Mercedes GLS 400 d
Does biggest mean best? We try seven-seat luxury SUV
MEASURING 5.2 metres long, 1.8 metres tall and 2.1 metres wide, the Mercedes GLS is bigger than most cars. It’s back for a third generation, and here to take on the latest incarnation of the Range Rover, as well as the new BMW X7.
The GLS’s wheelbase grows by 60mm over the last model for even more interior space. Three rows and seven seats occupy the cabin, while the boot sizes up at 470 litres – even with the rearmost chairs in place. Fold everything flat (electrically, of course) and you’ll be presented with a vast and van-like 2,400-litre load bay.
Inside, you’ll find the GLS feels very similar to the smaller GLE. However, the design is trimmed with some plusher materials as standard – much like how BMW differentiates the X5 from the larger X7.
The head-up display is huge, taking up a fair chunk of your vision immediately ahead of the long bonnet, while the infotainment system is a treat. However, while the dual 12.3-inch screens up front are bright and beautiful, the MBUX software is a little unintuitive to use. It’s a better and more impressive set-up than you’ll find in a Range Rover, but BMW’s iDrive system remains the best in this class.
Luxurious
If the design is similar to the GLE’s, the luxurious toys and standard kit do their bit to lift the environment. The basic £75,000 GLS AMG Line Premium model features Mercedes’s Artico man-made leather and brushed aluminium trim, with most of the luxuries saved for occupants up front.
But go for a flagship edition and the experience stretches across all three rows. Every seat is heated, plus there’s a wide centre armrest with a tablet computer, soft headrests, gloss wood and Nappa leather.
On the move, you’ll immediately gel with the engine. The 3.0-litre six-cylinder 400 d is the only powerplant at launch, and it’s probably all you’ll need. Performance is strong, with 700Nm of torque pulling the GLS along with little fuss. The engine is silky smooth and the gearbox shifts slickly.
When we drove the GLS in the US earlier in the year, we commented on the ride quality with Merc’s E-Active Body control suspension. Sadly, it’s not a feature offered in the UK, where every GLS comes with air suspension and adaptive dampers.
It’s perhaps the major fly in the Merc’s ointment, because in Britain the GLS’s mass means it doesn’t take that well to our scarred tarmac. While it’s serene on smooth roads, the car has a tendency to thud over potholes, with the air suspension sending shudders through the cabin.
Sometimes it feels better to stiffen the suspension up in Sport mode, which reduces the car’s tendency to sway around, keeping the Merc’s massive frame more upright. The brakes also need to be worked hard to bring this vast machine to a halt.
In comparison, the smaller, less ‘luxurious’ GLE with the same set-up is better to drive, and possibly more comfortable, too.
“The 3.0-litre diesel is all the engine you’ll need; it pulls the GLS along with little fuss”