[karan561]

Likes;

- 400d Engine's Power Delivery
- Good Ride Quality (Even with 21" rims)
- Spacious Interiors & Great Middle Row Comfort Levels.
- 21" Wheel Design & FAT Rear Tyres (315/40 R21) look really tasteful.

Dislikes;

- Exterior Body Kit Needed more options. For Example the Fender flares internationally can be had in body colour, but in India its unpainted black plastic. Also dislike the fake exhaust. Finally no AMG Line kit even as an option, where as the BMW X7 does offer an M Sport variant/kit.
- Lacks features such as Keyless Entry, HUD at this price point.
- Similarity of the Interior (Dashboard) to the GLE.
- No E-Active Body Control.

Video;

https://youtu.be/7f6HhmJDPsE

Exterior Design/Looks (Front, Side & Rear);











- Front is more upright and looks much stronger than before.
- Side is a rather simplistic, conservatively old school design but at the same time very intimidating. What i loved about the side is the wheel arches which are shaped to enhance the muscularity of this SUV.
- The Rear has those Distinct LED design you'd find common with the GLE and also seen in the lower entry level GLB too, But what's striking are the rear TYRES (315/40 R21) This same size is found on the Lamborghini Urus with 21" rims.

Driving Performance;



If there's one word which could describe how driving the GLS feels on roads then that word would be LORDLY. It Amazes me to see how Easy it was to drive the GLS, despite its size. The manoeuvrability is very driver friendly and always the self drive audience will get accustomed to the size & girth of the GLS very easily.

400d OM656 Engine;



- The GLS Diesel uses the OM656 straight 6 Diesel & in its highest tune which is the 400d.
- OM 656 (2.9L) Specifications in the 400d tune are 330 HP & 700 NM.
- The torque delivery (specially between 1200 - 3600 rpm) from this motor is relentless, making it an extremely pleasurable car to drive long distances. In fact the cruising capabilities of this motor are just fantastic. 700 NM is a LOT & this number is very much instrumental in giving you enough butterflies in the stomach & propel you to a 100 kph mark in the low 6 second category.

Suspension, Ride Quality & Handling;



- The GLS in India has Air Suspension as standard.
- Ride Quality is really sublime & the air suspension takes good care of all the road undulations very well.
- Not only that we have to remember that this car is riding on 21" rims & 40 profile tyres still the ride quality is special which is a rare thing.
- There is an OFF Road mode which can be used even for bad roads but i found the comfort mode better than Off Road Mode on bad roads. The Off Road Mode also increases the ride height of the GLS & the Off Road mode can be used upto the speeds of 110 km/h after which the car will reduce the ride height automatically.



^ Quick word on the Handling, again there is no SPORT mode on offer so the message is very clear, but the Fat tyres are really confidence inspiring.

Interiors;



- There's no denying that the dashboard has a striking similarity to the GLE. Everything feels very solid, well put together & has the typical German quality levels maintained for the segment.
- The infotainment gets the MBUX system which means it can be controlled by the Track Pad, Touchscreen, Through the Steering Wheel & also through voice commands. The car can also be controlled via an app called Mercedes Me.
- The GLS also comes standard with the fantastic Burmester audio system which has a 13 Speaker setup with an 9 Channel DSP Amplifier. Total Output is 590 Watts.
- Steering Wheel is of a good size but needed some wooden elements to add more character & add continuity to the interior theme.
- The car gets a Wireless charger pad & a Total of 11 USB (C) Points.

Rear Seat;



- Mercedes definitely have the best seat engineers in the world & the rear (middle row) seats are extremely comfortable.
- Doesn't feel like an SUV middle row to be honest as the middle row seat positioning is hunkered down to give a sedan like feel.
- Abundant*Leg & knee Room, thigh support could have been better though.
- Gets electric seat operation/adjustments.
- Love the headrests.

3rd/Last Row Seats;



- Decently spacious last row which is good for short journeys for adults as well, however for better knee & toe room the middle row has to be adjusted accordingly.
- Headroom is generous in the 3rd row, which is a strong point.
- 3rd Row Access is via an electric middle row fold switch.

