Mercedes-Benz S-class review - incredible levels of high-tech luxury - MPG and Running Costs

You’ve got a fairly wide gamut of engine choices to enjoy with the S-class, which at the lower end of the spectrum can actually return fairly good fuel economy. An S350d, for instance, has a claimed combined figure of 50.4mpg and CO2 of 141g/km, which are figures you might have expected to see on a family hatchback a decade or so ago.

Opt for anything with an AMG badge on a car this size and weight and you can expect fuel costs to mount up rapidly. The ludicrous S65 AMG with its turbocharged V12? That'll do less than half as many miles to every gallon as the S350d, at 23.5mpg.

The plug-in hybrid S500e is, naturally, the most economical on paper. How does 100.9mpg sound? Unrealistic, that's how it sounds, but if you're being ferried between meetings in central London and rarely awaking its petrol engine you may well see equivalent figures of that and more. Intend to drive from that London meeting to one in Edinburgh? You'd be better off with one of the diesels.

What's most noticeable is the S-class's ability at low speed to not hoover up fuel. Driven about town, the gearbox does a fantastic job of keeping the revs down and ensuring that the car keeps consumption to the absolute necessary.

Running costs are around what you would expect for the rest of the Mercedes range, with the AMG models costing significantly more. They are however lower than more bespoke ultra-high end offerings where servicing and parts will cost significantly more.