Mercedes-Maybach S-Class first reviews praise the V12, split on flaws

Auto Express's review of the facelifted Mercedes-Maybach S-Class gives it a 4.0 rating and calls it a masterpiece of luxury, citing cloud-like comfort and dazzling tech. Auto Express drove the V12 S 680 in the US.

The mid-life update brings a larger grille, an illuminated three-pointed star and lit Maybach logos on the C-pillars and in the bumpers, Auto Express says. The US-spec S 680 4Matic is listed at $247,450 and is on sale now.

Both like the V12, then split

Auto Express liked the effortless V12, the air suspension, the massage seats and a Maybach driving mode that isolates rear passengers. Its main complaint is about Europe: the V12 is dropped there because of Euro 7 emissions rules and replaced by a hybridized V8. It continues in the US, China and the Middle East.

Car and Driver's review also likes the V-12, and adds a whisper-quiet cabin and high-grade materials. It dislikes the V-12's poor fuel economy, a digital dashboard that doesn't match the interior, and a look that may be too close to a regular Mercedes.

What isn't settled on specs and price

Auto Express quotes 603bhp for the US S 680. Car and Driver lists a 621-hp twin-turbo V-12 for the 2027 model, plus a 530-hp V-8, at an MSRP range of $211,750 to $249,000.

Whether the US specs differ from the European figures Auto Express quotes isn't known yet. Neither is final US pricing for every trim.

Used S-Class prices are edging up

Our numbers cover the S-Class broadly, not the new Maybach, and they are asking prices for used cars, not sticker prices. In listings we tracked through Nov. 7, 213 S-Classes were for sale at a median asking price of $12,800. Comparable cars asked 2.9% more in November than in July, and the typical car takes 75 days to leave the market. We rate the market balanced.

Of those listings, 56 rate as great or good deals. One is a black 2023 S 580 4Matic with 53,384 miles in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, listed at $56,999, about $11,500 under its fair value. At the other end, a black 2009 S 63 AMG with 163,500 miles in Miami asks $8,400, about $4,500 under fair value, and has been listed 37 days.

The S-Class price guide has the fair values behind those ratings, and every S-Class for sale is listed in one place.

The Ghost rival is cooler

The Rolls-Royce Ghost, a rival, has 131 cars for sale at a median asking price of $108,000. Comparable Ghost listings held steady between June and October 2026, and we rate its market cool.

A dark indigo 2012 Ghost with 25,177 miles in Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania, asks $76,275, about $23,000 under its fair value. It has been listed 64 days, and a gap that size gives a buyer room to ask for a lower price.