When we gathered around it in our office’s basement parking, reactions were diverse. Some appreciated certain aspects, while others didn’t. But there was one unanimous agreement – it looks like Bam Bam Bigelow in a tuxedo.
The updated GLS has a face that’s aged just right. The relatively youthful vibe of the two-bar grille has made way for four horizontal chrome beams. That probably also explains why Mercedes-Benz hasn’t gone all out with the changes, just a set of refined bumpers and lighting – that’s all about its exterior.
If you find it hard to spot the changes made to its exterior, the interior, with even fewer changes, will welcome you with open arms. The perceptible ones are just two – the Maybach-inspired flowing line trim and the 3-spoke steering wheel. Following Volkswagen’s footsteps, Mercedes-Benz is steadfast in swapping the tactile switches with fiddly scrollers. The GLS facelift is the latest victim of this trend, featuring the capacitive controls on its steering wheel. You will get used to them with time, but nothing beats the tactile satisfaction of physical knobs and switches.
But there are a few good additions worth mentioning. To begin with, the GLS facelift now offers wireless connectivity for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. I absolutely love wireless CarPlay! It doesn’t require you to carry a type-A or type-C cable, depending on the compatibility of your car, and offers a seamless experience. In the meantime, you can rest your phone on the wireless charging pad, if you wish, or use the 100W fast-charging USB ports in both front and second-row seats.
It’s no secret that the so-called premium SUVs in India are rarely seen outside of garages. Regular washing, dry cleaning, PPF, and the list goes on. It’s uncommon to listen to the urge to take the road less travelled. For days when you do summon the courage to head for some adventure, the GLS’s Offroad package could come as a great help. It not only offers vital information like roll and pitch angles but also offers a feature called Transparent Bonnet. As the name suggests, it channels real-time feed of the surface under the bonnet by stitching feed from the front camera, making navigating rough terrain relatively easier.
But let’s face it, every owner of the GLS will spend most of the time in the rear seat, which has been the highlight of this behemoth of an SUV. Apart from a slightly upright recline angle and tiresome entry to the third row, the space and comfort the GLS offers to its passengers is exemplary. Streaming your favourite shows on the entertainment screen while you lay your head on the cushy headrest pillows – the experience is no less than first-class air travel.
Befitting the lounge-like seats, the GLS runs on air suspension, which delivers a magic carpet-like ride. Imperfections on the road are dealt with ease as its 21-inch wheels glide over the trickiest of surfaces. If I were asked to pick one caveat, it must be the sense of oscillation its suspension creates. When it goes over undulations at relatively high speeds, the passengers are tossed from side to side, which could cause some degree of discomfort over longer journeys.
Everything about the GLS screams comfort and quality and its silky-smooth inline-6 petrol engine is no different. Without looking at its tachometer, you can hardly tell if it’s lurking under that helipad-sized bonnet. I am not joking when I say that its refinement levels can put an EV to shame, not because of how refined the engine is but also how well-contained the surrounding noises are. The GLS keeps its passengers oblivious to all the chaos unfolding across its double-glazed windows.
Its 3.0L inline-6 turbocharged petrol engine now puts out 380PS of power and 500Nm of torque. A 48V mild-hybrid system further assists the system with 20PS and 200Nm, as and when required for a brief duration. While the engine really suits the calm and composed character of the GLS, its 9-speed automatic transmission could do with a tad more finesse. Don’t get me wrong, it works perfectly fine most of the time. The fort falls apart when you try to eke out performance out of it. A sudden stamp on the throttle leaves the transmission hunting for the right gear, and even when it engages one after a second of delay, it throws power abruptly.
At this point, I feel like I am nit-picking. The GLS has always been a package you can hardly fault with. It is certainly not the S-Class of SUVs; if at all any SUV comes close to the S-Class, the Bentley Bentayga and Range Rover arguably stand way ahead of the GLS. Nonetheless, where the GLS excels is the attainable luxury it has on offer against the high-riding luxe barges. Mercedes-Benz is yet to announce the price of the new GLS facelift and once it’s announced, it will rub its shoulders with SUVs like the BMW X7, Volvo XC90, Audi Q7 and Land Rover Discovery. If it is comfort and luxury that you are looking at, I would recommend the GLS facelift in a heartbeat!