I test drove a 2012 CLS550 today. It was an Iridium Gray with Almond interior, with most of the options.

Here my impressions:

Things I liked:
1) The car is stunning. The pictures really do not do the car justice. It is by far the best looking sports sedan on the market. Nothing comes close. The shape is really sporty with the sloping back, the hood is really long, the whole car has a really low stance accentuated by the narrow windows. It's gorgeous. I saw three colors - Palladium Silver, Iridium Gray and Obsidian. Palladium is far the best color - looks really good on this car. Many of you like the Audi A7 - I can tell you that the CLS550 makes the Audi A7 look like a civil servant middle manager car.
2) The engine is great - lot of power. When you push the throttle, it is fun.
3) Suspension is superb. There is a wide spread between comfort and sport, and in sport mode the car feels totally planted. Firm, level in corners, but still not uncomfortable.
4) Steering is perfect. Plenty of assist at low speeds, more heavy and providing good feedback at speeds.
5) Interior is very nice. Its not as gorgeous as others have made out, but it is nice and feels much higher quality than the interior of the E-Class. I don't think it is as polished as the S550 cabin though (e.g. headliner is still the cheap kind, the cup holders look cheap to me, but the dash, the switch gear, the metal trimmings are all very good. I do prefer the BMW 550i interior in the front, but the CLS in the back. CLS interior does feel richer though thanks to the leather dash.

What I didn't like
1) Technology feels about 3 years out of date. Small nav screen is a total disappointment - it feels far less usable than the one in my 2008 Lexus GS460. Also the maps are the old fashioned kind, there are no split screen applications since the narrow screen is not good for that. When you contrast it with the 10.1" HD wide screen in the BMW 550i with its Google Earth imagery, you feel a bit like the car's technology is dark ages. Also there isn't much internet tech in here (e.g. apps), and the iPod integration is old-school - no iPod out menus, genius function or cover-art here. Also no HUD, no top-view cameras for parallel parking.
2) Throttle response is still sluggish. I put it in sport mode, but it still doesn't have the instant response you get from a BMW in Sport+ mode or from a Jag in dynamic mode. In fact the throttle response is less exciting than in my Lexus GS460 - so while the car is faster, it doesn't feel faster.
3)Anemic selection of interior trims. 3 interior leather colors - gray, black and beige, with limited wood choices - gray gets black wood, beige gets brown wood, and black gets both. These options detract from a well designed interior. The options for European CLS550s are much richer. But in the US they have nothing that matches the beauty of a BMW with Oyster/Black Nappa with Anthracite wood trim.

Bottom-line - not clear I want this car. If it had up to date technology I would buy it in a heart-beat. But as it is, it feels like an amazing car with dark ages technology. it's not the complete package. I went back to the BMW dealer, and after seeing the CLS550 the 550i seems plain jane, but the sportiness of the drive and the technology makes it feel like a much more modern car, while it's looks lag the CLS550.

I'm not sure what to do. I am going to get one of these cars, but am torn between the better car (BMW 550i) and the better looks (CLS550)

 

Nice mini review. I agree that pictures don't do it justice. That said, in person the car is a standout. That's too bad about the technology. Give the car a few years and a refresh, and hopefully that will be addressed. Since its also a current redesign, a few years of refinement should help any reliability concerns too to better help you decide if this is a future ride in your garage

 

I am in love with the new CLS. It is priced very well too. I am surprised you didnt mention the other tech that is possible, such as blind spot warning, lane detection and correction, and distronic plus with presafe. Also has the self parking feature like the LS.

the premium package is good value at 4K as you get full LED headlights, which by itself on Lexus vehicles is more like $1800. That package comes with the rear sunshade, heated and ventilated seats, keyless go (which on other Mercedes cars is a $1200 option), ipod integration, and other niceties. The base car still gets adaptive suspension and navi standard.

I think Mercedes has priced it well. All decked out, it just breaks 80K which is superb for a car this beautiful

also while the nav may not have stunning images like Audi and BMW navs, it serves its purpose. I really like the design, theme, and layout of the mercedes nav and you get lane direction which is not available on lexus navs

also you should get cover art on the ipod menu, it is available on the new C class. that C class also gets internet connectivity (at least in europe) so I wonder how that is going to work in the states

 

Sounds like most Benzs today. I am glad you ha d a nice test drive. I still have not seen one of the new generation cars on the road

 

^^ they just started selling for about a week and a half

also the A7 rear is hideous. that alone detracts from buying that car

 

I feel that all the technologies you mention here are standard fare these days for an $80,000 car. Everyone has blind spot warning, lane departure correction, distronic + presafe. As a Lexus owner I am cannot be impressed with ventilated seats, sunshades, and keyless go - all standard on my 2008 GS460. Not everyone has self parking, but it's not a feature I like - I'd rather have top view cameras and park myself because the self parking feature is simply too slow and not fully automatic.

Agree - the price is attractive.

True but at $80k, serves its purpose is not enough. My existing car is probably reliable for another $100k - it serves its purpose. If I'm splashing out on something I don't need, it has to wow.

I plugged in my iPhone 4 and did not see either cover art or any internet connectivity. I asked the salesman and he said he wasn't aware of these features. Maybe the C-class has a newer system.

 

I don't know. Maybe you haven't seen the CLS in person. It only hit select dealerships yesterday afternoon.

I did go down the Audi dealer and I found the interior had excessive use of black plastic and the standard premium plastic dash. It felt very cheap in comparison with the CLS interior where almost everything is either leather or metal.

Also in terms of shape, the CLS is much lower than the A7 which makes it seem like a coupe. The A7 is the same height as the A6 which makes it seem bigger and less sleek. Also the A7 has a short hood which doesn't ooze power like the Benz hood.

The really long hood and the low height of the CLS make it way sportier than an A7.

 

I still think the last gen CLS is easily one of the best looking sedans on the road when modifies. It ain't that bad stock though lol. I remember the one they show in the continental tire commercial. Its a champagne colored CLS dropped on some nice wheels. I drool every time that commercial comes on

 

I can believe the A7 may feel sportier. As I mentioned in my review too, the throttle lag makes the CLS not feel any faster than my GS460. I thought it was great at cornering though - very planted.

Just like you are an Audi fan, I am kind of the opposite. I grew up in England with the perception that Audis were bought by people who couldn't afford BMWs, Mercedes, or Jags. It was the dentist's car, not the CEOs car. I cannot drive an Audi without thinking that. I used to have a similar perception about Lexus too, but their accumulation of JD Powers awards, and their use of rear wheel drive platforms helped me overcome that.

Given my perception, I find Audi's pricing to be insane:
- The 3.0T A7 when equipped to my tastes comes out to $79,205. The BMW 550i came out to $79,225. The CLS550 came out $81k. So the 6 cylinder Turbo Audi costs same as the V8 turbo BMW and Mercedes. Since I want an 8 cylinder turbo, I'd probably be looking at a $85-90k Audi A7 which seems unreasonable to me. Also even at that price the BMW has more gadgets.

 

not sure if it's really a fair comparison between 550i and the cls550. the 5 series carry more practicality which seems to be not as big of a deal to you. imho might worth looking at the panamera s as well, that's probably what i consider a better match to the cls

 

The new CLS is a nice car overall, but it looks ungainly and odd from some angles. The previous-gen CLS IMO looked sharper overall in terms of exterior. Interior seems like a nice improvement.

Wait, aren't you constantly criticizing with long rants about the "outdated" technology that Lexus has in their vehicles? So now you simply make only a brief mention of this in the CLS? Where are all your long rants about the "outdated" technology in new Benz models then? Or do you only prefer to single out and pick on Lexus?