Big, spacious and packed with go-anywhere tech. This is Mercedes’ answer for those who want a seven-seat luxury SUV
Story Harmaan R A J Madon
Photography Sanjay Raikar
The GL was shown to the world for the first time in 2006. Now, almost four years on, it has received a facelift and a few tweaks to its range. In India, Mercedes has been a latecomer to the big SUV party, one where Audi’s Q7 has been the cynosure of all eyes. Indeed, Mercedes has made no secret of the fact that it has big hopes from the GL. When you first walk up to the GL, it’s like approaching Shaqueel O’Neil. It zooms into your vision and as you get closer, you realise just how big it is. At 50 paces, the well-crafted proportions help to disguise its bulk somewhat but when you’re at the door, it’s huge.
Climb in and you’re greeted to a typical Mercedes dash; similar vents, control stalks and switches borrowed from a common parts bin. Even the typical analogue clock is present. The seats and dash are all leather however and there is a plush, well-laid out feel to the entire cabin. All three rows of seats are usable and the third row will accommodate two full-grown adults comfortably. Access to the third row is by flipping and folding the second row bench. The second row splits 60:40 with the smaller section flipping over to allow access to the rear. There’s one problem though; you get in on the right side of the vehicle. This seating arrangement has been configured for left hand drive vehicles, but for a right hand drive market like India, it’ll mean the third row passengers will be alighting on the road rather than the kerb, which isn’t very clever. Surely, there will be a cost to re-engineer this, but for a hugely expensive Mercedes SUV, one shouldn’t expect any less.
Crank the engine and it’s veritably inaudible even on an early morning. The engine is shared with the E350 CDI and produces the same amount of power and torque. The GL also uses the 7GTRONIC gearbox, but the final drive ratio is shorter at 3.45:1 vis-à-vis 2.47:1 for the E-Class. At 2.5 tonnes, the GL isn’t light, but the engine is adequate for the car. We didn’t gather any performance data, but it is brisk enough to keep up with the fastest moving traffic and even accelerates strongly. However, I expect performance will be affected by a full complement of passengers and their luggage. There is a bigger V8 engined diesel as well, which might have been better suited to the car’s character, but by using the same motor as the E-Class, Mercedes has consolidated its parts inventory. For now it’s fully imported, but don’t rule out local assembly in the future.
On the road, the GL smothers most bumps and rough sections of the tarmac are a distant rumble away. However, once you press on, the tall stance and long travel suspension could make you car sick. Like a lot of big SUVs, the GL wallows over crests and rolls quite a bit at even the hint of a bend. Fully-loaded, however, the ride should improve as the slack in the springs will be taken up by a higher payload. You are always aware that you are driving a big vehicle and it is one which should be treated with a degree of caution. Of course, like all Mercedes’ vehicles, this one too has a whole raft of safety aids. However, it’s best not to mess with physics and respect the fact that the GL is, at the end of the day, a big, heavy and tall vehicle. You can select between three damper settings – Sport, Normal and Comfort, although it is best left in Normal. I must make a mention of the brakes which are excellent. The GL tracks straight from speed, even under hard braking, with good pedal feel and control.
Impressive though is just how good it feels off the road too. Mercedes makes no bones about the fact that off-road ability was key to the GL’s USP and would not be compromised. Unlike some of its competition which might feel a little challenged on the rough stuff, the GL has no qualms about going anywhere. It has real time four-wheel drive which automatically apportions torque between the axles, low range on the gearbox, lockable differentials and the ride height can be increased for a maximum ground clearance of 307mm, which is huge. The GL can also wade through two feet of water comfortably. Despite being a monocoque, Mercedes say the chassis is stiff enough for the GL to traverse the toughest off-road terrain, even if two wheels are in the air. We didn’t try it, but we have no reason to doubt it.
So, should you buy one? Well, if you have a big family and plan a lot of driving holidays, especially those that involve a lot of adventure like visiting a wildlife reserve, the GL is an impressive vehicle. Yes, it is expensive even by the standards of its class, but Mercedes can afford to command a premium. But have they been a bit over optimistic at the number of takers at this price? Perhaps, but then Mercedes isn’t targeting huge volumes with this SUV.
