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:

    Power washers
    WARNING Do not use power washers with circular-jet nozzles (dirt grinders) to clean your vehicle, in particular the tires. You could otherwise damage the tires and cause an accident. Alw ...

    Adjusting the head restraint height(second and third row of seats)
    Outer seat head restraints in the second row of seats Outer seat head restraints in the third row of seats ► If the head restraint is fully lowered, it is necessary to press release ...

    Winter tires
    At temperatures below 45 °F(+7 °C), use winter tires or all-season tires. Both types of tire are identified by the M+S marking. Only winter tires bearing the snowflake symbol in addition to t ...