Surprising Agility

At 17 feet long, the S550 is obviously a large car, but it doesn't feel the least bit ponderous from the driver's seat. It's pretty easy to maneuver through heavy, fast-moving highway traffic and feels rock-solid doing so, like nothing's going to move it off its line.

The big Benz also delivers a comfortable ride. An adaptive air suspension is standard on the S550, and it gives the sedan load-leveling capability as well as a lower ride height when traveling fast.

The sedan's size is most noticeable when you maneuver in tight spaces. Fortunately, there are a number of optional features that can lessen your chances of scuffing one of the bumpers, like front and rear parking sensors and a backup camera. Even with such aids, though, the S-Class can still sometimes feel like a giant when parking.

    See also:

    Definition of terms for tires andloading
    Tire ply composition and material used Describes the number of plies or the number of layers of rubber-coated fabric in the tire tread and sidewall. These are made of steel, nylon, polyester and ...

    Switching the ZONE function on/off
    - To switch on: press the button. The indicator lamp in the button lights up. Dual-zone automatic climate control: the temperature setting for the driver's side is not adopted for the fr ...

    Override feature for the rear sidewindows
    WARNING   When children ride on the vehicle's rear seats, activate the override switch. Otherwise, the children could be injured, e.g. by trapping themselves in the rear side window. ...