For many drivers, a car is necessary to get from Point A to Point B. If it runs and looks reasonably nice, then the car is on point. Other drivers wouldn’t be seen anywhere outside a top-of-the-line luxury car like a Mercedes-Maybach S Class.
Decadence, opulence, and luxurious are just words to most of us, but to those who can afford them, the reality behind those words is expected. For those of us who can only drool over the beauty and the poetry that is the Mercedes-Maybach S Class sedan, we can’t imagine that much compares with it.
For example, a Maybach Zeppelin is my idea of pure heaven, but if I can’t have that, I’ll take an Alfa Romeo Giulia any day of the year. I’ll also take any luxury model of Aston Martin. Which of these luxury cars would you drive?
Related: 12 Cars Similar to the Mercedes S-Class Sedan
Gas-Powered Cars Similar To The Mercedes-Maybach S Class
1. If You’re Like Me, You See Any Model Rolls Royce Once Or Twice In 20 Years. Here’s What The 2022 Rolls Royce Phantom Is All About
Rolls Royce has always been the standard to which any and all luxury cars must meet. The Phantom is Rolls’ most luxurious model, but what moves the car is just as special. The Turbo 6.7L V-12 engine puts out 563 HP which gets 12 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway.
The five-seater does 0 to 60 in 5.1 and does 155 mph. You’ll pay around $492,000 for the privilege of driving one. The only way in which the Mercedes-Maybach is similar to the Rolls Royce Phantom is in its interior design. The exterior of the RR is more square than the MM along with being just a tad shorter.
The bespoke interior of the Phantom is pretty much equal to the MM, though.
2. I, Personally, Have Never Seen A Bentley, But Considering The Luxury And Muscle It Offers, It Would Be An Honor To Simply See One
As a comparison to the Mercedes-Maybach S Class, I’m afraid the MM doesn’t compare well. All the tech and decadent comfort such as reclining, and massaging seats come at a price. The 542 HP V-8 engine comes standard, but a more powerful 626 HP W-12 is available for the asking.
These will get you 0 to 60 in 3.5, 15 mpg city, and 20 mpg highway with an impressive top speed of 207 in the five-seater car. The MM offers 0 to 60 in 4.7 with a top speed of 155. The 2023 Bentley Flying Spur, although somewhat cheaper at $200,000, compares very nicely. It offers drivers the same oomph, in power, speed, and luxurious appointments.
Its exterior design isn’t as long, which makes the cabin sit higher than the MM. The rarity of some luxury autos like the Bentley and the Rolls makes them even more special.
3. Most Luxury Cars Offer Grand Touring, Sport, And Sedan Models. On The Other Hand, When It’s A 2022 Maserati Quattroporte, Does It Matter?
Maserati doesn’t try to look like other cars, so you shouldn’t expect the exterior of the Quattroporte to look like a Mercedes-Maybach. Under the hood, though, is another story. The GT model offers drivers a throaty 345 HP Twin Turbo V-6 that puts them at 0 to 60 in 4.2.
The five-seater gets 17 mpg city and 19 mpg highway. We know you’re going to test the speed that tops out at 177 mph, so we expect to hear happy shouts as you hit 177. As I wrote before, comparing a Maserati and a Mercedes-Maybach can’t be done.
The luxury and tech are comparable, but the price for that 177 heart-pounding, thrilling rocket ride is $97,995. The MM gets better mileage, too, at 16/24, although it costs $185,000. But hey, it’s a Mercedes-Maybach.
4. Have You Ever Seen Something In A Movie You Dreamed Of Having? For Me, It Was The Alfa Romeo Michelle Pfeiffer Drove In Tequila Sunrise
The 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia is shaped more like the MM than the Maserati. Car and Driver rated it nine out of ten among other Alfa models, and the reason lies under the hood. You can have a luxury sedan with reasonable get-up and go, or you can have a sporty model that blows the doors off anything on the road.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia is a respectable blend of both. The 2L 280 HP Twin Turbo V-6 engine gets the five-seater to 0 to 60 in 5.1 with a top speed of 191 mph. The five-seater gets 24 mpg city and 33 mpg highway.
For a ticket price of $45,000, that’s not bad. The luxurious appointments and tech might rival the Mercedes-Maybach, but it’s the classy bodywork, the sporty take-off, and the fun of driving an Alfa Romeo that makes this auto somewhat comparable to an MM. You drive an MM in the city, but you take the Alfa out on an open highway and let her rip.
5. Drivers Buy Aston Martin DBSs More For Their Rocket-Like Speed Than For Their Luxury, But That’s There, Too
Don’t expect an Aston Martin DBS to look like an MM or RR Phantom. No, this rocket on wheels looks like a typical Aston Martin sports car and has the punch of one. For $300,000, that punch includes a 715 HP V-12 that gives you a top speed of 211 mph.
The four-seater can be configured with as much luxury as you can stand, much like any other luxury car. That kind of luxury will make the 0 to 60 in 3.2 and 14 mpg city and 22 mpg highway much easier to appreciate.
It might not have a champagne bucket and snack trays like the MM, but the Aston Martin DBS will even load interior matching luggage into your version of the car.
6. Not Many People Know About Bugatti Cars. They’re The Most Expensive Cars Available To Drivers That Drop $3M Like A Tip To Their Waitress
Have you ever heard of a hypercar? Only one percent of cars are hypercars. The Bugatti Chiron is such a vehicle: blistering speed, undreamed of luxury, and the rarity of less than 30 being made. The price starts at 3M. The two-seater top speed is over 300 mph.
With that kind of speed, you won’t miss the lack of entertainment in the cabin. On the other hand, one-carat diamonds in each of the four tweeters ensure incredible output. The Chiron 8L four turbo-charged engine pumps out 1500 HP that does 0 to 60 in 2.3.