Other Miscellaneous Observations;

- This generation GLS (X167) is based on the stretched version of the MHA platform.
- Dimensionally the GLS adds 77mm in length & 22 mm in width. 60 mm of the length went into the wheelbase compared to its predecessor.
- Observed use of Exposed Carbon Fibre in the front portion of the engine bay under the hood. Trust its being used for strength, to stiffen things up for better impact properties rather than weight reduction in a heavy SUV like this one.
- GLS gets a staggered tyre setup. Front 275 & rear as said earlier are 315 mm broad.
- The Diesel Engine uses AdBlue Injection & Exhaust Gas Recirculation to improve emissions.
- The Gearbox is the trusted 9G Tronic, 9 speed unit.
- The 4Matic system in this generation of the GLS is rear biased, But it is full time 4WD, make no mistake.
- The IRVM could have been larger.
- During night driving i observed we cannot drive on high beam (but flash) probably because they are adaptive.
- Dual Sun Visors are missing (Present in the International variant)
- HUD is missing (Present in International Variants)
- Seats are made of Artico (faux) leather. Test car had cream seats where as 2 more colours are available (Brown & Black)
- Space Saver is present and is neatly tucked under the carpet.
- From the tailgate area the car can be dropped with a touch of a button to give better loading access. All the seats too can be electronically dropped or raised via dedicated buttons in this area.
- No Soft Close Doors, well if this car claims to be the S Class of SUV's then soft close doors shouldn't have been missing.

Final Thoughts;

So finally to conclude things calling the GLS a stretched version of the GLE would be an understatement & also calling it an S Class of SUV's would be an overstatement. But if you judge the GLS on its own strengths & individuality it will strike all the right chords you'd want from a premium luxury 7 seater SUV, be it comfort levels, which is spot on, be it the space which is very generous or the driving experience which with the 400d engine is just WOW. Mercedes India has launched the GLS @ INR 99.90L (Ex-Showroom).

[Sreesh1009]

Love your style of reviewing cars. The videos make the review a 100 times better. In this day and age, visual reviews feel much better than large paragraphs.

Coming to the main topic, the GLS looks stunning in the red colour. Mercedes is another level of sophisticated and elegant. If I had the money I would go for this or the X5.
Also, how loud are the speed alerts at 80kph and 120kph? I heard that they reduce the volume of the audio system, is that true?

Once again, loved the review and the video.
Thank you!
Cheers!

[karan561]

Originally Posted by Sreesh1009

Love your style of reviewing cars. The videos make the review a 100 times better. In this day and age, visual reviews feel much better than large paragraphs.

Thanks Sreesh for your compliments towards my efforts

Coming to the main topic, the GLS looks stunning in the red colour. Mercedes is another level of sophisticated and elegant.

Yes, it does. I'd personally prefer a white one to be honest.

Also, how loud are the speed alerts at 80kph and 120kph?

Its not too loud & also the tone selected is not too bad. You can hear the beeps in the video on multiple occasions, for example just after 2 min 48 seconds in the video the beep is heard after crossing 80 km/h (use a headphone if you missed hearing those beeps)

I heard that they reduce the volume of the audio system, is that true?

Yes, it does & this is not a good thing

Once again, loved the review and the video.
Thank you!
Cheers!

Thanks again !

[ChiragM]

Awesome review as always Karan .

Few points:
No HUD in a 1 crore+ SUV? Mercedes should have offered this feature, which even a Kia Seltos gets.

I don't like wood trim on the steering wheel. I prefer what Mercedes has given with this.

Is the touchscreen a bit slow to respond? It looked like it in the video.

[Sahil]

Karan, as I always say, fantastic review. But this time, I have to say its a notch better. There is a level of sophistication thanks to the editing and overall filming that I see as a big improvement compared to your initial video reviews. You have come a long way! Congrats!

As for the GLS, I think your views in the end really sum it up well. While MBIL loves trying to sell it as the S-class SUV, it really isn't. If they want to do that then they need to launch the Maybach version or provide calf support ,real leather, rear screens and smaller bits like soft close doors to make it comparable to the S. At that price they really could have provided most of these missing features if not all.
However, it is better value than the GLE even at this price, some of the GLE variants are just ridiculously priced.
As you said, Individually its seems like a product !

