbox, which provides smooth acceleration.

The engine is refined to the point of being almost silent and although there is a tiny bit of wind noise at high speeds, the saloons are incredibly quiet.

The 350 Blue Efficiency has a 302bhp engine delivering 275lb-ft of torque at 3500rpm and reaches 0-62mph in 7.1 seconds with a top speed of 155mph.

The interior of the S-Class saloon is well-designed and high-quality, living up to the reputation of Mercedes-Benz as a stylish manufacturer. There is nothing to fault in the cabin, as it is decked out in sleek leather and wood trim.

The seat and steering wheel adjust comfortably and the dash is comprehensive with the Comand system proving easy access to the equipment such as satellite navigation and stereo, although it is a bit more distracting than the BMW’s iDrive system. The seats are supportive and comfortable and the visibility good.

The 350 Blue Efficiency comes with leather seats, power steering, cruise control, rear parking sensors, metallic paint, climate control, stability control, alloy wheels, Bluetooth, satellite navigation, MP3 connectivity and stereo as standard.

For fuel economy, the S-Class saloon has a start/stop system, which allows for great efficiency and low CO2 emissions.

The S-Class saloon comes with all the safety equipment you would expect in a high-quality car including driver, passenger and front side airbags, alarm and immobiliser as standard. It also has the stability control, Attention Assist system, which alerts tired drivers, the Pre-Safe anticipatory crash-protection system and a pop-up bonnet to protect pedestrians in the case of a collision.

Mercedes-Benz has a great record in reliability and came 6th in the 2011 JD Power survey out of 28 other manufacturers.

The boot is a fair size offering 560 litres of space. The S-Class saloon has loads of room in the front and in the rear, with back seat passengers having plenty of space for legs and loads of head room. The 350 L is a long wheelbase version of the saloon so there is even more leg room than the short wheelbase, which will appeal as a corporate/chauffeur driven car, but not so much to car enthusiast drivers.

The running costs are surprisingly modest with the S-Class saloon due to the efficient engine stop/start system. The 350 Blue Efficiency model costs £65,680 and has a combined economy of 36.7mpg and CO2 emission rate of 179g/km.

The S-Class is expensive, but worth it. The performance of the saloon is brilliant and the running costs are fairly modest especially with the diesel engine. The petrol does not really live up to efficiency of the diesel, but it is not bad.

The S-Class comes with loads of equipment and is definitely not short on features as standard.

The resale value on the S-Class saloon is not as good as the less expensive E-Class. However, Mercedes-Benz promise good service and reliability as well, but servicing is expensive.