By DCB Editorial, February 2, 2026
As Mercedes S-Class sales continue to flounder, the company has introduced midlife upgrades to the 2026-generation W223 in an attempt to regain momentum. Mercedes tried to market it as a new model, but, quite rightly, Autogefühl referred to it as a facelift.
Mercedes’ quality has been on the slide for years, but the S-Class was always thought to be immune to cost-cutting measures. Or so it seemed—the W223 has finally succumbed, and this facelift appears to be an attempt to restore the S-Class’ fading reputation for quality.
But can a German car reviewer truly remain unbiased when reviewing a brand in trouble? Or will he hesitate, wary of offending the hand that effectively feeds them?
