Mercedes S-Class saloon - MPG, running costs & CO2

The regular Mercedes S-Class range is made up of 3.0-litre and six-cylinder mild-hybrid petrol and diesel engines. Alternatively, there’s also a plug-in hybrid model that can run in EV mode for over 60 miles, or a high-performance AMG version with nearly 800bhp.

Mercedes S-Class MPG & CO2

Kicking off proceedings, the diesel S 350 d is available with rear-wheel drive, and it can manage up to 44.8mpg, while emitting from 163g/km of CO2. Step up to the S 450 d; only available in combination with 4MATIC four-wheel drive and the long wheelbase, and fuel consumption drops only slightly, with emissions from 171g/km of CO2. This means the diesel S-Class sits in the top Benefit-in-Kind band for business operators.

The petrol S 500 4MATIC gets EQ Boost mild-hybrid hardware, helping it achieve up to 32.8mpg with CO2 emissions from 195g/km and every new S-Class is fitted with a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

Arriving after the car’s launch in 2023, the S 580e plug-in hybrid has a 3.0-litre petrol engine and 28kWh battery, giving it an EV range of up to 62 miles on a charge. That's around twice the electric range currently offered by the Audi A8, while the BMW 750e xDrive has a range of up to 49 miles. This S-Class is likely to become a favourite with luxury fleet operators, thanks to its low CO2 emissions and ability to drive into low-emissions zones for free. The Mercedes-AMG S 63 e Performance is also a PHEV, but its electrical components are tuned to deliver maximum power instead of efficiency. Still, it can manage around 20 miles on electricity alone, returning up to 64.2mpg with 100g/km.

VED (tax) will cost the standard rate for non-hybrid versions, but because the S-Class exceeds the £40,000 mark, owners will also need to pay a hefty surcharge in years two to six.

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Insurance groups

Owners have told us Mercedes models are expensive to run, and this is partly down to high insurance costs. Every version of the latest S-Class sits in the same group 50 band as exotic supercars from Ferrari and Lamborghini – even the entry-level S 350 d.

Warranty

Like the rest of the Mercedes range, the S-Class comes with a three-year/unlimited-mileage warranty, which is roughly the same as the cover Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series buyers get. The S-Class is also covered by roadside assistance across Europe.

Servicing

If owners are wondering when the car's next service is due, they'll now be able to ask the car's MBUX voice assistant. Mercedes ServiceCare will be offered, spreading the costs of servicing across monthly payments and guaranteeing the cost of parts and labour for up to four services.