The 2024 GLS facelift is available in two variants: GLS 450 and GLS 450d, powered by petrol and diesel mild-hybrid engines, respectively.

Mercedes-Benz has launched the updated GLS in the Indian market. The brand’s flagship SUV is available in two variants: GLS 450 and GLS 450d, priced at Rs 1.32 crore and Rs 1.37 crore (ex-showroom), respectively.

As part of the update, the GLS receives a new grille with horizontal slats that give it a clean look. Mercedes has tweaked the LED headlamp units, which now get new LED DRLs, along with the LED tail lights that have also been reworked.

Inside, the GLS facelift gets a new steering wheel with haptic switches and the Mercedes’ latest MBUX touchscreen infotainment system. Other features include a new 360-degree camera, air suspension and ADAS.

Customers can choose from either beige, black or brown faux leather upholstery options. The SUV gets the Rear Seat Comfort package as standard, heated and cooled seats, electric sunshades and a rear seat entertainment package with 11.6-inch screens and an additional tablet.

In India, the GLS facelift is available with two engine options. These include a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder petrol that makes 376 BHP and 500 Nm and a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder diesel that puts out 362 BHP and 700 Nm. Both engines are equipped with a mild-hybrid system providing an additional boost of 20 BHP and 200 Nm. Both petrol and diesel versions come with a 9-speed automatic transmission and a four-wheel drive system.

The GLS facelift made its global debut in April this year.

Mercedes-Benz India is all set to begin the new year with the launch of the GLS facelift on January 8, 2024.

The GLS facelift made its global debut in April this year. As part of the update, the luxury SUV gets a new front grille with horizontal slats, a reworked front bumper and a few minor changes on the rear.

Inside, the SUV gets new upholstery, trims and Mercedes' latest MBUX infotainment system with three new display options: Classic, Sporty and Discreet. The car comes with the Parking Package, which offers a 360-degree view at low speeds and an offroad setting which shows various camera angles around the car, including a view from underneath the front bumper, which Mercedes calls 'transparent bonnet'.

Currently, the GLS is available with a 3.0-litre diesel engine paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. The facelift version is likely to get the same engine. 

Mercedes-Benz sold 12,768 cars in the first half of FY2023-24, registering a growth of 11%.

According to Mercedes-Benz, deliveries of the GLA, GLC and GLS SUVs have been delayed due to supply constraints. This was revealed during the unveiling of the Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6 Concept in Mumbai.

The Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6 Concept was recently showcased at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre in Mumbai. The car will be put on display at the NMACC for the next 3 months.

The Vision 6 Concept is a futuristic 2-door coupe, measuring 5.7 meters in length. It is powered by four electric motors offering a combined output of 738 BHP. An 80 kWh battery pack powers the electric motors and it can cover 320 km on a single charge.

Mercedes-Benz also announced its sales figures for H1 of FY2023-24. During the period of January to September, the carmaker sold 12,768 units, registering a growth of 11%. 25% of sales came from its Top End Vehicle (TEV) segment.

They promise to deliver the car in showroom condition but that's only half the truth.

BHPian neo007 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I was thinking of getting a family car for highway runs next year, but…

When a friend wanted to get a used or new performance car I tagged along with him to test drive a M340i as it was available again. Needless to say, was blown by the performance of the car.

Got super tempted to get one but it was too small for my immediate requirement, didn't feel 3 people could fit at the back. So had to give up the thought of getting a 340i, but decided it was time to buy a new car.

The cars that we use for highway runs are now more than 10 years old (2012 Skoda Superb 1.8 TSI & 2013 BMW X1 20D). We are a family of 5. 3 adults & 2 kids (both are 10). We travel a lot between Surat & Mumbai & mostly we take a driver along. Also once a year we do take a road trip, many times with a lot of luggage & it's a big struggle to fit all the luggage in the boot of the Superb.

So space constraints & cars getting old meant it was time to look for a large car. A more practical one with comfort for 5/6 & boot space. Since boot space was a big factor I travelled with 2 medium & 2 small size suitcases, to understand boot space.

