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:

    Setting the temperature
    2-zone automatic climate control Different temperatures can be set for the driver's and front-passenger sides. ► Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the ignition lock. ► To increase/ ...

    Displays and controls
    Displays and controls 1 Fuel gauge 2 Coolant temperature 3 Speedometer with segments 4 Multifunction display 5 Tachometer 6 Instrument cluster lighting brightness control: turn clockwise or ...

    Calling up a stored parking position setting
    - Turn the SmartKey to position 2 in the ignition lock. - Adjust the exterior mirror on the frontpassenger side with the corresponding button. - Engage reverse gear. The exterior mirror on th ...