Mercedes-Benz’s 2026 lineup layers features across trims and optional add-ons. The result looks different depending on whether you’re sitting in a C-Class or an S-Class, but every model shares the same foundation: MBUX infotainment, digital displays, and a growing list of standard safety systems.
MBUX Infotainment and Displays
Every 2026 Mercedes runs the MBUX system with digital instrument clusters and touchscreens. Screen sizes vary by model. The S-Class pairs a 12.3-inch customizable gauge cluster with a 12.8-inch OLED center display. SUVs like the GLE and GLS rely on dual 12.3-inch widescreens mounted side by side.
Optional configurations push things further. The E-Class offers the MBUX Superscreen, adding a dedicated display for the front passenger alongside the main center screen. Flagship EVs like the EQS take this concept to the full dashboard with the Hyperscreen, a 56-inch curved glass panel housing three OLED screens across its entire width.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard on every model, and USB-C ports with available Wi-Fi keep everyone connected.
MB.OS and the Voice Assistant
The biggest technology shift for 2026 is MB.OS, a new operating system launching in the redesigned CLA sedan. MB.OS powers a fourth-generation MBUX with built-in AI that can recognize emotional cues in your voice, maintain short-term memory of recent requests, and carry on natural follow-up conversations instead of treating each command as a blank slate.
On current-generation models, the “Hey Mercedes” voice assistant already handles natural language well. Tell it you’re cold, and the climate adjusts. Say you need coffee, and navigation pulls up nearby spots. Up to seven profiles remember each driver’s seat position, climate preferences, and media favorites, all syncing through over-the-air updates.
Driver Assistance: A Practical Focus
Standard safety across the 2026 lineup includes Active Brake Assist, Blind Spot Assist with Exit Warning (which warns passengers if opening a door could put them in the path of traffic), and PRESAFE. PRESAFE detects an imminent collision and responds by tightening seatbelts, adjusting seat positions, and closing windows to better protect occupants before impact.
The optional Driver Assistance Package adds DISTRONIC adaptive cruise with Active Steering Assist for highway lane centering, along with Active Lane Change Assist and Evasive Steering Assist. Together, these let the car steer, brake, and accelerate during highway driving, though you still need to stay engaged behind the wheel.
Several features that were optional on 2025 models have moved into the standard column for 2026. The 360-degree Surround View camera now comes standard on the GLE SUV. Digital Light headlights, which use high-resolution projectors to shape the beam and mask glare from oncoming traffic, are newly available on more models.
Interior Tech That Does More Than Look Good
A 64-color ambient lighting system traces across the dashboard, doors, and center console of virtually every 2026 Mercedes. These LED strips react to what’s happening around the car, flashing red when a vehicle enters your blind spot or glowing warmer as you increase the cabin temperature. Ask “Hey Mercedes” a question, and the lights on your side of the cabin illuminate to confirm the system heard you.
Higher-end models offer an Augmented Reality Head-Up Display that projects turn-by-turn graphics onto the windshield, placing them about 30 feet ahead on the road surface. AR navigation can also overlay directional arrows onto a live camera feed on the center screen, making tricky intersections easier to read at a glance.
Backing up the visuals, available Burmester surround sound systems fill the cabin, while the Energizing Comfort suite choreographs climate, massage, lighting, and music into preset wellness programs. The AIR BALANCE system infuses the cabin with a subtle fragrance and ionizes the air to filter out particulates.
Experience 2026 Mercedes-Benz Technology in Kalamazoo
The 2026 lineup pushes more tech into the standard equipment list, brings a smarter infotainment experience through MB.OS, and advances electrification with genuinely rapid charging speeds. Visit our Kalamazoo showroom to see how these features feel in person and find the right combination for how you drive.