My test drive impressions/observations

Hyundai Tucson

• Test drove the Tuscon as I had thought maybe I could buy a 340i as well but it was not a practical thought.
• Good engine and suspension. Decent driving position, very light steering
• Busy styling, but looks better in real life than in the pics.
• Very light interior will get dirty easily.
• Decent interior & boot space but it may not seem to take more than 3 medium & 3 small suitcases. (did not have suitcases on hand to check)
• Could not figure out how useful the ADAS features will be in our erratic traffic conditions.
• Great parking camera. Video-assisted turn indicators seem like a useful feature
• Seat ventilation is quite average.
• Didn't try the connected features.
• Headlights are quite low set. Guess it will be difficult to keep them clean and might get damaged often.

Toyota Fortuner

• High commanding driving position. Gives you an all is well feeling.
• A few dents & scratches might add to the appeal
• Quite a torquey engine, but noisy, Think it will be quite noisy on the highway compared to German cars.
• Acceptable comfort in the 3rd row for people less than 5'.5", taller passengers might feel ok for short distances. For kids, it seems quite adequate.
• The media player is quite basic with no wireless Apple or Android connection & no 360 parking camera
• Could not figure out if the 4x4 will help during spirited driving on ghats or twisty roads.
• The AC seems decent.
• The seat ventilation was quite average.
• Love the big ORVMs
• Boot dimensions H=56 cm, width = 85/110 depth 115
• The boot can fit 4 cabin bags even with all 3 rows up.
• When the 3rd row is folded it eats into the boot space, also there's a weird niche behind the 2nd row but one can easily fit 3 medium & 4 checking bags + more

Skoda Kodiaq

• Was very difficult to get a test drive, as no dealer in Surat or Mumbai had a test drive vehicle, so got a test drive from a friend's friend.
• Very car-like to drive.
• The ride is on the comfier side and the steering is a bit too light, compared to the Fortuner
• Good features. (parking camera, google & Apple car play, ride control etc)
• The third-row seats are much tighter on space & are good only for the kids, not sure even if teenagers will be happy. The Fortuner is better in this regard.
• The second row is quite comfortable, although the lumbar is average.
• It also does not have as much legroom as a Fortuner but you have space for your feet below the front seats. Also not as wide as the Superb or the Fortuner.
• Boot dimensions H=40 cm, d=105, w=100/120
• With all rows up the boot can hold 4 cabin sized bags just like the Fortuner
• The 3rd row folds flat which is an advantage, although the Fortuner boot seems a bit large. It can take 3 medium & 4 small bags

Kia Carnival

• Jittery ride
• Not a very smooth engine
• Average braking
• Size is a challenge especially while reversing & parking. The width can be a challenge as well, especially on narrow roads.
• Not having a second-row bench makes it a compromise for us when we need to fold the 3rd row & you need more luggage space.
• When you fold the 3rd row it eats into the luggage space as it folds into the niche

Audi Q7

Took a test drive as I was not really very happy with either the Fortuner & the Kodiaq.

• Large & comfortable cruiser
• Size & feel wise seems like It sits between a Kodiaq and Fortuner
• Soft floaty suspension, dull steering
• The second row has decent leg room, comfortable seats with ample width for 3, although the middle seat passenger might find the central tunnel a bit too high
• The 3rd row seats are a bit low but usable.
• Why 360 camera is not as std in the base variant is beyond me.
• The auto parking does not seem easy to use.
• Has superb large sun visor covers that completely cover the side window and has another for the front windscreen, it should be std in all cars.
• Not a fan of touch controls for the ac but when it turns into a keypad for typing it is a neat touch.
• Not sure if Android auto & Apple are std.
• Decent B&O music system, although very average mids
• Boot dimensionsW= 106, D= 104, h= 46/75 ( till seat/ roof)
• The boot seems slightly larger than a Kodiaq, as it seems I could take a few more stuff than the 3+4 bags
• Loading luggage is easier as one can lower the suspension and auto-fold the seats.

Looked at the used car options as well.

