The S-Class of SUVs.
Towards the end of last year, Mercedes-Benz introduced the SUV equivalent of the S-Class, the car which is the champion of new technology, new standards of luxury and appointment – meet the GLS 400d.
The GLS is the top of the GL family, which starts with the GLA, GLC, and GLE in a very logical family tree. All of these have seen a nice and steady convergence in family design and specification, and now, the crowning glory has arrived.
There have been GLS’s in the past, but this one celebrates the ongoing successes Mercedes-Benz saw throughout the course of 2019, with winning car arriving after winning car being the largest and most luxurious SUV to bear the three-pointed star.
A genuine seven-seater inasmuch as it can accommodate seven with equal levels of comfort and still provide space for the toys, the GLS 400 has grown in length, width and wheelbase, amplifying its ‘no compromise’ on-road presence.
Inner cabin space is maximised as is the adjustability of all three rows of seats to offer ease of access to any position, not that you need to fight for it.
The middle row accommodates passengers up to 200cm and the third row is only slightly less, accommodating 194cm passengers.
So that means there’s the usual compromise on cargo space. Not in the least. 355 litres of space with all seats up, but an awesome 2400 litres is available when second and third rows fold flat – electrically in the case of the third row.
The cabin is serene and yet it has all the toys we have come to expect of the contemporary Mercedes-Benz passenger line.
This includes a sports steering wheel equipped with smartphone-style touch and swipe controls, two 12.3-inch fully digital displays including a centre touchscreen, the advanced MBUX infotainment system with voice-initiated operation, Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto smartphone integration.
Under the bonnet is the awesomely smooth three-litre, six-cylinder turbo diesel driving power to all four wheels via the 9G-Tronic transmission.
Quiet, assured and responsive is the best summation of this combination, but the safety specification cannot be ignored, despite the ride quality inspiring superlative after superlative.
The GLS 400d is equipped with a comprehensive suite including nine airbags, distronic plus active cruise control, parktronic active parking assist with 360° camera, lane-keeping and lane-change assist, blind spot assist, and rear cross-traffic alert.
What is most impressive though, is the fact that this SUV is expected to do what SUVs are supposed to. It can, for example tow 3500kg and you can option up towbar fitment and trailer stabilisation, which can brake individual wheels to mitigate trailer sway.
As well, an off-road package has been produced for the GLS400d, which adds fully variable all-wheel-drive and a low-range off-road gearbox along with variable torque distribution, downhill speed regulation, the addition of an off-road driving mode suited to a variety of surfaces, and underbody protection.
The Mercedes-Benz GLS 400d 4MATIC is priced at $166,700 (MRRP) and is available to order now.
