2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GL REVIEW
The 2013 Mercedes-Benz GL is bigger
than ever, but is it a match for the Range Rover?
It's
tempting to label the new Mercedes-Benz GL as a car built in America, for
Americans. The huge 4x4 is made at Mercedes-Benz's plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
and although it might be a minnow by US standards, over here it's something of
a whale, being bigger in every direction but width than a Range Rover.
Changes
for this second-generation model go deeper than you might think. At first
glance it looks like little more than a facelift, but the body is all-new,
there are more efficient engines and the overall weight thas been reduced by up
to 90kg. Underneath, the GL shares much with the latest M-Class.
Mercedes-Benz accepts that this is
a niche model in the UK – 112 were sold here in 2012, down from a peak of 1177
in 2007. As a result, the range has been slimmed down to just two models – the
sensible choice is the diesel-powered GL 350 Bluetec AMG Sport, while the
sporty option is the GL 63 AMG, which has a twin-turbo 5.5-litre V8 petrol
engine.
The GL 350 uses the latest version
of Mercedes' 3.0-litre V6 turbodiesel, which in this guise develops 255bhp and
457lb ft of torque. Fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been reduced by 24
per cent and 13 per cent respectively over the previous model's, at 37.7mpg and
209g/km.
A
seven-speed automatic gearbox is standard; most of the time it's unobtrusive, but
changes can be abrupt when you gain or shed speed quickly. Performance is
effortless, as a 0-62mph time of less than eight seconds suggests.
Refinement is excellent; Mercedes' four-cylinder diesel engines are
rather coarse, but its six-cylinder units are among the smoothest and quietest
around. Wind and road noise are also kept to a minimum, so the GL is a quiet
cruiser.
Weight
loss or not, the GL 350 still weighs 2,455kg – 296kg more than the equivalent
Range Rover, the latest generation of which has gone on an even stricter diet.
Once you're behind the wheel, however, the GL does a surprisingly good job of
disguising its bulk, and the light steering makes parking easy.
Air suspension – double-wishbone at the front and multi-link at the rear
– is standard, as are 21in alloy wheels. The car we drove was fitted with
Mercedes' Active Curve System, which incorporates active suspension stabilisers
to limit body lean through corners. This system is standard on the GL 63 AMG.
Ride quality isn't what you'd expect, with a firm edge that's not
entirely becoming for what will be, for some owners at least, a family car.
Anyone expecting the kind of soothing, bump-free progress you get with
Mercedes' big saloons will be disappointed.
Inside,
from the B-pillar forward the GL is all but identical to the M-Class, which is
a mixed blessing. Build quality is good and there's some nice leather-effect
trim on the top of the dash, but it doesn't really feel any more special than
the interior of a Mercedes that costs half the price. If you really want to
impress passengers, the Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover have much more
glamorous cabins.
Few rivals can beat the GL for practicality, however – this is a huge
car, with a correspondingly vast cabin that makes the most of its extravagant
dimensions. Whether you're in the front two seats, the middle three, or even
the rear pair, you sit in a comfortable, supportive seat with plenty of
legroom.
Access
is brilliant, and the electrically folding rear seats take all the strain out
of moving them in or out of the floor. When they're not in place the boot is
immense, and even in seven-seat mode there's space for a decent amount of
luggage.
Standard equipment is comprehensive, although the car we drove was
fitted with options worth a staggering £23,415, including the On- and Off-Road
Package (£1,985), Keyless-Go (£930), Night View Assist (£1,305) and a Bang
& Olufsen stereo (£2,035).
Running costs will be high, and the GL emits more CO2 and uses a
fraction more fuel (according to the official EU Combined figures) than the
equivalent Range Rover.
That won't bother most buyers, but the fact that the British car
provides a greater sense of luxury and occasion probably will. The GL might cut
it as a luxury SUV in the States, but it doesn't quite do the business here.
THE FACTS
Mercedes-Benz GL 350 Bluetec AMG Sport
Tested: 2,987cc six-cyl turbodiesel. Seven-speed automatic
transmission, four-wheel drive
Price/on sale: £59,485 (£82,900 as tested)/now
Power/torque: 255bhp @ 3,600rpm/ 457lb ft @ 1,600rpm.
Top speed: 137 mph
Acceleration: 0-62mph in 7.9sec
Fuel economy: 35.3mpg EU Combined
CO2 emissions: 209g/km
VED band: K
Verdict: A refined, hugely practical family car, but the
ride is firm and there are other large 4x4s that are classier and more
affordable to own.
Telegraph rating: Three out of five stars
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