Mercedes SL Review: The Open-Top Icon That Turns Every Commute Into a Cinematic Moment

When Driving Starts to Feel Like a Chore

You know that moment when you realize your car has quietly become nothing more than an appliance? The commute blurs into a podcast-filled tunnel, the cabin feels like any rideshare, and the only emotion you feel behind the wheel is mild irritation in traffic.

Modern cars are safe, efficient, and connected – but somewhere along the way, a lot of them forgot how to make you feel alive. They filter out everything: sound, road, weather, even a sense of occasion. You arrive, but you never really travel.

If you've ever caught yourself glancing at the sky on a crisp morning, wishing you could drop the roof and actually enjoy the day instead of just enduring it, you're exactly the person this car is aimed at.

The Reborn Solution: The New Mercedes SL

Enter the latest Mercedes SL, now officially the Mercedes-AMG SL, a ground-up rethink of a legend that dates back to the 1950s. It's no longer just a pretty boulevard cruiser. This SL is a 2+2 roadster with a fabric soft top, standard all-wheel drive, and serious AMG performance baked in.

Mercedes has effectively retired the old SL formula and handed the keys to AMG. What you get now is a car that tries to solve a very modern problem: how do you blend supercar drama, everyday usability, and genuine comfort in one open-top package?

On paper, the new SL lineup ranges from the SL 43 four-cylinder (in some markets) to the SL 55 and SL 63 V8 models, all wrapped in a wide, low, and unmistakably Mercedes silhouette. In reality, it's designed to be the car that makes you want to take the long way home – every single time.

Why This Specific Model?

You'll find plenty of luxury convertibles and fast GTs out there, but the current Mercedes SL stands out because it tries to be more than just a sunny Sunday toy. Here's what that means in day-to-day life, stripped of brochure-speak.

• A real 2+2, not just a two-seater
  The latest SL returns to a 2+2 configuration, with small rear seats suitable for kids or short journeys with adults. Many owners on forums and Reddit call them "emergency seats" or "bag seats", but they make a big difference: school runs, an airport trip with friends, or simply tossing a backpack or shopping behind you becomes easy. It's a GT you can live with, not just look at.
• All-wheel drive confidence
  Unlike older generations, the current SL (SL 55 and SL 63) comes with 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive as standard. In the real world, that means brutal, drama-free launches and far more confidence in rain or on cold pavement. Owners repeatedly mention how planted the car feels even when they use its power on imperfect roads.
• From quiet luxury to AMG thunder – on demand
  The AMG-tuned engines – especially in the SL 55 and SL 63 – deliver the kind of performance that puts this car firmly in supercar territory. Yet in Comfort mode, the SL settles down, the exhaust calms, and the adaptive suspension turns it into a relaxed long-distance machine. Several SL drivers describe it as "two cars in one" – a GT during the week, a sports car on weekends.
• Fabric soft top = real-world usability
  Mercedes has ditched the complex metal folding roof of the old SL for a three-layer fabric soft top that opens and closes in around 15 seconds at speeds up to roughly city driving pace (exact numbers vary by market). Why it matters: it's lighter, frees up luggage space, lowers the center of gravity, and is well-insulated enough that most owners say it's as quiet as a coupe with the roof up.
• A cockpit that feels like a tech lounge
  Inside, you get a large central touchscreen (MBUX) with a portrait layout and an adjustable tilt angle to reduce glare with the roof down, plus a digital instrument cluster and available head-up display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are on tap, and Mercedes' voice assistant ("Hey Mercedes") handles nav, climate, and more. The real-world upside: you don't have to fight your car's tech to enjoy it.

Underneath all of this is AMG chassis engineering: active body control, optional rear-axle steering, and powerful brakes. In reviews and user threads, what stands out is how the SL balances comfort and composure. It's firm enough to feel precise, but not so hardcore that you&aposre exhausted after a long highway run.

At a Glance: The Facts

Feature	User Benefit
AMG engines (from 4-cylinder to twin-turbo V8 in SL 55 / SL 63)	Instant, effortless acceleration and high-speed overtaking with a soundtrack that turns every tunnel into an event.
4MATIC+ all-wheel drive (on V8 models)	More grip and stability in rain, cold weather, and on imperfect roads – you actually use the power instead of fighting wheelspin.
2+2 seating layout	Space for kids or short trips with four people, plus extra flexibility for luggage, bags, or pets.
Fabric soft top with quick opening/closing	Open-air driving at the touch of a button, less weight than a metal roof, and a surprisingly quiet cabin when closed.
MBUX infotainment with large central touchscreen	Intuitive navigation, media, and smartphone integration (CarPlay/Android Auto) that works like a modern tablet.
Advanced driver-assistance systems	Features like adaptive cruise, lane keeping, and blind-spot monitoring reduce fatigue and make long trips calmer.
AMG-tuned chassis with optional rear-axle steering	Stable and composed at high speed, yet surprisingly agile in tight city streets and mountain roads.

