Mercedes-Benz GL

My team very well knows about my affinity and profound love for all the big SUVs (pun intended) and so when the Mercedes GL 350 was at CarWale HQ, they had no difficulty choosing the ‘right guy’ for the review.

The thing is the SUVs don’t excite me for more than a couple of reasons. I don’t think they are fun to drive, they lack elegance, appear like best mates for people who enjoy road-rage and want to muscle others on roads, and the little bit of off-roading experience I have tells me that hatchbacks and sedans with some modifications can be even more exciting on gravel roads.

However, the three days that I spent with the GL 350 disproved every little bias that I had against the SUVs – so while I will continue to despise all the unnecessarily big vehicles, I will be regularly driving a few more hoping to add them to my new ‘favourite SUVs’ list.

‘House on wheels’ – that is the first thing that came to mind when I looked at the GL, it is humongous. To put it in perspective, the GL is over a foot longer and 10cm wider than the Toyota Fortuner which is the most commonly seen big SUV on the road.

The street presence of the GL is something to experience; the sheer size and the proud three-pointed star makes it a showstopper. And then the simple design and the exquisite lines it has, gives it that elegant look which is common to almost all the Mercs. Where most SUVs in this segment try and look aggressive like the Vikings, the GL has the self-assured calmness of a monk.

The example we had was fitted with an AMG pack complete with five-spoke alloy-wheels, aluminium running board and sporty bumpers. The front of the car is similar to that of the ML with a formula car nose-like crease running at the centre of the bonnet and louvres on the either side just under the windshield. The two slat grille at the front is so thick and bold that I think this is the only Mercedes where the effect of the logo is a bit subsided.

The side profile of the GL highlights its size; the Audi Q7 isn’t much smaller but the unlike the slopping roofline it has, this one is just straight. I like the fact that the designers have not tried to hide the size of the SUV, the shoulder lines and flared wheels arches only make it look bigger. The rear side could have, however, been a little more exciting. The tail lamps are too small for the size of the car and not that I am expecting bling, but the GL looks a bit ordinary from this angle.

I started by calling the GL a house, that is no criticism though – it is big, but the proportions are right and that makes it one of the more pleasing wheels in the segment.

The cabin is a very familiar place, it is much like the interiors of other Mercs, just that it is expanded in all directions with some undetectable extension charm. The dual-tone beige interiors with metallic inserts, four-spoke steering wheel, centrally positioned display unit and instrument cluster is similar to that of the other cars – only you have to climb into the GL cabin.

There is ample cabin space in the GL and this is the first proper seven-seater that I am reviewing. Unlike most seven-seater SUVs where the third row can comfortably seat only children, the GL has enough space for average-sized adults. I also like the fact that the middle row is a bench; it is a spacious car and so the centre armrest provides ample support and comfort for two passengers and when there is need, it can seat even three. Even with the three rows up, the SUV has space for quite a few bags at the back and when just one part of the third row is folded, it can easily gobble up the bags of the other six people.

Any car that costs over Rs 50 lakh will make you feel special and by the time GL will reach your door step the cost is going to be lot closer to an eight-digit figure. No surprise then that Mercedes has loaded it with plenty of features – it has a panoramic sunroof that stretches across all three rows, three options of ambient lights, Harman Kardon music system with 14 speakers that plays through a standard COMAND interface that also has Sat-Nav, 360 degree camera view and active park assist, LCD screens for second row with wireless headphones, cup-holders with heat and cool function, one touch seat folding and so on.

The GL 350 CDI is powered by a 3.0-litre V6 diesel that delivers decent 258bhp and massive 619Nm of torque. Even for a 2.2 ton vehicle that is a lot, especially since the peak torque delivery starts at 1,600rpm. The power delivery is consistent and the GL is deceptively quick. It is easy to maintain triple digit speeds or getting there every time it loses momentum.

It uses the standard 7G-Tronic gearbox that delivers power to all wheels, depending on the requirement. The off-road pack with the differential lock is missing from the list of standard fitments, but it gets hill-decent control and off-road ESP program as standard. Another important feature that is standard is the Airmatic suspension with adjustable damping.

The ride quality is a bit of an issue when the car is not loaded, there is a distinct thud every time it encounters potholes or runs over the edge, but load it up and it settles down – this is when the car is in comfort mode. I believe that the relatively low-profile Pirelli tyres (295/40 R21) that are part of the AMG-pack are the primary reason for this issue and the ride quality should be much better with the 19-inch tyres now available with the CKD units. Switch it to Sport Mode and the suspension stiffens up, but no one apart from the driver is going to enjoy the ride even a bit. Now set the ride to the lowest and the GL is ready to tackle the corners. I had absolutely no expectations in the handling department mainly due to its height and shape, but the GL performed surprisingly well. It can run through couple of corners briskly, although going through a series of corners can become cumbersome. The front tucks-in neatly, however the rear starts falling behind and it needs lot of effort to keep it in line. The braking is more than respectable considering the size and speed that it is capable of hitting – however, I will still suggest going on the brake pedal a little early.

The GL is not built for spirited driving, it is a basically a luxury people carrier that can reach places that are out-of-bounds for most others. Look at the driving from this perspective and it all starts making sense. Steering is extremely light and precise, it also weighs up at speeds, but there is no feedback. It will cover distance quickly without tiring the occupants and even the body roll is almost negligible at sensible speeds. Not that it should matter to GL owners, still it is also efficient – the SUV returned around 10.5km to a litre on highways and around 8km in city. Unpaved roads, slush and other usual hurdles found in India don’t make too much of a difference for the SUV, just that the path should be wide enough.

The reason I started the review by calling the GL ‘my favourite SUV’ is that it is built to a purpose, without losing any of Mercedes’ charm. It is exceptionally big with a rather boxy silhouette, yet it is one of the more elegant looking SUVs in the segment. It is the only premium seven-seater that is actually capable of taking seven adults and their weekend luggage at the same time.

Not many will actually use it for off-roading, but it ticks all the right boxes with the adjustable suspension and 4matic AWD. The features list is quite exhaustive and the most important factor is price. Generally value-for-money and luxury are considered to be mutually independent concepts in India, but for a price tag of under Rs 72 lakh (ex-Delhi), it sure is a VFM luxury SUV.