Mercedes GLS - Good or great??
Unveiled at the 2015 LA Auto Show, the GLS is the fourth generation of the full size luxury SUV from German Automaker Mercedes Benz. The GLS will replace the GL under the new nomenclature taken up by Mercedes the world over. Under this new system, the word GL will prefix C, E and S. And the first launch under this new naming method is the GLS where the S stands for the S Class range.. so the GLS will be the S Class of the SUV range. But more interesting is, what does the “G” mean in the GL!! G stands for ‘Gelandewagen’ which is German for Off Road Vehicle.
The GL, designed by Steve Mattin, has been under production since 2006 and is locally assembled at Pune in Maharashtra. So how different is the GLS from the GL??
Mercedes GLS Dimensions
|
Length |
5130 mm |
|
Width |
1934 mm |
|
Height |
1850 mm |
|
Wheelbase |
3075 mm |
As the dimensions reflect, the car defines the word ‘Huge’. From the outside, there are some changes made in the front bumper design. The car is now more rounded rather than sharp. Specially, the grille now has rounded corners with twin chrome slats with the big three pointed star emblazoned in the center. Changes in the rear bumper design are also minor and noticeable only to the hard core automobile fans.
The car is over 5 meters long and hence the space inside is expectedly huge. Comfortable for 7 adults to fit in. The middle seats do not have an option to slide backward and forward but inspite of that getting in and out of the third row is convenient. The middle seats however do get an option of adjustable backrest.
The head room, legroom and knee room in the last seat is quite good and comfortable for 2 adults for short city drives.
The list of features available on this car is really long as it should be for a car in this range and to make it easier for our readers a list is given in a table format. However, please note that the list is not comprehensive as more details will be revealed on 18
th May, at the launch.
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8 inch Multimedia Screen |
Panoramic Sunroof |
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COMAND Online Infotainment System |
Heated/Cooled Cupholders |
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Apple CarPlay |
Collision Prevention Assist & Park Assist Function |
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360 Degree Camera |
3 colour and 5 stage adjustable ambient lighting |
All the three seats come draped in leather. The steering wheel also has an updated design with navigation buttons placed on the wheel. However, inspite of all the updates in design and features the car does not manage to match upto the standard of the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 interiors.
Engine
The car is expected to be launched with the 3.0 litre V6 Diesel engine which will be paired with the 9 speed G-tronic Gearbox. (The GL came with a 7 speed G-tronic) It has a Dial to select the Drive Mode – Comfort, Sport, Slippery, Off-Road and Individual. Each with its own powertrain, steering and suspension setup.
The suspension and 20 inch tyres help in easily navigating the Indian roads with no disturbance filtering in to the passengers.
However, in performance matters the GLS is not able to beat the Q7 or for that matter, the GLS comes at the bottom of the pack. A point to note is that this car is more suitable for cruising speeds rather than for speeding.
The car drives best in Comfort mode in the city. Also, due to the bulk any mode that you choose the car remains big and hence handling is tough. So if you are looking for nimbleness , this car is not for you.
Price
The car is expected to be priced from Rs. 80 lacs. Now with the Q7 available from Rs. 72 lacs onwards (ex-showroom), if the prices are not competitive, Mercedes may face a tough time selling this car. Especially, when this is an old car with minor facelifts, whereas the Q7 is a much newer model.