Latest in GLS

About GLS

Mercedes calls the GLS the S-Class of SUVs, and for once the marketing line is roughly accurate. It began as the GL-Class in 2006, a three-row luxury SUV built at the company's Alabama plant to take on the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator and Range Rover. The name changed to GLS in 2016, aligning it with the brand's flagship sedan, and the current generation arrived in 2019 with more space, more technology and genuinely adult-sized third-row seats.

The GLS's appeal is simple: it carries seven people in near-limousine comfort, tows serious loads and wafts along on air suspension. Inside, the same large screens and ambient lighting found in the S-Class set the tone. The AMG GLS 63 adds a twin-turbo V8 and speed that defies its size, while the Mercedes-Maybach GLS turns the second row into a pair of reclining thrones and has proven especially popular in China, the Middle East and India.

Rivals include the BMW X7, Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, Range Rover, Lexus LX and Audi Q7, and buyers cross-shopping at the top end also look at the Bentley Bentayga. The electric EQS SUV offers a battery-powered alternative from the same Alabama factory. Mild-hybrid assistance comes standard in many markets, and Night Edition and Maybach special editions keep the range fresh between updates. This page tracks reviews and family-hauler comparisons, Maybach and AMG versions, updates and facelifts, market launches and pricing, recalls and the strategy decisions affecting the Alabama plant, which builds the GLS for buyers around the world.