Mercedes-Benz S-Class 2026 Facelift Revealed

Mercedes-Benz has given its flagship luxury sedan, the S-Class, a mid-cycle refresh, enhancing its luxury and premium appeal, and focusing on advanced technology, comfort, and performance to maintain its status as a top luxury sedan. 

Exterior Design

The 2027 S-Class gets subtle yet striking design tweaks to enhance its road presence. It sports a larger grille, featuring chrome star patterns and edge lighting that glows in the dark. 

The headlights now use a twin-star layout with brighter micro-LEDs that project farther for better visibility in the dark. An optional glowing hood star adds a unique touch without distracting the driver. Taillights follow the star theme for a cohesive style. 

New wheel options get a stylish 20-inch 50 spoke design. 

Interior 

Inside, the changes are a lot more evident. The dashboard of the updated S-Class features a standard Superscreen that combines a large central touchscreen with a passenger display under one glass panel. The driver gets a separate digital cluster set at a better angle for viewing. 

Comfort has been enhanced with heated front seatbelts, along with other warm elements like armrests and headrests for ultimate comfort, though it would rarely be of use in India with long summers and much shorter winters. The air vents adjust automatically based on saved settings, and a new air filtration system cleans the cabin quickly. Fortunately, the steering wheel swaps some touch controls for physical buttons - a very welcome change. 

Powertrains

Mercedes-Benz has improved the engine choices for better performance. 

The S500 uses a 3.0-litre inline-six with turbo and supercharging, plus a mild-hybrid setup, to deliver 442 hp, while the S580 get a 4.0-litre V8 producing 530 hp. The plug-in hybrid S580e combines the six-cylinder with electric power for 576 hp and around 50 miles (nearly 80.5 km) of electric-only driving.

All engine options come with an all-wheel drive drivetrain and a smooth nine-speed automatic. 

Features

The updated S-Class gets Mercedes’s new operating system, which includes an AI assistant that uses external tools for smart responses and handles tasks like note-taking in various languages. 

The suspension system gains intelligent damping that uses data from other cars to smooth out bumps ahead of time. Standard rear-wheel steering helps with tight turns, and the sensor array supports advanced driver aids for hands-free highway driving. 

For the rear passengers, the S-Class gets larger screens that support video calls with built-in cameras, and a console provides charging and controls. High-end audio with surround sound further elevates the experience.

Future software updates could add more features. Custom options through a special program offer hundreds of colours and materials for personalisation. 

Mercedes-Benz S-Class Facelift Launch

The updated model is expected to arrive in dealerships in the second half of 2026, with prices expected to increase owing to all the upgrades.

Upon launch, the 2026 S-Class will continue to rival the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, Volvo S90, and Lexus LS, among others.

Images Source: Mercedes-Benz USA