Mercedes S300 Hybrid - The Ultimate Luxury Limo And A Fantastic

When we drove the V8-powered Mercedes S500 last week (Issue 1,275), we gave it five stars, but it’s unlikely to find many buyers in the UK. The four-cylinder diesel-electric S300 Hybrid should prove more popular, but can it delivers the same strong performance and impeccable refinement?

Mercedes claims this model will do 64mpg and emits just 115g/km of CO2 – that’s seriously impressive for a car this size. It also means company car buyers in the 40 per cent tax band will pay around $2,250 less a year compared to the S350 BlueTEC. Thankfully, the economy figures are achievable, too – our test car comfortably returned 60mpg.

With the S300 BlueTEC Hybrid, a four-cylinder diesel engine is being offered to S-class buyers in the UK for the first time

Total output of 228bhp comes courtesy of 201bhp from the 2.1-litre diesel and 27bhp from the electric motor. In terms of refinement, the four-cylinder is nowhere near as smooth as the V6 in the S350 BlueTEC, but it is just as quiet, with the engine bay brilliantly isolated from the cabin.

You can pull away around town on electric power if you’re gentle with the throttle, too, giving the Hybrid excellent refinement in creeping traffic. An motorway speeds, you won’t able to hear the engine anyway, and because there’s no wind noise at 70mph, the noisiest thing you’ll be able to hear is the suspension moving up and down.

Mercedes S300 Hybrid side

You don’t get the same surge effortless acceleration you find in the S350 BlueTEC or in the S500, but with a 0-62mph time of 7.6 seconds, it certainly feels fast enough.

Thankfully, the added weight of the Hybrid’s battery pack hasn’t spoiled the ride comfort. It may not be quite as pillow soft over big bumps as an S500 fitted with the Magic Body Control system which scans the road ahead and prepares the suspension accordingly but it still glides over imperfections.

It leans more in corners than a Magic Body Control S-Class, though, but stick the suspension in Sport mode and it’s still stable and capable on twisty roads.

This was our first chance to try a short-wheelbase S-Class, and one with the standard rear seats rather than the fancy reclining massage seats that form part of the Executive pack.

You can always opt for the Individual rear seat pack, with rear seats that recline by 37 degrees, but if you want the full 43.5 degrees you’ll need a long-wheelbase car.

It feels a bit less special as a result, but there’s still plenty of legroom in the back and the cabin remains a work of art. You can always opt for the Individual rear seat pack, with rear seats that recline by 37 degrees, but if you want the full 43.5 degrees you’ll need a long-wheelbase car.

Every compartment opening in the interior feels well engineered, and the leathers, woods and metals used are of very high quality. It feels hi-tech as well, with ambient lighting throughout and two 12.3-inch displays in front of the driver.

Prices are expected to start from around $97,500 - $3,000 more than the S350 BlueTEC. From a driving point of view we prefer the standard V6 diesel, but from a financial standpoint, the Hybrid makes more sense.

Mercedes S300 Hybrid back

Verdict

The S300 BlueTEC Hybrid isn’t the pick of the range to drive, but it’s fast enough and its low running costs give it a whole lot more appeal for company car buyers. It still majors on refinement and ride comfort like the rest of the S-Class line-up and, in this segment, that’s what really matters – most owners will be sitting in the back, after all.