We bought the previous gen GLS at a good discount right at the end of it's life cycle about a year ago, one of the last cars produced and my biggest complaint with that is the sluggish low end performance. I am glad they have resolved that with the 400d. The GLS 350d has the same engine as the S350d and the S is wayyy more fun and fast. Hence I can only imagine how fun the S400d will be when it launches next year.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by ChiragM

Awesome review as always Karan .

Hi Chirag, thanks. Glad you enjoyed my video review

Few points:
No HUD in a 1 crore+ SUV? Mercedes should have offered this feature, which even a Kia Seltos gets.

I Agree.

Is the touchscreen a bit slow to respond? It looked like it in the video.

No, that segment was in slow-mo.

Originally Posted by Sahil

Karan, as I always say, fantastic review. But this time, I have to say its a notch better. There is a level of sophistication thanks to the editing and overall filming that I see as a big improvement compared to your initial video reviews. You have come a long way! Congrats!

Hey Sahil, thanks for such motivating words

As for the GLS, I think your views in the end really sum it up well. While MBIL loves trying to sell it as the S-class SUV, it really isn't. If they want to do that then they need to launch the Maybach version or provide calf support ,real leather, rear screens and smaller bits like soft close doors to make it comparable to the S. At that price they really could have provided most of these missing features if not all.
However, it is better value than the GLE even at this price, some of the GLE variants are just ridiculously priced.
As you said, Individually its seems like a product !

^ I Agree entirely with your above thoughts, especially coming from a person who owns both the S Class and a GLS.

We bought the previous gen GLS at a good discount right at the end of it's life cycle about a year ago, one of the last cars produced and my biggest complaint with that is the sluggish low end performance. I am glad they have resolved that with the 400d. The GLS 350d has the same engine as the S350d and the S is wayyy more fun and fast. Hence I can only imagine how fun the S400d will be when it launches next year.

Yeah, Im sure you would have got a great deal for your GLS. I personally loved the last gen GLS' design particularly with the AMG Line kit & rims. About the 400d engine this engine is entirely different compared to the previous one as it uses a straight 6 (You'd be aware im sure) instead of the previous v6. In fact Mercedes claim this new OM656 in the 400d tune as the Most powerful 'diesel' car/engine in Mercedes-Benz history,

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by karan561

Review: Mercedes-Benz GLS 400d (X167)

Superb review Karan. You keep getting better at your craft.

Between GLS 400d & X7 30d, which one will be your pick for below criteria
1. Self Driven. Usage Highways 60% and City 40%
2. Comfort & Space
3. Performace
4. After Sales
5. Lowest cost of ownership


Since GLS is lacking Sports Mode, does the engine respond quickly enough on pressing the throttle or there is a lag, eg. overtaking?
Eg. In X1 in comfort mode, there is a lag. But once you put engine & gearbox in Sports Mode, it becomes a very quick reacting & relentless power.


Small suggestion for future videos:
You could also share extended warranty & service packages offered. That would complete the video.

[karan561]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

Superb review Karan. You keep getting better at your craft.

Thanks el lobo

Between GLS 400d & X7 30d, which one will be your pick for below criteria
1. Self Driven. Usage Highways 60% and City 40%
2. Comfort & Space
3. Performace
4. After Sales
5. Lowest cost of ownership

^ I personally would pick the BMW X7 as i prefer the looks of the X7. In addition as i already have experience with the BMW brand i am more comfortable with the After Sales & trust the cost of ownership will be lower. But honestly if i had to pick only on the basis of performance (driver seat perspective) then it would be the GLS because of the OM565 with the 400d tune engine feels really enthusiastic not only on paper but also in real world performance.

Since GLS is lacking Sports Mode, does the engine respond quickly enough on pressing the throttle or there is a lag, eg. overtaking?

^ Never.

Sport Mode is only missed/required in the GLS to stiffen the suspension & add more feel to the steering. Even though the steering does stiffen up with speed but a "Sport Mode" always helps psychologically.

Small suggestion for future videos:
You could also share extended warranty & service packages offered. That would complete the video.

Thanks for your inputs

[Venkatesh]

Mercedes-Benz GLS and BMW X7 comparison

https://youtu.be/frGfK6-AwNY