The sedan that took MotorTrend’s top prize on Oct. 22 looks much like the one it replaced. Ed Loh, the magazine’s head of editorial, revealed the winner, the 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, in an interview in an interview with a CBS Austin lifestyle program, and the S-Class became MotorTrend’s 2027 Car of the Year. Few flagship sedans win a magazine prize that rewards value and efficiency as much as luxury, which makes the pick worth a closer look.
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CBS Austin’s write-up calls the car all-new. Mercedes’ own description, relayed by two separate reviews, is narrower: a thorough mid-generation overhaul in which a bit more than half of the car is new. The difference matters for readers trying to work out what kind of car actually won, because a refreshed flagship and a clean-sheet one are judged against very different expectations.
A refreshed S-Class, not a clean-sheet design
Mercedes unveiled the updated S-Class on Jan. 29, 2026. The Drive’s report on the unveiling calls it “not completely new, but largely refreshed” and “reportedly the most comprehensive update to a single S-Class generation,” with more than half of the car redone. The main changes are a new front fascia and a larger illuminated grille, restyled headlights, a redesigned cabin built around the Superscreen, and a fourth-generation MBUX system that uses AI from Google and Microsoft.
Under the hood, the S500 4Matic gets a new 3.0-liter inline-six making 442 horsepower, a turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 is rated at 530 horsepower, and the S580e plug-in hybrid pairs the six-cylinder with a stronger electric motor for 576 horsepower combined. Heated surfaces extend to the seat belts, armrests and steering wheel, and the suspension uses Airmatic with E-Active Body Control that adjusts damping before the car reaches a bump.
Deputy editor Jerry Perez’s first-drive review for The Drive, dated May 12, quotes Mercedes as saying the car is 50 percent new with more than 2,700 new parts, though he notes it still resembles its predecessor. The changes he lists are mostly in the grille, headlights, taillights, wheels, cabin and screens, which fits the CBS Austin and G5 Noticias framing of a transformation that happens mostly where owners sit and look rather than in a new silhouette.
MotorTrend’s six criteria and a 22-car field
CBS Austin lists the six standards MotorTrend uses: advancement in design, engineering excellence, efficiency, performance of the intended function, value, and driver confidence and engagement. The station says these go beyond appearance or horsepower alone, and that the award recognizes vehicles that combine innovation with comfort, performance and everyday experience.
A Chilean outlet, G5 Noticias, reported that the jury assessed 22 new or significantly updated vehicles and that the S-Class received the Golden Calipers trophy. Its list of criteria differs slightly from CBS Austin’s, swapping driver engagement for safety, so the exact wording should be checked against MotorTrend’s own announcement. Neither report names the other finalists.
Loh told the station, in the G5 Noticias account, that the S-Class has always represented what a luxury car can be, and credited Mercedes with balancing innovation and tradition this year. G5 Noticias adds that the car carries nearly 2,700 renewed or redesigned elements, which it calls one of the most important transformations in the model’s recent history, a figure that lines up with the 2,700-plus new parts Mercedes cited to The Drive.
The knocks on the winner’s dashboard
Perez’s verdict was that there is likely no better luxury sedan available today, with a 9 out of 10 on his spec table, provided a buyer can live with, or visually tune out, the Superscreen. He called that three-display panel a “giant, awful display of screens,” and also wanted a power door-close button, including on the rear doors, because the easy-exit seat setting forces an awkward reach to pull the door shut. His praise went to the inline-six, the quick plug-in S580e, ride quality, seats and cabin quietness, and a choice of 150 exterior and 400 interior colors. He also liked the retro-style remote controllers in the rear and the way the illuminated grille and hood star look at night.
The car’s record is not spotless. Cars.com’s S-Class page lists an Oct. 12 report of a recall covering more than 30,000 S-Class sedans over possible front brake hose leaks, and in the Jan. 29 story it describes the 2027 update as pitched around more luxury, power and technology.
When Perez drove the car in May, base prices for the S500, S580 and S580e were still listed as to be announced. The sources reviewed for this article do not give a final 2027 price, so what the Car of the Year costs remains the open question for buyers. MotorTrend’s own announcement was the one document that could settle the finalist list, the judges’ scoring and the pricing, and it could not be opened for this report.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by Morning Overview editors prior to publication.
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