It won’t win any trophies in the fuel economy stakes, though, as it only gets nine mpg city and 14 mpg highway. On the other hand, you won’t be doing much city driving in a Bugatti. There simply is no comparison of a Bugatti to the MM.
If you want luxury, you go with the Mercedes-Maybach S Class. For speed, you go with the Bugatti.
7. When Car And Driver Rates A Vehicle 9.5 Out Of 10, Then You Should Definitely Check It Out
The BMW 3 series seamlessly blends both sporty looks and speed with the comfort and luxury of the MM. For a car starting at $43,000, most of us would take that. The car isn’t as long as the MM, nor as streamlined.
It does, however, pack a punch under the hood. The 3 series packs two turbo-charged 2L 255 HP engines that blew away the Alfa Romeo Giulia to the tune of 26 mpg city and 36 mpg highway. The five-seater offers a top speed of 155 mph.
The tech is just as impressive as the luxurious appointments, many of which come standard on most luxury model cars. Customization is always an option with luxury cars, so build yours the way you want it. The Mercedes-Maybach was built for both classic good looks as well as speed, but I think BMW is running neck and neck with MM on this one.
Related: 14 Cars Similar to the BMW 3 Series
8. Porsche Performs The Marriage Of Sporty To Practical With Their Panamera Sedan. There’s Even A Station Wagon Model If You Need More Space
If you want to go with the basic Porsche performance sedan, then the 2022 five-seat Panamera 4S is the perfect blend. Its 440 HP 2.9L V-6 will get you 0 to 60 in 3.6 with a top speed of 175. All that power gets you 18 mpg city and 24 mpg highway. Okay, that’s the sporty part of the marriage. What about the practical spouse?
Most luxury sedans offer drivers some tech like driver assist and parking assist. For a little more money, Panamera drivers can have night-vision tech and other safety systems, much like any other luxury car. The luxury part includes ambient air regulation, heated and ventilated massaging seats, and even a fire extinguisher.
Now, most of this and more are available when drivers customize their luxury rides, so Porsche is no different there. The comparison with the Mercedes-Maybach is short and sweet. The shape of both cars, with the exception of the grille and headlights, is spot on, with the Porsche sitting lower on the ground than the MM.
Their features are a lot alike, but the prices aren’t, with the price tag on the Porsche starting at $89,000 and the MM at $185,000.
9. A Jaguar Luxury Sedan? With The Jaguar Love For Speed? Check Out The 2019 XJ
It’s a sedan. No, it’s a sports car. No, it’s a luxury sports car, as only the Brits can do. The classic sedan shape cunningly hides the 3L V-6 supercharged with 340 HP that does 0 to 60 in 5.1 and whose top speed is 155, right up there with the Mercedes-Maybach.
The five-seater Jaguar XJ has a firm grip on the road, while its luxurious appointments do credit to the name Jaguar. The tech is good, although drivers can upgrade their tech systems. I’m afraid a comparison between the Jag and the MM is also going to be short and sweet.
Both cars rock the sedan look and offer comparable specs, luxury items, and tech. However, you don’t buy a Jag for $86,500 if you want a sedan. Otherwise, both cars are top contenders for your consideration.
10. Another Of Car And Driver’s Offerings Rated Nine Out Of Ten, The 2023 Audi 8 Has The Luxury Sedan Thing Going On
Although the Audi 8 isn’t as long as the Mercedes-Maybach, it is spacious and gracious. This is an Audi, after all, so don’t be surprised when the turbo-charged V-6 with 335 HP that can do 0 to 60 in 5.3 drives out from under you. The five-seater gets 19 mpg city and 28 mpg highway.
Along with a whisper-quiet ride and suspension that can sail over craters in the road without turning a hair, how would you like a foot massage in addition to your massaging seats? Despite all the leather, heated and cooled seats, and wood trims, the Audi 8 still isn’t as luxurious as the MM, but it’s still nothing to sneeze at. Expect to pay around $86,500 for this ride.
By comparison, I’d say the MM has the corner on luxury, but the Audi 8 is all that regarding speed and power.
Electric Cars Similar To The Mercedes-Maybach S Class
11. Say Hello To The 2023 Polestar 2 Luxury Electric Car
Electric vehicles don’t have the weight of motors and drivetrains that gas-powered vehicles have. The battery goes from front to back of the car and electric motors power the wheels, one on the front and one on the back. Thus, luxurious suspensions floating over the road have no place in an EV.
The horsepower is similar, but the range differs from carmaker to carmaker. The Polestar (the electric division of Volvo) 2 offers drivers using the dual motor configuration 408 HP that zips through 0 to 60 in 4.1. The dual motor model has a 260-mile range, with a lithium-ion battery that charges to 80 percent in 40 minutes.
You can take it home for $45,900. In the luxury department, your Polestar 2 EV comes with either leather or fabric, wood accents, as well as plenty of tech and safety features.
As for a comparison with the electric version of the MM, Mercedes-Maybach EQS, there isn’t one. The luxury version of the MM S Class is seamlessly transferred into the EQS, such as the Chauffeur package, a lounge-like interior, high-end entertainment, and tech. I’d go with the MM EQS for a luxury EV.
12. When You’re Talking EVs, The 2022 Tesla Model 3 Is The First Thing That Comes To Mind
With an EV, you want to go with the Long Range model which gets around 358 miles per charge, and it won’t require charging every day. It’s more affordable than luxury cars, electric or not, at $59,440. The Model 3 zips from 0 to 60 in 5.1, but the lithium-ion battery takes eight and one-half hours to charge.
Check this out: Model 3s come with semi-autonomous driving systems and heated front seats. On the other hand, connectivity, tech, and entertainment are seriously lacking. For luxury, I’d go with the MM EQS.
