2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Toyota’s history in the United States spanned over 60 years, with the Camry standing as one of the three most important vehicles in the company’s history. Alongside the Corolla and Prius, the Camry helped establish Toyota’s value equation and made hybrids mainstream. The Camry earned its place as the default family sedan in the mid-1990s and continued to sell in respectable numbers. Toyota sold the Camry sedan in the U.S. since 1983 through eight generations of production, with the Camry Hybrid added to the lineup in 2007. The 2022 Camry Hybrid, mostly a carryover from the previous year, featured a futuristic and expressive exterior design with a sneering face and muscular features. The base model came with 16-inch steel wheels, while upper trim levels offered 17-inch, 18-inch, and 19-inch alloy wheels.

The interior of the 2022 Camry Hybrid was similarly futuristic and expressive, with a wild dashboard featuring a sweeping curve from the driver’s side across the center stack. The control center occupied the upper half of the center stack, with a large infotainment touchscreen at the top. The second row was roomy and comfortable, even for the middle seat, which had a nicely bolstered seat cushion. Toyota’s high level of fit and finish was evident in the exterior and interior, with even gaps, smooth, glossy paint and trim, and quality material selection.

The 2022 Mercedes S-Class looked fantastic, maintaining the sleek design from its 2021 complete makeover. The S-Class had its roots in the 1954 “Ponton” full-size 220S and 220SE models, with the first official S-Class model debuting in 1972. The current S-Class represented the seventh generation of production, code-named “W223.” The S-Class had been Mercedes-Benz’s flagship sedan throughout its development, with the 2022 model available in S500 and S580 sedans. The exterior of the S-Class was defined by its sleek, extended, low profile, with a long distance between the front axle and the dashboard, adding to its elegance. The S-Class wore a proud Mercedes-Benz grille and a star hood ornament, tastefully expressing its lineage.

The S-Class dashboard delighted with a waterfall of open-pore wood trim cascading down its curved front, setting off the 12.8-inch touchscreen in the center stack. A 12.3-inch digital instrument panel lived separately behind the steering wheel, allowing the two displays to occupy different planes. The cabin was dressed in high-quality materials from top to bottom, meticulously fitted and assembled.

The 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid was designed for fuel efficiency rather than track days. Entry-level LE models achieved an EPA-rated fuel economy of 51 mpg city/53 mpg highway/52 mpg combined, while other trim levels got 44 mpg city/47 mpg highway/46 mpg combined. The hybrid used a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with variable valve timing, direct injection, and port injection, along with two electric motors, boasting a total system output of 208 horsepower. An electronically controlled CVT sent power to the front wheels, with paddle shifters available on SE and XSE models to simulate a six-speed transmission. Handling in the Camry Hybrid was good, thanks to a lower center of gravity with the lithium-ion battery pack placement. However, keeping the car in EV mode was challenging, and there was occasional droning from the drivetrain.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class was equally equipped for serene weekday commuting and weekend pleasure driving. The S500 test vehicle came with a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder mild-hybrid gasoline-electric engine, using the EQ Boost system to supplement the gas engine with an electric motor. The S500 had a total output of 429 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque, with the electric motor contributing up to 21 additional horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. The S580 model started with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine, also benefiting from the EQ Boost system. Both models used a nine-speed automatic transmission with available paddle shifters and standard 4Matic AWD. The S500 took 4.9 seconds to go from 0-60 mph, while the S580 made the dash 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 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid excelled in ride height, seating position, and general ease of use. The driving position was comfortable, with ample headroom allowing for various settings. The driver and front passenger had plenty of storage options, including a spacious glove compartment and multiple nooks and crannies throughout the dash. The second row was easy to get into and out of, with generous bottle holders in the doors and map pockets in the backs of the front seats. The Camry Hybrid had 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space, with a passthrough for long items and fold-down second-row seats for oversized cargo. Toyota’s basic warranty covered the Camry Hybrid for three years/36,000 miles, with a powertrain warranty for five years/60,000 miles, a hybrid battery warranty for 10 years/100,000 miles, and specific hybrid components covered for eight years/100,000 miles.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class had to check many boxes as an executive sedan, including being roomy and comfortable with ample storage and cargo space. The S-Class delivered a serene cabin with comfort and luxury everywhere. Second-row passengers had powered sun blinds in their windows and in front of the rear glass, along with a Panorama Sunroof. The 13.8-cubic-foot trunk could swallow travel detritus in its lushly carpeted confines. The cabin had six USB-C ports, four in the front and two in the rear, with a 115-volt power supply in the second row. The driver and front-row passenger had standard raid-heating and ventilating active multicontour seats with massage, a four-position memory, lumbar support, and front comfort headrests. The Luxury Line of options added a heated steering wheel, heated front and rear armrests, rear-seat heating, electronic rear seats with memory, and the “Energizing Comfort” health and wellness system. The Executive Line (exclusive to the S580) upgraded the rear seats to active multicontour with easy adjust headrests, occupant restraint protection, and neck and shoulder heating, along with the MBUX high-end rear-seat entertainment system. Mercedes-Benz’s basic and powertrain warranty covered the S500 for four years/50,000 miles.

