Maybach 62 (03 on) - Review

Maybachs are designed to take up to two passengers in individual seats in the rear, but customers can choose a three-seat bench if the car needs to carry five people. All seats are electrically adjustable and the front and rear compartments have their own air conditioning units with different interior temperatures available for each passenger if necessary. Higher grade leather than that used in typical luxury saloons is used for the seats and customers can choose upgraded seats with perforated leather. Folding rear tables are standard in the 62 along with an electric rear curtain, but for even more privacy there's the optional side curtains and dark tinted glass. The rear seats recline almost fully (like a first-class seat in an aircraft) and have a massage function. Customers can choose a panoramic glass roof, which lets light into the rear, but using liquid crystal can become totally opaque in an instant at the touch of a button. There is also a retractable blind built into the roof and it has illumination built in, which creates a nice ambience when travelling at night.

All passengers have plenty of room in the 62, with rear passengers able to recline on first-class style seats. The enormous boot is able to accommodate a vast amount of luggage with its 610-litre capacity. Customers can choose a rear-view camera in lieu of parking sensors to help with low-speed manoeuvres plus there is interior storage in the centre console which extends into the rear of the car. The interior door trims also include stowage compartments, while the rear centre console has additional space and contains cupholders and holders for champagne flutes. A fridge is fitted as standard in the rear centre console and three instruments set into the roof show rear passengers the car's speed, the time and the outside temperature. The Maybach has Dunhill umbrellas stowed in the rear doors to ensure passengers don't have to step outside into the rain.

The driver's seat is perhaps not the optimum position from which to enjoy the Maybach, but front-seat occupants are very well catered for. All the seats (and the steering column) are electrically adjustable, so finding a comfortable driving position should be easy. The white-on-black instruments are easy to read and although the instrument layout will appear familiar in style to owners of large Mercedes-Benz models the Maybach has its own unique type-face for the figures on the dials. The dashboard's centre panel includes a screen to view the DVD satellite navigation system and displays various audio, communication and media functions. Other switches appear on the centre console for the adaptive damping system, parking sensor deactivation and Distronic cruise control (where chosen).