Used Audi 2018 Q7 45 TDI technology 52 + on the odo

• Quite a choppy suspension, even more lateral movement than the current Q7
• Not as smooth as the petrol & takes a while to gather speed.
• The brakes were spongy too.
• The mmi screen is quite small, the scroll & writing pad might take some time to get used to.
• The virtual cockpit shows only their stock maps & not Android auto or Apple maps.
• The wireless car charger is quite small and could not fit in my Note 10+
• The split front central armrest is a good touch as both can be adjusted individually.
• The stories of maintenance issues after 5 or 6 years are scary

Used 2017 GLS350d 28 on odo

• Quite large almost as large as the Kia Carnival at least in length but does not seem as wide
• Good smooth engine. Takes its time to get up to speed. Unless you plant your foot
• Steering has a decent feel
• Excellent ride & high-speed manners. not as much lateral movement as the Audi. I feel It has a slower bounce compared to the Audi Q7
• In sport mode the lateral movement & acceleration is quite acceptable.
• Superb Ac and a very quiet cabin.
• The mmi is average although the screen size is decent
• Great cabin space The second-row seats are very comfortable, and have ample legroom.
• Great 3rd row too. Seems wider & leg room also seems slightly more than the Fortuner (although the second row in the GLS doesn't move forward & back)
• Did not bother measuring the boot. Has quite a large boot space and can easily take in 4 medium, 4 small bags & still have space left for more
• Can take 4 small suitcases with all rows up

Did not test drive the MG Gloster as the second row had captain seats & also the Hycross as the version with 6 airbags has no bench seats in the second row, the Innova was not considered as there was no automatic available.

After all things considered it was a choice between the Fortuner or a used GLS.

I could not digest giving close to 50L for a Fortuner for its lack of refinement, comfort etc, plus waiting for close to 3 months. Although I guess it's the smarter choice of the lot esp if you consider its reliability, running cost & resale. Also, my Dad has always wanted a large Mercedes & so it was the GLS that got finalised.

Buying from Big Boy Toyz, Mumbai

This will be our first used car purchase (through a dealer)

1. They take a deposit for test driving the car. Which was told to us just a night before we were going to take the test drive.
2. After you finalise the car, they give you about a week to make a down payment & another 15 days or so to complete the balance payment.
3. They do have a tie-up with IDFC for car loans & they gave us a reasonable quote. But we got a better deal from Yes Bank. Although it was a mistake & a lot of heartburn, Never ever again will we consider Yes Bank.
4. They also let you send the car for a thorough check-up to an authorised workshop & do say that they will complete the work suggested by the authorised workshop.
5. But it's not completely true, the work suggested by the workshop has to then be approved by their technical head sitting in Delhi & the local technician.
6. Fortunately for me, I could verify their explanation with my friend who owns a multi-brand workshop else it could be heartburn as the bill of repairs can run into lakhs.
7. Since the car had worn-out tyres they did give us a new set of tyres but they were manufactured in 2021 (Hate the Bridgestones that they gave)
8. BBT gives you a warranty for the car's engine & transmission. It's valid for 6 months & 15k kms for diesel & 5k for petrol.
9. They promise to deliver the car in showroom condition but that's only half the truth. We got the car with a decent new coat of paint but it was not even washed properly when delivered, leave alone the detailing bit they had promised. Highly disappointed by that bit.
10. I wish buying from them would have been a bit more reassuring. Your only point of contact is the sales guy who has helped you finalise the car, talking to anyone higher up is a challenge, especially if that person is in Delhi. It kept me a bit anxious about all their promises. Took a lot of time to sort each & every matter.

Not sure how it works with other used car dealers.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS facelift is likely to be launched in India by the end of this year.

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the updated GLS and GLS Maybach for the global markets. The luxury SUVs get minor cosmetic changes along with a few new features and software upgrades.

As part of the visual update, the Mercedes-Benz GLS gets a new front grille with horizontal slats, a reworked front bumper and a few minor changes on the rear.

Inside, the SUV gets new upholstery and trim options and Mercedes' latest MBUX infotainment system with three new display options: Classic, Sporty and Discreet. The car comes with the Parking Package, which offers a 360-degree view at low speeds and an offroad setting which shows various camera angles around the car, including a view from underneath the front bumper, which Mercedes calls 'transparent bonnet'.

