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:

    Preparing the vehicle
    Stop the vehicle as far away as possible from traffic on solid, non-slippery and level ground. Switch on the hazard warning lamps. Firmly depress the parking brake. Bring the front wheels ...

    Overhead control panel
    1 Switches the lefthand reading lamp on/off 2 Switches the front interior lighting on 3 Switches the rear interior lighting on/off 4 Switches the front interior lighting/automatic i ...

    Active Lane Keeping Assist
    Important safety notes Active Lane Keeping Assist monitors the area in front of your vehicle by means of a camera at the top of the windshield. Active Lane Keeping Assist detects lane markings ...