How Reliable is the W221? | 2013 Mercedes-Benz S 550 4matic Full Tour & Review

We're continuing with our classic car theme with another 2013 model year vehicle, this time it's a German luxury flagship we haven't driven before.
00:00 Introduction
04:28 Exterior
10:56 Rear Seats
15:10 Front Seats
22:48 Driving Test
31:33 Buyer's Guide
36:34 End Screen
Over the years on TestDrive we've had the pleasure of driving many Mercedes-Benz S-Class models, our first were a handful of W220s, followed by two episodes on the same W126 560 SEL, and our long-term goal to get a W140 came true with an S 600 V12. The latest S-Class we featured and drove in general was the 2003 Mercedes-Benz S 55 AMG a few years ago, so it's time we got behind the wheel of another one.
This week we're featuring this awesome 2013 Mercedes-Benz S 550 4matic SWB sedan, finished in Magnetite Black Metallic Paint, with Grey Nappa leather seating, and the Ash Tree Black wood trim. This W221 S-Class is a little special as it's Nile's personal car, replacing his 2013 Mercedes-Benz C 300 4matic although we're still keeping that car.
This S-Class came very well equipped, with options like the Premium 2 Package which includes Parktronic sensors, rear view camera, KeylessGo, active multi-contour front seats with massage, and multi-adjustable comfort-type front head restraints. This car also has the Driver Assistance Package which adds Distronic Plus with Pre-SAFE Brake, Active Blind Spot Assist, and Active Lane Keeping Assist. The Sport Package (1) brings 19" AMG Triple 5-Spoke alloy rims, and sport body styling. This vehicle has most of the rear seat package with heated and ventilated, power adjustable rear seats. Additional options include Night View Plus with pedestrian detection, heated steering wheel, and the rear seat entertainment package.
The 2013 Mercedes-Benz S 550 4matic is powered by the M278 4.6L twin-turbo V8 engine and the 7G-TRONIC automatic transmission. Power is delivered through all 4 wheels, and comes with Airmatic as standard. RWD models could have been optioned with Active Body Control. We go over the exterior styling of this sedan and how it compares to some of the other vehicles in the Mercedes-Benz lineup at the time.
As we're doing a comprehensive review on this vehicle, we get into the back seats to go over how the rear seating is on the SWB sedan, how well the features and tech work, and why you want to look for a well-optioned model. We get into the driver's seat to talk about the plethora of features found in the front, including the COMAND infotainment system, Designo anthracite alcantara headliner, storage compartments, and more.
We then take the 2013 Mercedes-Benz S550 4matic on a real-world road test to talk about how comfortable, smooth, and quiet this vehicle is on the road and how we've come to like it over the week we've been driving it. We do several interior noise tests along with a couple full throttle pulls. We go over how smooth Airmatic is with this vehicle and the overall comfort for passengers when driving this vehicle.
We then wrap up our full episode on this luxury sedan by going over a buyer's guide on this car, including the common problems and maintenance issues you want to look out for on this car.
Follow PRN on Facebook: / perpetualradio
Follow Nile on Instagram: / nilelivesey
Follow James on Instagram: / technically_cars
Email Nile: [e-mail]
TestDrive is proudly produced in Elgin County, Ontario, Canada.

[@PRNTestDrive]

We've launched our new website! Check our our article on our 2013 Mercedes-Benz S 550 for some exclusive photos and details about this vehicle: www.prntestdrive.com/single-post/2013-mercedes-benz-s-550-4matic

[@bmwman1029]

I have a 2011 that I bought off my Uncle for $12,000 2 years ago nearly and at 134,000 miles. Car now has 169,000 and runs like an absolute beast still. I have replaced one compressor, one strut, oil cooler housing gaskets, a thermostat, and both keyless go handles on the driver side (my car is black so super easy to source the handles lmao). Has the ownership been cheap? No not by a long shot. Has the car been reliable and served me well? Very much so. All but one air strut is still original (knock on wood) and the rest are factory. That's extremely impressive at nearly 170k miles. The M273 is an absolute tank of an engine after the 2007 model years. I make my commute to college every week in it and it tackles the interstate just magnificently. It's the one car I've owned that has boosted my confidence in driving just massively. It's definitely not the best example, but it sure is the damn best car I've ever owned.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Pretty impressive mileage on it! Glad to hear it's been working out well for you. I try to drive mine every week when I can, it's tougher now with the press cars. Enjoy yours!

[@echo5827]

It hasn't been cheap? You only listed a few thousand worth of maintenance for 35k miles on a high milage luxury car, sounds cheap

[@bmwman1029]

@@echo5827 I mean for your typical car, no this isn't cheap. However, speaking in terms of a luxury car this is gonna be the most reliable maybe just short of a Lexus.

