Massage Envy: 2019 Mercedes-AMG CLS53’s Massaging Seats Leave Us Wanting More
After a long day hunched over a keyboard, nothing sounds better than driving home in a luxury car. Scratch that; nothing sounds better than driving home in a luxury car with massaging seats.
Related: The 2019 Mercedes-AMG CLS53’s Blind Spot Assist Had Us Seeing Red (in a Good Way)
The stress of the day will melt away as the car’s seat rollers work their magic on all the knots and sore muscles in your back — that is, unless you’re in a Mercedes-Benz. Sadly, Mercedes’ massaging seats are the equivalent of a half-hearted massage begrudgingly given.
I recently spent a weekend in the 2019 Mercedes-AMG CLS53. Our test car started at $79,900, but once it was loaded up with optional equipment, it totaled $106,980. Among those luxurious touches were the active multicontour front seats with massage feature that cost $1,320.
Break out the world’s tiniest violin for my tale of woe. The Mercedes’ massage function comes in seven flavors:
- Hot Relaxing Back
- Hot Relaxing Shoulder
- Activating Massage
- Classic Massage
- Wave Massage
- Active Workout Back
- Active Workout Cushion
But for me, they’re all rather vanilla.
For $1,320, I could get 26 30-minute deep tissue massages at $50 a pop (I can only handle 30 minutes due to their intensity). Or I could invest in nine shiatsu massage cushion with heat chair pads for $139.95. Or I could go whole hog and buy a massage chair for $1,099.
What I really want is a massaging driver’s seat that beats my muscle tension into submission. Is that too much to ask for?!
More From Cars.com:
- Which 2019 Cars Have Fewest Problems in First 3 Months?
- Give Pop the Ultimate Dadmobile: The Mercedes-AMG E63 S Wagon
- 2019 Mercedes-Benz CLS450 Review: Restrained Luxury
- 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class: That’s Your Big Boy
Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