Mercedes-Benz has also updated the Maybach GLS and the high-performance AMG GLS 63. The former gets new exterior colour options, while the GLS 63 now comes with an electric panoramic sunroof, adaptive high-beam headlights, adaptive dampers, a performance exhaust, a Burmester audio system and heated cupholders as standard.

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLS line-up is available with a wide range of petrol and diesel engine options. The standard model gets 3.0-litre petrol, 3.0-litre diesel and 4.0-litre V8 petrol engines. The Maybach GLS 600 gets a more potent version of the V8. The GLS 63 is the most powerful of the range featuring a V8 mild-hybrid setup.

Really love driving. The car is so smooth and quiet. Five people can be seated in comfort with good leg space. Minor humps and undulations are not felt much. This is a very good family tourer. I like the high seat position, it lets me sit straight and reduces back pain.

BHPian QuadraticAmoeba recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Hi all, posting an update after a long time. Life has been busy with work and lots and lots of weekend drives.

20,000 km and one year up! The car has just been a joy to drive.

Thoughts and ramblings after a year of ownership; no particular order to these:

• Really love driving. The car is so smooth and quiet. Five people can be seated in comfort with good leg space. Minor humps and undulations are not felt much. This is a very good family tourer. I like the high seat position, it lets me sit straight and reduces back pain.
• Music system is very good. Note I am far from an audiophile and don't like high volume or loud music. The integration with Apple CarPlay makes it simple to setup playlists and listen to your favourite music. The radio is clear, although I haven't had much chance to listen to my preferred 100.1 MHz FM station.
• The hard stitch in the steering wheel is still annoying, my thumbs have become used to it. Luckily, no grooves in my thumbs yet.
• The sunroof is really a moonroof since it is almost never opened. We do like it - early morning and night drives plus Bangalore weather most of the year. During summer, the cover gets closed really fast by the rear seat passengers.
• The TPMS works and is very useful. One nit pick is that you have to drive for a bit for it to display the pressure. This is not ideal when you want to check things before a long drive. Luckily, I have a portable tyre inflator and I use it to top up the air once in a couple of weeks.
• Fuel tank capacity is good, I get 800+ km on a tankful of diesel. To date, I have filled an estimated 1450 litres of fuel, with an approximate mileage of 14.2 kmpl. This is with about 80% highway and 20% city driving. There was a good amount of ghat section driving, so overall the mileage is pretty decent.
• As time goes on, the car is filled with lots of small stuff - water bottles, sanitizer, cables, tissue paper, spare masks, change, etc. Now there are rattles when I drive on bad roads but I can't be sure that they are due to the items and not the car. Oh well, just focus on the music. Smooth roads have no rattles.
• The horn is too far away from my hands. I have to take a hand off the steering wheel and hit it hard. I wish they put a button on the steering wheel for the horn.
• The powered tailgate is cool and amazing, but I am scared of all the security checks and their tendency to try and slam the boot. I always rush out of the car and make sure the security guy stays away from the boot.
• The pickup is phenomenal. I am a conservative driver and rarely push the car. Even so, on two-lane undivided highways, if you want to overtake - all you do is touch the accelerator and the car races forward. In sport mode, there is pretty much no lag in response time either.
• The brakes work fine, but they are definitely spongy without a defined bite point. If you are coming from a Linea or a Jetta (two other cars I have driven), it feels very different. I am used to it by now.
• Those speed limit beeps are annoying. The best method I have found to deal with the 120 kmph continuous beep is to drive at 100 or so. Peaceful and quiet!
• The boot space is pretty good - I have done airport runs with two check in suitcases, two cabin bags and other small bags. The lack of a loading lip is very useful to load and unload the luggage. The one grouse would be that there are no tethers or hooks for bags - they can move or roll around.
• I have driven a lot in the ghats, at night and in the rain. The headlights are good and the cornering lamps help with the twisty turns in the ghats. Yellow lights would be even better in the fog but these are good enough.