The 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid was loaded with Toyota’s latest and most sophisticated technology features and options, including a specially tuned audio system by Harman International’s JBL division. The premium audio system had nine speakers (including a subwoofer) and sophisticated algorithms for extracting and translating audio information from compressed digital sources. This system was an extra-cost option on the XLE and XSE models, with a more basic six-speaker system standard. Embedded navigation was available on XLE and XSE models, while Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and a WiFi hotspot were standard on all models. The LE, SE, and SE Nightshade had a standard 7-inch touchscreen, while the XLE and XSE had a 9-inch touchscreen. All trim levels came with Toyota’s smart key system, push-button start, and a projected-path feature for the rearview camera. Automatic LED headlights, dual-zone automatic climate control, and a 10-inch color head-up display were available on XSE models.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class brims with the latest and greatest tech, both standard and optional. The 12.8-inch OLED screen took center stage as a touchscreen interface to the latest MBUX infotainment system, offering rich black levels and crystal-clear definition with lower energy consumption. The 12.3-inch LED virtual instrument panel had crisp imagery and meters, changeable with user-selectable and customizable visual themes. The optional 3D instrument cluster added depth and visual interest, making warning and driver assistance features more noticeable. The standard augmented video for navigation superimposed arrows or house numbers over the video of the surroundings, with an available augmented reality head-up display (HUD) providing supplemental instructions in the driver’s view through the windshield. The audio experience was first-rate, with a standard Burmester 3D Surround sound system and an available Burmester 4D Surround system adding headrest speakers and enhancements. The powertrain and chassis also had advanced features, including the EQ Boost system and an available rear-axle steering system, which added maneuverability to the big sedan.

The 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ (TSS 2.5+), including a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure alert with steering assist, Lane Tracing Assist, automatic high beams, and traffic-sign recognition. Toyota’s Star safety system included stability control, traction control, anti-lock brakes, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and smart stop technology. The Camry Hybrid had 10 airbags, including driver and front passenger advanced airbag systems, side airbags, knee airbags, rear seat-mounted side airbags, and front and rear side-curtain airbags. There were three-point seatbelts for every seating position and LATCH lower anchors for child safety seats on rear outboard seats. A blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert was available on LE, SE, and SE Nightshade Edition and standard on XLE and XSE. The 2021 model received the highest Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, and the 2022 model was expected to receive the same rating. The NHTSA gave the 2022 Camry Hybrid a five-star overall safety rating.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class was loaded with standard and available safety and advanced driver assistance systems, with some executive-level upgrades for the second row. Significant safety features included Magic Vision Control, which adjusted water quantity for the windshield spray based on ambient temperature, vehicle speed, and other factors. Driver assistance features included active distance assist Distronic adaptive cruise control, active stop-and-go assist, active steering assist, active emergency stop assist, active lane-change assistant, active brake assist with cross-traffic function, active speed limit assist, active blind-spot assist, active lane-keeping assist, active parking assist with Parktronic, Pre-Safe Plus with Pre-Safe Sound, and Pre-Safe Impulse Side. The S-Class also had car-to-x communication, sharing warning messages about road conditions and other situations. For the executive, the S-Class offered available rear-passenger airbags and rear-seat belt bag, along with easy adjust headrests with occupant restraint protection.