Mercedes-Benz S-Class Receives Comprehensive Facelift For 2027

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has pretty much defined what luxury travel stands for. Sure, there’s Rolls-Royce and Bentley, but it is the S-Class that has pushed the boundaries of automotive tech and safety. For the 2027 model year, Mercedes-Benz is updating its current (seventh) generation W223 S-Class, providing it with what the company claims is its most comprehensive mid-cycle facelift to date.

That’s because, unlike most mid-cycle facelifts, which only tweak a vehicle to a certain degree, the facelifted S-Class is more than 50 percent new. It all starts with its exterior, whose front end receives a 20 percent larger grille with an illuminated bezel and pattern of the three-pointed star logo. Speaking of which, the upright three-pointed star logo is also illuminated for the first time.

In line with Mercedes-Benz’s newer models, the S-Class receives LED headlights and taillights with the three-pointed star as part of the lighting design. There are also new wheels, while the AMG Line version (shown in silver) adds sportiness to the full-size luxury sedan.

As for the interior, this is where we’re a bit sad, as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class ditches the wide expanse of wood on the dash in favor of the MBUX Superscreen. Guys, luxury is characterized by fine materials and not a large expanse of gloss black bezels and screens, okay? Anyways, the MBUX Superscreen contains a 12.3-inch driver’s display, a 14.4-inch main infotainment touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch front passenger display. On the upside, the disappearance of fine materials on the dash has been compensated somewhat by more expanses of wood on the doors, along with the center console.

The S-Class has always pushed the boundaries of tech, but the new circular air vents with “digital vent control” seem like they’re tech for tech’s sake. It basically means the outer circular vents are now controlled electronically rather than easily with your hands. This, however, allows the MBUX Virtual Assistant to control these vents. The AI voice assistant relies on ChatGPT4o and Microsoft Bing Search.

But of course, the S-Class experience is just as important for the rear occupants, and with that, the upgraded rear seats now feature larger 13.1-inch screens, as well as cameras that allow CEOs to conduct meetings inside the vehicle. The optional extras include, but are not limited to, rear seat tables, a Burmester 4D surround sound system with 39 speakers (the standard sound system is a Burmester 3D system), and heated seat belts that work alongside the heated seats.

There’s a plethora of engine choices for the 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but the main highlight is a new flat-plane-crank V8 in the S580 4Matic. This twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 has 530 horsepower and 750 Nm of torque. There’s also the S 450 with the familiar 3.0-liter turbo straight-six that produces 376 horsepower, while a slightly more powerful tune of this inline-six in the S500 produces 443 horsepower.

For those who prefer diesel, a 3.0-liter turbo inline-six is available in two states of tune. The S350d produces 308 horsepower, while the S450d produces 362 horsepower. Finally, the plug-in hybrid versions combine the 3.0-liter turbo straight-six gasoline engine with an electric motor and a 22 kWh battery pack. The S450e produces 429 horsepower and offers 118 kilometers of pure electric range, while the S580e produces 577 horsepower and its electric range falls to 103 kilometers.

The 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class is hitting Europe and North America first, along with other markets to follow later in the year. A Philippine launch is still unknown, but it could potentially happen through its distributor Inchcape in the latter part of 2026 or early 2027.