Car updates since my last post:

• Friend and fellow T-BHPian @mohanKV, after driving my car, suggested that I get rid of the cheap OEM Nexen tyres. On his recommendation, I upgraded to Pirelli Scorpion Verde tyres (225/55 R18). It has made such a difference to the car that I would recommend all Tucson owners to go for this. Tyre noise has reduced, small potholes or flyover joints are just sailed through, wet handling is much better and ghat section curves give much more confidence. I am very happy with this purchase and only wished that I had done this earlier. Hyundai, if you are listening - make these as the default tyres please! The steering has become a bit stiffer even in regular mode, which is a good thing.

• Got the third service done at about 19.5k or so. This time, I was too busy to go myself and opted for the pick-up and drop on the same day. As per my service advisor: all four filters were changed, engine oil was changed and there was some scanning done related to checking the fuse update a couple of months earlier. I had asked them to not clean the car (they do a waterless wash) since I have PPF/ceramic coating done. The service went smoothly, replaced parts were in the boot and I was charged nothing! Typical Hyundai efficiency.
• Wheel alignment and balancing at Madhus along with the change in tyres (which were sourced from Madhus itself). We also got the steering angle sensor calibrated.
• A long scratch on the side and a small dent on the bonnet. Thanks to the PPF, these became much smaller than they could have been. Got them fixed at Krithi Car Care and it looks like new now. Also got KCC to bleed the brakes and clean them. Braking is still spongy but it works fine.
• Changed the front windshield wipers (Minda, whatever was available on an outstation trip) and got the windshield clayed. The rear windshield wiper needs to be changed but Hyundai does not have the part in stock.
• DEF top-up (10L) at 15,000km. This is available at Shell outlets also now. Compared to the first 10k km done, I reached a 30% DEF tank level in lesser kilometres driven. I guess this is due to more city driving now that the lockdown has gone away.
• Renewed my insurance. Got a good deal from Tata AIG, so went with that.
• Unable to get a PUC (pollution test certificate). Tried a couple of centres and they said that they are not calibrated for BS6. Anyone in Bangalore (East preferred) who has got this done and can point me to a centre?

Lots of lots of driving over the weekends:

• Trips to Chikmaglur, Kalasa and Kelagur.
• Trips to Davanagere for Benne Dosa.
• Trips to Birur and Chitradurga for food (Preeti Canteen and Sri Lakshmi Tiffin Centre).

That's all for now. Signing off with some pictures:

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I own a BMW 530d. However, I will need to travel in the 7-seater whenever I do travel for the next 3-5 years. Might not make sense to have a nice sedan and a not-as-nice 7-seater when I am certainly going to spend all my time on the road in the 7-seater.

BHPian tofuswan recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Looking to get a 7-seater SUV with a budget of  Rs. 1.3cr on road. This is mostly going to be self-driven, occasionally driven by a driver. Will spend most of its time in the city (on needless to say, horrible/terrible/flooded/water-logged roads).

So far, I've narrowed the options to a) Discovery 5 - P300 or b) the GLS 400d.

Would love to hear thoughts about which of these you would choose and why.

I've test driven both. Based on initial impressions:

Land Rover Discovery 5:

Postives:

• Relatively smaller, easier to maneuver.
• (Might not be objective) Interiors felt nicer to me than the GLS.
• Excellent ride quality over broken roads at city speeds.
• Available immediately.

Negatives:

• Unknown reliability.
• P300 is much less capable overall than the 400d.
• Lesser cargo space behind the third row.
• Petrol (vs Diesel).
• CBU and taxes.

Mercedes GLS:

Postives:

• Much more spacious.
• Much much better engine.
• Looks / feels like / is a segment above the Discovery 5.
• Known devil - I've owned Mercs/BMWs in the past (in terms of brand/reliability etc.).

Negatives:

• Side-side movement over bad roads at slower speeds.
• Space in middle/center of 2nd row is limited because of the large A/C vent/tunnel.
• Longer wait times.

More context: I own a BMW 530d. However, I will need to travel in the 7-seater whenever I do travel for the next 3-5 years. Might not make sense to have a nice sedan and a not-as-nice 7-seater when I am certainly going to spend all my time on the road in the 7-seater.

