Is the S-Class a Women's Car?

2014 S-Class. Photos courtesy of Mercedes-Benz.

For quite some time now there have been people inside and even out of the automotive industry who have labeled some cars as being for women. Maybe those models aren't made exclusively for female drivers, but they are viewed as catering to that portion of the populace more.

It used to be that such a label was loathed by automakers and enthusiasts. In this day and age of advanced marketing analysis, we have learned that there are indeed some vehicles that appeal more to one sex than the other. Among the vehicles that boast the largest percentage of female owners are examples like the Nissan Juke, Toyota Rav4 and Hyundai Tucson.

Of course, those models are fine and all, but they aren't exactly what dreams are made of. They pale in comparison to the Mercedes S-Class, which recently was named as the Women's World Car of the Year for 2014. Female automotive journalists from five different continents determined the winner of the award. It also apparently captured the luxury car category with unanimous votes.

In case you didn't know, the 2014 S-Class comes with features that redefine luxury, and not in the cliche sort of way you hear about in car commercials. While there are Kias and Hyundais with heated and cooled leather seats these days, Mercedes has upped its game by offering things like hot stone massaging seats, a scent diffuser, and a suspension that senses rough spots in the road before the car reaches them, making adjustments so that ride comfort is preserved.

So the S-Class appeals to women, but I would argue that it appeals to men just as much and even for some of the same reasons.