New Mercedes-AMG S 63 E Performance 2025 review: a truly unique saloon car

Verdict

The S 63 isn’t the all-rounder you might have expected of a plug-in hybrid Mercedes S-Class. For that, we’d point you towards the excellent 580 e. There’s a bit of pageantry in the S 63, showcasing how wonderful it can be when seemingly conflicting attributes are shaped into delivering a unique driving experience. Mercedes has done a pretty convincing job of turning its luxury limousine into a performance saloon. 

The Mercedes S-Class is a car that you enjoy from the rear seats as much as the front, but the S 63 E Performance is a bit different. It’s very much focused on thrilling the driver before anything else. 

While the S-Class gains more technology with each generation to create an ever-more luxurious experience, the S 63’s headline isn’t a new refrigerator, sound system or even massaging seats…it’s the fact that with 792bhp and 1,430Nm of torque, this is the most powerful S-Class to date. 

The majority of that power comes from a familiar twin-turbocharged four-litre V8 with 604bhp, but it’s supplemented by a plug-in hybrid system that uses a 187bhp rear-mounted electric motor, powered by a battery pack situated above the rear axle. 

That battery pack is a mere 13.1kWh in capacity, which is half the size of the unit in the S 580 e plug-in hybrid. As a result, there’s a rather meek 21-mile EV range in the S 63, while the S 580 e is good for 63 miles of emissions-free motoring, according to Mercedes. 

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Indeed, the S 63 is best considered a regular non-hybrid muscle car in some ways. Don’t go looking for urban-focused, EV-only driving, because you’ll only be disappointed with the range. Instead, think of the hybrid unit as a power boost and let it improve the fuel efficiency of its own accord – in Sport and Sport Plus modes, the S 63 will recharge the battery to some extent, though this can be quite taxing on fuel economy in the process. 

To discount the S 63 on its seemingly token electric range would be missing the point of this car entirely. Despite the plug-in hybrid taking the kerbweight up to a significant 2,595kg, the S 63 will go from 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds and with the optional AMG Driver’s Package, hurtle towards a de-restricted 180mph top speed. 

The 21-inch wheels are clad with some very wide Michelin tyres and of course, there’s Mercedes’ 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system on board, too. As a result, it never feels like straight-line traction is an issue in the S 63, despite the monstrous power figures. The delivery of power is particularly impressive, not because of how much forward momentum the S 63 can build up in a short amount of time, but because the communication behind the electric motor and petrol engine is pretty much unidentifiable. 

There’s a slightly muted V8 rumble from inside the cabin (as you might expect with the S-Class’ extensive sound-deadening) and selecting Sport or Sport Plus amplifies that quad-tip exhaust. The nine-speed automatic gearbox holds on to gears for longer in those sportier drive modes, which allows you to bask in some lovely deep overruns. The gearbox itself feels well suited to the S 63’s inherent dynamism. There’s a more abrupt upshift in Sport Plus (although perhaps not as noticeable as we’d like), with electrical assistance smoothing out shifts whether you’re cruising or pushing on. 

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Although there’s air-suspension, the S 63 doesn’t muffle road imperfections to the same degree as its less performance-focused siblings. The ride is firm at low speeds – perhaps surprisingly so given that this is still an S-Class with the large wheels clattering into potholes too often – although the faster you go, the better it becomes. 

A by-product of the S 63’s chassis tuning is that it attacks corners in a way that belies its 5.3-metre length. Helping to give this S-Class almost a C-Class level of compactness behind the wheel are the rear-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars. With them constantly monitoring the road surface and your inputs, you can carry much more speed into bends than you’d think – although reassuringly, it never feels like an alien experience that’s devoid of communication with the road surface. The carbon ceramic brakes manage to scrub off speed well, although the brake pedal feels notchy.

The steering is quicker than you’d find in lesser S-Class variants, but it is perhaps the weakest link when it comes to delivering the confidence you need to really throw the S 63 around. Balancing the throttle in the mid-corner isn’t something most S-Class buyers would find particularly relevant, although in the S 63 you do have to be on your guard against unsolicited understeer with that long, loping front end. 

You might wonder why this fire-breathing version is needed in the S-Class line-up, when Mercedes already offers the more powerful, lighter, 831bhp plug-in hybrid GT 4-Door S 63 E. Well, the S 63 E Performance is a much more subtle offering than the 4-Door and while the ride misses the target for rear-seat occupants, there’s a real understated charisma to be enjoyed, mixed with genuinely enjoyable driving dynamics.