[@miseryparty3726]

@@bmwman1029Def better than Audi BMW

[@TonySinatra23]

Love my ‘09 S550 4Matic Designo- it’s needed a little bit in repairs (mostly AC related), but it still is an amazing motor! Crazy that it can still feel modern 15 years later.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Hopefully you can get the A/C fixed up easily enough! I'm still waiting to order the parts for the W204 to get it back to cold.

[@TonySinatra23]

@@PRNTestDrive it’s all fixed! Compressor, sadly. Just needs some dealer calibration, of course! Good luck with your ‘13- use the Distronic on mine almost daily! 👍

[@LasseSL500Original]

Thank you for the best test/ review of the W221 that I have found on KZbin. It was really helpful. I have had E38:s since 2005 and now I am looking for a W221 in good condition to use as a regular driver.

[@PRNTestDrive]

As someone who owned an E38 also I'm very happy with the swap over to this generation S-Class. I've been in the market for any generation for quite some time now but after browsing through plenty of reviews on KZbin on the W221 I felt confident enough in pulling the trigger on it. It comes with enough modern technology to feel like you aren't missing out on anything, without any of the crazy over-the-top tech on the latest cars that could age poorly.

[@aramos811]

I recently bought an S430 from 2000 with the Designo package. I love it. Smooth, powerful, and very comfortable. I did have to repair the front-end suspension that needed to be done. 23 years old and still going strong. Good video we can tell you are excited about your S Class.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Thanks for sharing! I still love the W220, had I found one in good shape I'd have likely gone that route. Enjoy yours!

[@erics9754]

I liked the preface lifted one with the body panel lines going through the tail lights

[@PRNTestDrive]

Fair enough!

[@user-sx7xh4uu8n]

I bought a 60K mile 2012 S65 AMG last year, loving it! The W221 is an older car, but some good cars from this era has alot good things and feelings you just miss from modern cars. There are EVs everywhere now, where you gonna find a Bi-turbo V12 anymore? So I decided to keep this 2012 S65 as a collection instead of a daily drive. I found a low mile good condiction S550 online, and that's why I found your review here.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Awesome car to buy, congrats! I love the S 65's rims, they look amazing.

[@jimcabezola3051]

I would take SO MANY long road trips in this car! I hope you enjoy the heck out of it. Aloha from "What's a Road Trip?" Hawai'i.

[@PRNTestDrive]

We’re planning our second road trip already! I took it on a short trip last weekend to Niagara, Ontario for a Mercedes-Benz enthusiast group cruise and it was outstanding to drive. Had some maintenance carried out on it today so I’m all set, should prove to be a winner!

[@jimcabezola3051]

@@PRNTestDrive Absolutely glorious! Have a safe trip!

[@saladbreath607]

That was a well presented, articulate, and informative review. Great job!

[@PRNTestDrive]

Glad you liked it! Keep an eye out for more classic videos like this, we're always looking for cars to feature.

[@skatuhplayah]

Love my 2017 c300 and had it for years no issues. Really like this S class era before it really changed. I want this exact one with the back features so bad! Good review

[@PRNTestDrive]

Thanks! I love my 2013 C-Class also, it's one of the reasons I was happy to upgrade to this knowing how good my 235k km C-Class has been. I'm hoping to get the chance to drive it more as it's been sitting for a couple months through winter.

[@Marshal_Dunnik]

Congrats!!

[@PRNTestDrive]

Thanks! Just completed a nice service on it today, full oil and filter change along with the engine and cabin air filter. Seems like they were both needed as I had a little nest of debris in the passenger floor well.

[@Erikzapp]

Howdy from London, ON! Seen your post on Mercedes Benz of ontario and led me here. Great video! Have an 09 CLS63 if your wanting to review

[@PRNTestDrive]

That would be awesome! Can you shoot me an email to [e-mail] with some info on it?

[@jesnor93]

I think the pre facelift looks better, especially the rear lights.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Fair enough! I don't mind the tail lights on the pre-facelift, I think either one you go with is a solid option.

[@davereimer1797]

Nice looking car. Good purchase.

[@PRNTestDrive]

I think so too!

[@alexeymoujeer3498]

That's a sweet ride! Are you still gonna be driving the c class?

[@PRNTestDrive]

That's the plan! It’s back at the house but I plan on ordering the parts for the AC sometime this month so I can get things going on that. I still love the drive of the W204, and word is MB Canada is extending the warranty for the rear subframes which is awesome news.

[@michaelg4334]

Amazing ride, absolute steal for the money.

[@PRNTestDrive]

I agree! Every time I drive this it's a treat.

[@DrewTyler15]

Great choice!

[@PRNTestDrive]

No regrets so far!

