The X166 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is a

full-size Full-size car—also known as large car—is a vehicle size class which originated in the United States and is used for cars larger than mid-size cars. It is the largest size class for cars. In the United Kingdom, this class is referred to as ...

luxury crossover SUV produced from 2012 to 2019. It is the second generation model in the GL-Class range, and was renamed GLS as of the 2016 facelift.

Development and launch

The X166 GL-Class debuted at the 2012 New York International Auto Show and later went on sale in September 2012. Compared to its predecessor, the GL-Class is taller, wider, longer, and up to lighter.

Equipment

Standard equipment includes the

COMAND COMAND (Cockpit Management and Data system) is an in-car communications and entertainment system found on Mercedes-Benz vehicles. COMAND features a dedicated flat display screen. It includes software features such as a GPS navigation system, a ...

system with a 5.8-inch display, LED headlights, and an adaptive

air suspension Air suspension is a type of vehicle suspension powered by an electric or engine-driven air pump or compressor. This compressor pumps the air into a flexible bellows, usually made from textile-reinforced rubber. Unlike hydropneumatic suspensio ...

for up to of ground clearance. Options include soft close doors, rear-seat infotainment displays, 20 and 21-inch wheel options, and an off-road package that adds an increased ride height, a skid plate, and a low-range gearbox. The GL-Class is also available with driver assistance systems such as active cruise control, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring systems.

Models

Petrol engines

Diesel engines

GL 63 AMG version

The GL63 AMG was introduced at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show. It features a hand-built

twin-turbo Twin-turbo is a type of turbo layout in which two turbochargers are used to compress the intake fuel/air mixture (or intake air, in the case of a direct-injection engine). The most common layout features two identical or mirrored turbochargers in ...

charged 5.5 L V8 that produces and . It is mated to a 7-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS

semi-automatic transmission A semi-automatic transmission is a multiple-speed Transmission (mechanics), transmission where part of its operation is Automation, automated (typically the actuation of the clutch), but the driver's input is still required to launch the vehicle f ...

, with Efficiency, Sport, and Manual modes. Additional features include upgraded brakes, a sports exhaust, AMG exterior and interior styling, 21-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels, and an air suspension system that automatically lowers the car at higher speeds. The engine was updated in 2016 and now produces and .

2016 facelift

The facelift was unveiled in November 2015 with production beginning from January 2016. The GL-Class model range was renamed to GLS to correspond with the new Mercedes naming scheme. The exterior now featured full LED tail-lights and a revised front fascia with updated LED headlights, grille, and bumpers. ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' described it as "a laughably outsized car" and went on to say "it's amazing, but sooner or later, we'll all end up paying for this sort of unfettered excess. The car is epic in dimension and ability, but it's stunted in terms of its awareness of its place in our world." New exterior paint colours and alloy-wheel designs were also introduced. Interior changes include a revised instrument panel and new 3-spoke multifunction steering wheel, as well as an upgraded free-standing 8-inch COMAND system display with

Apple CarPlay CarPlay and CarPlay Ultra is an Apple Inc., Apple standard that enables a car radio or automotive head unit to be a display and controller for an iOS device. It is available on iPhone 5 and later models running iOS 7.1 or later. More than 800 ...

and

Android Auto Android Auto is a mobile app developed by Google to mirror features of a smartphone (or other Android device) on a car's dashboard information and entertainment head unit. Once an Android device is paired with the car's head unit, the system ...

support. GL500 and GL63 AMG models received performance improvements, and the 7-speed automatic was replaced by the 9-speed 9G-Tronic transmission.

Sales figures

The following are the sales figures for the X166 GL-Class: Note: 2012 sales figures include the previous generation model.

Awards

* 2013 ''

MotorTrend ''Motor Trend'' is an American automobile magazine. It first appeared in September 1949, and designated the first Car of the Year, also in 1949. Petersen Publishing Company in Los Angeles published ''Motor Trend'' until 1998, when it was sold ...

'' "SUV of the Year" * 2017 ''

Car and Driver ''Car and Driver'' (''CD'' or ''C/D'') is an American automotive enthusiast magazine first published in 1955. In 2006 its total circulation was 1.23 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased it from its prior owner Hachette Fi ...

'' "10Best Award" in the large SUV category

References

External links

* {{Mercedes-Benz vehicles GL-Class (X166) Cars introduced in 2012 Cars discontinued in 2019 Luxury sport utility vehicles All-wheel-drive vehicles 2010s cars