What Users Are Saying

Spend some time digging through SL threads on Reddit and enthusiast forums and a clear pattern emerges: owners love the way this car makes them feel. It's not just the numbers – it's the sense of occasion.

Common praise from real drivers:

• Looks and presence: Many refer to the SL as a "modern classic in the making" – wide stance, long hood, and a silhouette that actually turns heads in a world filled with SUVs.
• Everyday usability: People who daily-drive their SL highlight the comfort of the seats, the adaptive suspension, and the fact that you can genuinely use it for commuting and road trips.
• Performance with composure: Owners of the SL 55 and SL 63 rave about the V8's power and sound, but just as often mention how "relaxed and refined" the car feels at a cruise.
• Roof and cabin refinement: Roof-up noise levels get strong marks; several users comment that passengers are surprised it's a soft top at all.

But it's not all perfect:

• Price and options: Unsurprisingly, one of the biggest criticisms is cost. The SL is expensive to buy, and stacked with options it climbs even higher into rarefied territory.
• Rear seat practicality: The 2+2 layout is more about flexibility than true four-adult seating; taller passengers won't be happy back there for long.
• Weight: Some enthusiasts point out that the SL is heavy compared to purist sports cars, which you feel if you're chasing lap times more than sunsets.
• Tech complexity: A few users note that the depth of MBUX menus can be overwhelming at first, though most acclimate after a short time.

Overall sentiment: the SL is seen as a luxury GT with real performance, not a track toy – and most people shopping in this segment are completely fine with that.

It's worth noting that the SL comes from Mercedes-Benz Group AG (ISIN: DE0007100000), a company whose whole brand is built on long-distance comfort and technical innovation. In the SL, that heritage is very much on display.

Alternatives vs. Mercedes SL

The luxury roadster/GT market isn't exactly empty. If you're cross-shopping the Mercedes SL, these are the names that will keep popping up – and how the SL stacks up conceptually.

• Porsche 911 Cabriolet
  The benchmark for many enthusiasts. The 911 Cabrio is sharper and more focused as a sports car, with an incredible chassis and a slightly more compact feel. But it's a stricter 2+2, often firmer, and can feel less "lux GT" and more "driver's car that happens to have a folding roof". If you want maximum involvement on a back road, go 911. If you want more comfort and presence, the SL has the edge.
• BMW 8 Series Convertible
  The 8 Series is the SL's most obvious German rival: a big, luxurious four-seat convertible GT. The BMW leans toward a slightly more understated look and a coupe-like character. The SL, by contrast, feels more openly glamorous and emotional, especially with its AMG performance focus and roadster-first design.
• Lexus LC Convertible
  If design is your priority, the LC is a strong contender – it's stunning and has a soulful naturally aspirated V8 (in many markets). However, it's more of an exotic-feeling grand tourer with a smaller dealer footprint and less cutting-edge infotainment. The SL counters with more modern tech, all-wheel drive availability, and a more practical 2+2 layout.
• High-end performance SUVs
  Many buyers at this price level end up in fast SUVs. Yes, they're practical and tall, but they simply can't replicate what the SL offers: roof-down, low-slung, wind-in-your-hair driving. If you're debating between a performance SUV and the SL, the real question is whether you want convenience – or an experience.

The SL's unique value lies in how it bridges worlds: it gives you some of the drama of a supercar, much of the comfort of a luxury sedan, and the open-air magic of a classic roadster – in a single, highly polished package.

Final Verdict

The modern car market is full of products designed to offend no one and excite almost no one. The Mercedes SL is not one of those cars.

It's a statement – to yourself as much as to anyone watching – that driving still matters. With its AMG powertrains, 2+2 layout, advanced tech, and surprisingly usable everyday nature, it solves a very real modern problem: how to inject emotion back into the act of getting from place to place without sacrificing comfort, safety, or convenience.

If you're expecting a bare-bones driver's car, this isn't it. The SL is about theater and refinement in equal measure. It's the car you take when you could fly but would rather feel the miles instead. It's the reason you volunteer for the late-night airport pickup or the 300-mile weekend detour.

And that's really the point. In a world of identical crossovers and forgettable commutes, the Mercedes SL offers something rare: every journey feels like it means something. If you're in the market for a high-end convertible or GT and you want your next car to make you feel something again, the SL deserves a serious, roof-down test drive.

For full technical specifications, configurations, and current pricing in your market, you can explore the official model overview on the Mercedes-Benz website at mercedes-benz.de.