[@trulysalman84]

The rear AC controls are standard on LWB versions while optional on SWB here in the Gulf (UAE) I have the LWB 2013 S500 AMG same like yours with M278 I have the rear entertainment as well as AC and also the rear refrigerator. Regarding the bangle-butt thingy not sure why people call that its not at all taken from BMW, on the contrary it was first proposed by Daimler for their Maybach models, and this S-Class is the only that has taken the protruding trunk design like the Maybach (57-62) so here’s some info for you dear, this design was first proposed by Daimler back in 1997 when they revealed the first prototype of Maybach. BMW ironically copied this idea in their E65 generation. So yeah I mean a lot of people don’t know this kind of information. Its probably the best looking S-Class ever in my opinion. It ages well, still rides as comfortable as modern models of S-Class minor refinements because I have driven W222 and W223 … tech-wise yes much more features but I like the elegant dash of W221 the wood, its curves, its a timeless design the pinnacle of Sonderklasse from Stuttgart 👌🏽 I mean if would rate its the second over-engineered Legend after W140.

[@PRNTestDrive]

I love mine quite a bit and wish I could drive it more. I'm planning to get some use out of it in the next coming weeks.

[@HarMageddo]

I have a 2012 s550. I love it l!!!!

[@PRNTestDrive]

Glad to hear it! I love mine too, I just wish I could drive it more.

[@HarMageddo]

@@PRNTestDrive whats stopping you from driving it more?

[@jduwayne1]

@PRN_Test Drive: How many miles does this car have at the time of this video?

[@PRNTestDrive]

I bought the car with approximately 102,000 kms on it. Right now it has about 106,500 kms on it.

[@aramos811]

Very nice Mercedes Congratulations

[@laurentiutimcov9806]

hey just wondering should i get a 2007 s550 with 150k miles on it if i’m not trying to spend over 8 thousand yearly maintenance and repair cost

[@PRNTestDrive]

$8k a year might be on the higher side, but if a major component fails it'll cost a whole lot more. I haven't had mine long enough to know what long-term maintenance will be like, so far I just need to drive it more to avoid the battery issues I'm having.

[@ednakh964]

@@PRNTestDrive $8K a year that's about $700 a month. Even if this is CAN$, that's too high, you could rent a brand new for this money. I have an old quarter a century Lexus with 250 K miles not kilometers and it cost me an average of $800 a year. Am I misunderstanding your comment or this is how much it actually cost to maintain it. ?

[@marcellodaniel6968]

Just bought an "09 S320 cdi (probably no such cars in US or canada?) but loving it so far!

[@PRNTestDrive]

I know some people have imported them to Canada, years ago in Montreal a shop I visited had a W220 S 320 CDI among a couple other European-imports. The diesel is probably great on fuel! One of the channels I watch, High Peak Autos, has an S-Class CDI, and his experience was one of the main reasons I bought mine.

[@marcellodaniel6968]

@@PRNTestDrive thanks for the tip, will check that one too !

[@marcellodaniel6968]

@@tellucas yeah we have plenty of those, but i wouldn"t buy M272 it's a shitty engine...

[@ShiroUwUs]

Got my 2011 s550 rwd (last naturally aspirated v8)

[@PRNTestDrive]

Nice! Really can’t go wrong with that engine either.

[@davidcchi3373]

My 08 has m273. Later. I need with twin turbo have bore scoring issues and then some.

[@l00katy0utb3]

The piano balck wood trim is part of the designo interior option.

[@PRNTestDrive]

That's good to know, thanks! I think it adds to the grey leather, not sure if I'd want this trim with black seats, nor would I want a light brown wood with the grey ones. I certainly lucked out with this one.

[@l00katy0utb3]

@Perpetualradio absolutely the color scheme is very nice. I happen to like it, too. Congrats on your S class. I've been wanting an S class since the W220 came out. Very peaceful car to be in. I think your W221 is the best of both worlds, I don't like the new ones (W223). Mercedes-Benz has made the same lineup look the same from the C, E, and S class. The S class should stand out, It's their flagship model.

[@PRNTestDrive]

I wasn't comfortable going with any of the newer generations, this seems to be the solid option to go with for reliability. I'm hoping to drive it more!

[@Rajonas007]

Rest in peace V8, V12 engines

[@PRNTestDrive]

After buying this and spending time with it, I’d love to see how the V12s of this era performed.

[@bensonbright]

​@@PRNTestDrive I just bought a W221 also .

[@bensonbright]

​Like you .. I was looking at a CL65 which really is the king of the cruise. They own the Autobahn! I'll need to trade up I guess but Mercedes apparently put an awful lot of time and money into the CL class to make it stand out against the S class and be more of a driver's car than a passenger's.

[@romanpolak3239]

It's up to every owner to drive his car how he sees fit, and there is nothing wrong with cruising per se. However, the S class, and especially the V8/V12 versions, was made for gobbling up miles at a very fast pace, not for puttering around. The effortless power and quiet confidence of these cars shine most at speeds that some localities consider illegal.

