Rank
What's New for 2025?
The S-Class adds a digital vehicle key and a center airbag between the front seats as standard, but it's essentially unchanged this year.
2025 S-Class Selector
FAST FACTS
"The S-Class continues to be the clear leader in this class, and we don't foresee that changing anytime soon. In an age when most manufacturers are going all-in on SUVs, Mercedes remains focused on pursuing perfection in this legendary sedan. For us, the V8-powered S580 is the best expression of the S-Class ethos, but you have so many versions to choose from, ranging from the base S500 with its excellent inline-6 to the Maybach S680, which is now the only Mercedes left to feature the twin-turbo V12."—Ranked #1 out of 6 Full-Size Luxury Sedans
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2025 Mercedes-Benz S-Class that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
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Checking in at 31 mpg on the highway and 4.5 seconds to 60 mph, the "entry-level" S500 4MATIC may be all the S-Class that most folks need. There's no V8 burble from under the hood, but Benz's excellent turbocharged inline-6 is a fine substitute. Of course, if you'd like to pay more to get that burble, Mercedes will oblige.
The S580e plug-in hybrid's parlor trick is its impressive all-electric range, which is EPA-estimated at 46 miles. There are compromises, however, including about 800 extra pounds of complexity and a trunk that's smaller by a third.
The S580 is about character more than anything else. If you don't care about the sound and feel of a world-class V8 engine, just get the base S500 and save some coin — it's almost as quick and significantly more fuel-efficient. But for many S-Class shoppers, this legendary sedan just isn't the same without a V8 under the hood, so the extra $11k or so will seem like a bargain.
Now available only as a plug-in hybrid, the AMG S63 comes up way short of its lesser S580e sibling in terms of all-electric range. So what's the point of this barge? Power, of course — lots of it, and even more torque. There's also AMG's excellent twin-turbo V8 stuffed in there amongst the hybrid hardware, so you get a little V8 rumble that's absent in the six-cylinder S580e.
The Mercedes-Maybach S580 is all about the backseat, where you'll find more than five extra inches of legroom compared to the regular S-Class. The additional space comes courtesy of a significantly longer wheelbase, which in turn pushes out the length of the entire car considerably. But listen — if you're seriously considering a Maybach, why would you stop at the S580's V8? Isn't this a V12-or-go-home kind of purchase?
Now that's more like it. The V12-powered Mercedes-Maybach S680 only gets to 60 mph 0.2 second quicker than the V8-powered Maybach S580, but it's the character of that speed that wins the day. If you've ever accelerated in a turbo V12 Mercedes, you know what we're talking about. There's nothing else like it and it's worth whatever Mercedes wants to charge for it.
What are the different versions of the 2025 S-Class, and how much do they cost? Select a version below or just hit the button to see our full 2025 S-Class specs and model data.
| Version | Price | Fuel | MPG | Power | Torque |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Mercedes-Benz S500 4MATIC (3.0T All-Wheel Drive) | $117,750 | Gas | 24 | 442 hp | 413 lb-ft |
| 2025 Mercedes-Benz S580e 4MATIC (3.0T Plug-In Hybrid AWD) | $128,200 | Plug-In Hybrid | 23 | 503 hp | 553 lb-ft |
| 2025 Mercedes-Benz S580 4MATIC (4.0T All-Wheel Drive) | $128,600 | Gas | 20 | 496 hp | 516 lb-ft |
| 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG S63 E Performance (4.0T Plug-In Hybrid AWD) | $186,200 | Plug-In Hybrid | N/A | 791 hp | 1,055 lb-ft |
| 2025 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S580 4MATIC (4.0T All-Wheel Drive) | $203,500 | Gas | 20 | 496 hp | 516 lb-ft |
| 2025 Mercedes-Benz Maybach S680 4MATIC (6.0T All-Wheel Drive) | $240,500 | Gas | 15 | 621 hp | 664 lb-ft |
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008. Prior to founding MotorDonkey, he spent 15 years shaping Edmunds' expert automotive content in various capacities, starting as an associate editor and ultimately serving as a senior editor before wrapping up with a five-year term as the company's first-ever director of content strategy. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has driven, compared and critiqued thousands of cars in his career. Helping people find their perfect car never gets old—seriously!
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