2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS Unveiled in New York
The German brand’s full-size SUV gets a redesign as it prepares to duke it out with the newly introduced BMW X7, not to mention the Range Rover, the Cadillac Escalade and the Lincoln Navigator, among others.
The third-generation Mercedes-Benz GLS—or second, since the first generation launched in 2006 was called the GL-Class—is being unveiled today at the New York Auto Show, and it’s bigger and more luxurious than ever. Which is fitting, since the company is touting it as the SUV equivalent of the S-Class line of coupes, convertibles and sedans.
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Thanks to a wheelbase stretched by 60 millimetres, second-row occupants benefit from more legroom, and for the first time, their bench seat can be replaced by two captain’s chairs for six-passenger seating instead of the standard seven. Those individual seats include armrests and are power-adjustable.
The second and third rows can be folded down electrically at the touch of a button, something that can also be found in the Land Rover Discovery, for example. There’s also a Premium Rear Seat Package that includes an optional five-zone climate control system—yes, five—as well as centre console-mounted seven-inch tablet to control various functions inside the vehicle. An MBUX rear-seat entertainment system with two 11.6-inch touchscreens is also available.
Speaking of MBUX, this system is also found in the front-seat area, as is the case with all new Mercedes-Benz products. It includes a 12.3-inch touchscreen in addition to voice and gesture recognition. The driver also gets a 12.3-inch instrument panel, while a colour head-up display is optional.
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS also features a carwash feature. As the touch of a button, the side mirrors fold in, the windows and sunroof close up, the wipers’ rain sensor deactivates, the climate control system reverts to air recirculation mode and the suspension raises to its highest position in order to rinse out the excess dirt from the previous off-road stint. After leaving the carwash, all those settings default back to normal once the vehicle reaches 20 km/h.
The GLS is available with E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL, a suspension system that can read the road ahead as well as control springs and dampers individually to provide maximum comfort. An optional transfer case enhances the off-road driving experience. And just like in the also-new 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE, a rocking mode helps free the vehicle if it’s stuck in a sand dune by raising and lowering its suspension several times as well as changing tire pressure for better traction.
Two variants of the redesigned GLS will be available at launch. The GLS 450 4MATIC is equipped with a turbocharged, 3.0-litre inline-six that develops 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, while the EQ Boost mild hybrid system adds short bursts of 21 hp and 184 lb.-ft. in addition to integrating a starter-generator.
A new powertrain is added in the GLS, which might also make its way into other Benz models at some point. The GLS 580 4MATIC gets a V8 engine with an output of 483 horsepower and 516 lb.-ft. of torque, in addition to the EQ Boost’s temporary 21 hp and 184 lb.-ft. Both engines are matched to a nine-speed automatic transmission.
The new 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS will arrive in Canada in the fall of 2019. Pricing will be announced at a later date.