I love my 530d, absolutely. I try really hard to take this anywhere I go, with a little care it makes it through most bad patches - but there have been a few too many bent rims and punctures. Also Bangalore (where I live) roads are getting worse every day.

• 6 cylinder Discovery: I'd love to get this, but there is a long/uncertain waiting period for new orders. If possible I'd like to avoid the wait time. About the facelift, I'm thinking of getting the 2021 version which I think was facelifted. Is there another facelift in the works?
• GLS: Ajmat's comment about boring is spot on I think. Its a nice car no doubt, but doesn't cause a flutter. Doesn't help that the wait time for this is super long, and with Merc's D2C switch, dealers don't even know how to accept a new booking for this at this point.
• X7: The 7-seater variant seems to be out of production at this point. None of the dealers I spoke to said they'd be able to get me one, even if I was willing to wait for 4-5 months. It is expected to come back soon but nobody knows when.

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

My vote is for the GLS or X7.

Also, wouldn't it be cheaper to swap your wheels + tyres to 17" rims? You could either go for what the 520d & 525d came with, or get a good looking set from the after-market? This will solve the rim bending woes due to the taller tyre sidewall. I have also suffered too many bent rims due to the stupid 18" size, so much so that I recently bought an extra full set of alloys from OLX!

Here's what BHPian ajmat had to say on the matter:

For bad roads, the Discovery 5 is king. Reliability might be better, but parts availability is an unknown long wait if anything happens. It’s got character, however the P300 engine might be overwhelmed in that body. Stretch to a 6 pot if possible.

The Merc is a solid "bought by the head" choice, but it is boring. And everyone has one.

Here's what BHPian SShandilya had to say on the matter:

If it’s strictly between these 2 then I’ll choose GLS because it’s new, has all the tech, feels much more premium.

The Discovery 5 will soon undergo a facelift so why bother spending so much on an outdated product?

If you’re okay with other options I’ll suggest the X7 for same reasons as for GLS + driving experience + lower maintenance cost.

Here's what BHPian Pedalmasher_20 had to say on the matter:

If you want a 7 seater luxury SUV on urgent basis, then I'd recommend you to visit the Volvo showroom and check if they have the XC90 available in the 7 seater format. Do note that Volvo only offers a 4-pot diesel and a petrol-hybrid engine on it as of now. If you want a 7 seater SUV from a luxury brand, but expect smaller footprints from it which will make your drives within the city a bit easier, then I'd ask you to have a look at the Discovery Sport as well. Just keep in mind that last two rows in this SUV are just for kids and having adults sit on it would be a tight affair.

If I were in your shoes, I'd choose either the GLS or the X7 in the 7 seater format, and stand in the waiting line and would completely ignore the Land Rovers due to their unreliable nature and frequent maintenance intervals. But if you can't really wait, then start searching for sparsely driven X7 and GLS in the used market and get it. Read the guide on Team BHP regarding buying used cars to find the best condition car amongst the ocean of rash or high driven vehicles. Or else, if you think you're okay with the high maintenance costs of the Land Rovers, then get the Discovery. Hope you have many happy kilometers on your choice buddy.

Here's what BHPian androdev had to say on the matter:

I am just curious, what stops you from buying another 4-seater sedan/crossover and using it along with your 530D if more than 4 people have to travel? Somehow, 7 seater vehicles come across as compromises esp given the $$$.

Here's what BHPian AirbusCapt had to say on the matter:

The GLS is an 'S' Class only by nomenclature. It is just named so to cater to the US market for a full sized SUV. There are no S class bits inside it for now. The way the car rides, the bad road ability, the rear seat comfort all are sub par when compared with the S class and its counterparts.

The Discovery 5 is again not a luxury off-roader as such. It's mainly a luxurious alternative for a 'gentleman farmer'. Unless it's a 6 cylinder or the torquey diesel, the P300 is not exactly suited to the character of the car.

If you choose back seat comfort, then you are left with a good sedan or may be a luxury van like a Viano.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.