[@PRNTestDrive]

It has been extremely enjoyable on the highways.

[@Darkthrone111]

I’ve got the 2010 model since it was newly released and a BMW E38 740i and I feel I’ve got the best of both worlds. My two favorite designs. You can also add CarPlay while using the existing hardware. Great to bring the infotainment up to spec.

[@PRNTestDrive]

How difficult is the retrofit? I don't mind not having any sort of connection from my phone, although I found it weird that my 2013 C-Class has A2DP bluetooth for audio streaming but the S-Class doesn't. Would definitely be interested to see options for Apple CarPlay without having to do anything major.

[@Darkthrone111]

@Perpetualradio from what I've seen and plan to do shortly, it's just taking the dvd changer out attaching a module. I believe Joyeuxauto is the one, you'll need one for the NTG 3,5. It's just plug and play after that with the carplay module being tucked in where the dvd changer is and reverse install everything. I believe a video is up on KZbin showing the install. Also, yes the lack of BT audio was shocking. Had to use a device called Tune2Air for BT connectivity.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Looks simple enough, you're right. I don't know if I'm brave enough to make the upgrade just yet, luckily I don't do much with mine that I need Google Maps, the one road trip we've done so far was in familiar territory, but I could see it being a benefit down the road.

[@AndrewKarpyszyn]

So you left BMW and turned to the dark side, eh? 😇 How is that working out for you so far? I have a chance at acquiring a 2012 S350 Blutec 4Matic, what is your opinion of the diesel S-Class variant?

[@PRNTestDrive]

The diesels are an interesting option! I drove a 2014 GL 350 bluetec back in Quebec, the DEF system is the main issue with those vehicles, while the engine itself is very reliable. One of the channels I watched before buying mine, High Peak Autos, has bought a couple of them and being in the UK they're diesels. I absolutely love mine, we've gotten it on the road after winter hibernation this week as I'm testing the 2024 S-Class, so we'll have some new content on this car later this month! Here's one of High Peak Autos' recent videos on their W221: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pn_SkISVpqxkr5o

[@AndrewKarpyszyn]

@@PRNTestDrive I've also watched High Peak Autos, amazing content and information! I've also watched @youtoobe169, he's a big fan of the diesel Mercs, really one of the few diesel fans. I'm convinced that a used M-B is a great option, I'm just confused about the diesel options, there's so much conflicting info on them....

[@darknigh12378]

if you are going to sell it what will be the price?

[@PRNTestDrive]

I’d be open to offers. I did have a local enthusiast reach out via email a couple weeks wondering if I’d sell.

[@darknigh12378]

@@PRNTestDrive can the price be less than 12k?

[@PRNTestDrive]

@user-uf3nq4qb7e no, there are plenty of examples out there at that price though, more mileage (2x)

[@SonnyVisual]

12.7L per 100km is actually quite good. that's what a BWW 230, 330, 430, 530 with the B48 4cyl get. and this car has double engine. in size and power. I know when you push it it creeps uo to 20L, but like you said that's not the point of this vehicle

[@PRNTestDrive]

Aside from when I was testing it before buying I don't think I've hit the kickdown on this car. Efficiency has been great! Even my C-Class does well.

[@moemoe4810]

My s550 2012 costs between 3.5-5k a year in maintenance.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Good to know! Sounds about right from what we're seeing so far.

[@cliffpeterson8430]

Good luck.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Thanks! Hoping I won't need luck for this one.

[@ruk2023--]

Harman audio owns AKG however only since 2017. Harman aren't really known for headphones so I guess they went with a more recognisable brand

[@PRNTestDrive]

Makes sense! Interestingly the Bang & Olufson system offered in this as the upgrade is also now a Harmon brand.

[@berniceseward4314]

And they are under the JBL corporate umbrella. I shop their website often

[@ruk2023--]

Are you sure? I think Harman owns JBL not the other way around@@berniceseward4314

[@Darkthrone111]

And Harman is now owned by Samsung.

[@jayejaye485]

They are all long wheel base. There is no short wheel base.

[@PRNTestDrive]

In the USA, yes, not for the rest of the planet. How do I know? Because I literally have a short wheelbase and spend 30+ minutes showing it in this video. That’s undeniable evidence that your comment is inaccurate.

[@zsoltgyergyai337]

If you are trying to tell me the m278 engine is reliable please give me some of that you are smoking… its probably the most messed up v8 ever built

[@PRNTestDrive]

There are 3 different credible KZbinrs who I watched before buying this car, and they all say this is the one to go for.

[@Mo-ij8re]

only thing that worries me about the m278, is the timing chain issues sub 2013 models. and air suspension haha.

[@PRNTestDrive]

Air suspension is always a concern, we'll talk about it in depth when we do our first ownership update video but we did have a problem that crippled the system during a road trip, ended up being a $45 part.