2021 Toyota Corolla vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

The 2021 Toyota Corolla, particularly in its 12th-generation SE and XSE trims, was arguably the most attractive Corolla in recent history. These trims featured sport-design bumpers, a mesh grille insert, a subtle body kit, twin-outlet exhaust, and 18-inch aluminum wheels. The Celestite Gray metallic paint added a beautiful blue undertone, making the Corolla genuinely appealing. However, the design had some quirks, such as the hood shut line that visually truncated the front end and the over-styled rear bumper. The Apex Edition amplified these stranger aspects. The Corolla L, LE, and XLE trims offered a more anonymous look, while the Corolla Hybrid provided an affordable path to 50+ mpg.

In contrast, the 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class retained its fantastic look from the previous year's complete makeover. The S-Class, rooted in the 1954 "Ponton" models, represented the seventh generation of Mercedes-Benz's flagship sedan. The exterior was sleek, with a long distance between the front axle and the dashboard, adding elegance. The proud Mercedes-Benz grille and star hood ornament expressed its lineage. The S-Class dashboard featured a waterfall of open-pore wood trim and a 12.8-inch touchscreen, with a separate 12.3-inch digital instrument panel. The cabin was dressed in high-quality materials, meticulously fitted and assembled.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla SE and XSE were equipped with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine, producing 169 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 151 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm. This engine paired with a Dynamic Shift continuously variable transmission (CVT), paddle shifters, and a Sport driving mode. The CVT used a mechanical first gear to eliminate drivetrain slip, and its ten programmed ratios hid typical CVT traits. The Corolla sat on the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform, featuring electric steering, vented front and solid disc rear brakes, and a MacPherson strut front, multi-link rear suspension. The SE and XSE trims had 18-inch aluminum wheels and 225/40 all-season tires. The Corolla XSE demonstrated predictable handling and returned an average of 31.1 mpg on a mountainous route.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class, specifically the S500, featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder mild-hybrid engine with EQ Boost, adding up to 21 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque to the engine's 429 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. The S580 model had a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 with the same EQ Boost system. Both models used a nine-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and standard 4Matic AWD. The S500 and S580 weighed 4,740 and 4,775 pounds, respectively, but were quick off the line, with the S500 reaching 0-60 mph in 4.9 seconds and the S580 in 4.4 seconds. The S500 delivered up to 21 mpg city/30 mpg highway/24 mpg combined, while the S580 was rated at 16 mpg city/25 mpg highway/19 mpg combined.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla XSE offered numerous upgrades, including SofTex leatherette seats with striped fabric inserts, front-seat heating, and eight-way power driver’s seat adjustment. This feature provided added comfort and a commanding driving position. The rear seat cushions offered good support but had tight headroom and legroom, with no air conditioning vents for rear passengers. The Corolla’s trunk had 13.1 cubic feet of cargo space, less than some competitors but more than others. The Corolla hatchback offered 17.8 cubic feet behind the rear seat.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class excelled as an executive sedan, offering a roomy and comfortable cabin with ample storage and cargo space. Second-row passengers enjoyed powered sun blinds and a Panorama Sunroof. The 13.8-cubic-foot trunk was lushly carpeted. The cabin featured six USB-C ports and a 115-volt power supply in the second row. The driver and front passenger had active multicontour seats with massage, memory, lumbar support, and comfort headrests. The Luxury Line added a heated steering wheel, heated armrests, and rear-seat heating. The Executive Line, exclusive to the S580, upgraded the rear seats and included the MBUX high-end rear-seat entertainment system. The doors opened wide, but all doors were soft-close.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla added Android Auto as standard equipment, joining Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, and SiriusXM satellite radio. Every Corolla had a free year of Safety Connect services and free access to a Wi-Fi hotspot for three months or 2GB of data use. The SE and XSE trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen, with the XSE benefiting from Service Connect and Remote Connect. The SE and XSE also offered a nine-speaker JBL premium sound system, while the XSE had dynamic voice recognition, dynamic navigation, and Destination Assist service. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with knobs for radio volume and tuning and physical shortcut buttons.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class featured a 12.8-inch OLED touchscreen interface for the latest MBUX infotainment system. The OLED screen offered rich black levels and lower energy consumption. The 12.3-inch LED virtual instrument panel had crisp imagery and customizable visual themes. The optional 3D instrument cluster added depth and visual interest. The standard augmented video for navigation superimposed arrows or house numbers over the video of the surroundings. The available augmented reality head-up display (HUD) projected supplemental instructions in the driver’s view. The standard Burmester 3D Surround sound system provided high-fidelity sound, with an available Burmester 4D Surround system adding headrest speakers. The EQ Boost and rear-axle steering system enhanced the driving experience.

The 2021 Toyota Corolla came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 (TSS 2.0), including adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-centering assistance, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Corolla also had standard rear side-impact airbags and an available blind-spot warning system with rear cross-traffic warning. The adaptive cruise control and lane-centering assistance had some quirks, but overall, the technology performed well. The 2020 Corolla earned a "Top Safety Pick" rating from the IIHS and a 5-star overall rating from the NHTSA.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class was loaded with standard and available safety features, including Magic Vision Control, active distance assist Distronic adaptive cruise control, active stop-and-go assist, active steering assist, active brake assist, active speed limit assist, active blind-spot assist, active lane-keeping assist, active parking assist, Pre-Safe Plus, and Pre-Safe Impulse Side. The S-Class also had car-to-x communication, sharing warning messages about road conditions. For the executive, the S-Class offered rear-passenger airbags, rear-seat belt bag, and easy adjust headrests with occupant restraint protection.