2017 Mercedes-Benz G-Class Review

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz G-Class is an oddity in a class of one. In other markets the G-Class is offered in configurations that align with its proficiencies, but in the U.S. the G-Class is a box of compromise. If you're ever going to use a G-Class off-road, get the entry-level G550. It has the robust...

Twitchy brakes, tractor steering, tons of power and a mile of body roll make for an exciting but not necessarily good driving experience.

The 563-horsepower G63 gets out of its own way better than anything this shape should (0-60 mph takes 5.3 seconds). The seven-speed automatic shifts quickly, but the steering gets light and the G becomes hard to control at wide-open throttle. What a noise, though!

Tons of nosedive and a strong pull left, but a pretty good stopping distance of only 120 feet from 60 mph. The brakes are very touchy, which makes for lurchy stop-and-go driving and isn't great for off-road either.

The steering constantly reminds you that this is a nearly 40-year-old military truck with working roots. The steering is terribly vague with seemingly random results. It also fails to center, causing constant, abnormal extra steering inputs.

Thanks to seriously aggressive stability control that you'll encounter every day, the G63 is almost foolproof. It's also slow, ponderous and top-heavy, and every body motion is grossly exaggerated.

Twitchy brakes, tractor steering, tons of power and a mile of body roll make for an exciting but not necessarily good driving experience.

What should be a strong point for the G-Class isn't. Summer performance tires, touchy brakes, exposed catalytic converters and side-mounted exhaust in the crush zone add up to a vehicle that's more suited for the country club than the Rubicon.

When the G-Class was designed for the world's armies in the 1970s, comfort wasn't a priority, and it still isn't. Nevertheless, the G63 is a remarkably quiet place to spend time, and the front seats are well built and well contoured.

The front seats themselves are actually quite nice. Lots of adjustment, good bolstering and nice leather. The rear seats are wide and featureless. Unfortunately, neither position really has enough legroom for humans of average height or taller.

One of the bounciest, most active rides in memory. There's no impact harshness, but the springiness and lack of steering control make every road feel like a Disney ride. Fun, but not good.

Extremely quiet on the road. Minimal wind noise. No road noise. Near total isolation.

The G63's interior has a new display screen, a user-friendly tech interface and a host of other features, but that still doesn't fix the fact that there's no space. Even average-sized drivers don't fit well, it's hard to climb into, there's no lateral space and the back seats are worse.

With the caveat that the seating position puts you a little too close to stuff, the ergonomics of the G are actually quite good. Stalks and switches are well labeled and placed where you expect them to be, the tech interface is easy to use, and the big-dial HVAC switches are great.

It's a huge step up into a relatively small seat. You need to be active and flexible to get into this vehicle. Getting out is just as bad. Miss the skinny step, and you're overextended and on the ground. May explain why we see so many parked at yoga classes.

There's lots of headroom but no space for your arms, and the seats don't slide back far enough for even average-height drivers. The steering wheel and windscreen are always very close. The backseats are compromised in the same ways but have no adjustability.

The seating position is compromised for this reason: Forward visibility is exceptional. You can see the front corners and know where the tires are. The rearview camera and sonar make the G easy to park anywhere.

Build quality on the G63 is quite good, but you'd expect that from something this expensive. Panel gaps are big but even. The doors shut with a pleasing thunk.

Surprisingly subpar cargo area and cabin storage. The cargo area is tall, but the backseat leaves a large step when folded and doesn't fold horizontally. Awkward cabin storage, though there is a smattering of it.

No real front cupholder to speak of — one is behind you; the other a weird mesh pouch. The glovebox barely holds our logbook. Inconvenient door pockets. The center console bin is narrow and deep.

With the rear seats raised, 40.3 cubic feet of space is dead-flat and offers handy tie-downs. The seats flop forward, but they crash into the front seats doing so. Not terribly useful.