2017 Mercedes-Benz G-Class Review
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Edmunds' Expert Review
byJason Kavanagh
Senior Vehicle Test Engineer
Jason joined Edmunds' testing team in 2006 as a vehicle testing engineer. Jason believes true appreciation of modern cars stems from owning really, really bad old ones.Pros
- Iconic design is instantly recognizable
- Outstanding forward visibility
- Unusually quiet when driving on-road
- Lots of cosmetic customization potential
Cons
- Awful steering, handling, drivability and fuel economy
- Difficult to get into and out of
- Poor interior packaging leaves little useful space
- Compromised off-road ability
What’s new
For 2017 the G-Class gains a new variant: the G550 4x4², which gains more ground clearance, larger tires and a revised suspension. New cosmetic packages (Designo Manufaktur Luxury and Mojave packages, Night package) have been introduced.
Vehicle overview
The G-Class is at its core a nearly 40-year-old military vehicle that's been gradually metamorphosed into a luxury vehicle. Ultimately these mutations have resulted in something that's optimized for neither luxury nor off-road adventure. The G-Class is hilariously hard to get into and out of, steering inputs are met with indifference, and the usefulness of its cargo and storage areas is limited.
Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2017 Mercedes-Benz G-Class AMG G 63 4dr SUV 4WD (5.5L 8cyl Turbo 7A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.09 per gallon for premium unleaded in Virginia.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Virginia
$396/mo
G-Class AMG G 63
vs
$223/mo
Avg. Midsize SUV
Yet this iconic truck has experienced a boost in popularity in recent years that has defied logic. In European markets the G-Class is offered in a somewhat rational configuration with a diesel engine and tires with taller sidewalls. There, you could reasonably take a G-Class off-road and expect it to perform admirably, what with its full complement of locking differentials, high ground clearance, and steep approach and departure angles.
Here in the U.S., however, the G-Class offsets these purpose-driven attributes for the trappings of a luxury vehicle — powerful engines that demand plenty of fuel, relatively low-profile all-season tires (and high-performance summer tires on AMG variants!), acres of leather and precariously low-hanging exhaust pipes. AMG variants offer more power but only modest increases in swiftness. The G-Class is dripping with character but finds itself in a no-man's land of compromise. Maybe that's part of its appeal, twisted though it may be.
Edmunds' Expert Rating
2.5 / 5Despite its status-symbol nature, the 2017 Mercedes-Benz G-Class is a compromised if characterful machine. Its interior space is tight, and its on-road driving dynamics are uncooperative at best. In the bargain, its vaunted off-road chops have been neutered by road-biased tires and a low-hanging exhaust.
Trim tested
Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the 2015 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG (5.5L twin-turbo V8; 4x4; 7-speed automatic).
NOTE: Since this test was conducted, the current G-Class has received only minor, mostly cosmetic revisions and the addition of the G550 4x4² trim level. Our findings remain broadly applicable to this year's G-Class.
Scorecard
| Overall | 2.5 / 5 |
| Driving | 2.0 |
| Comfort | 2.0 |
| Interior | 1.0 |
| Utility | 2.5 |
Driving
2.0The G63's 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 makes a ton of power; unfortunately, it's very hard to actually drive this thing. Steering is comically bad, handling is worse, and thanks to high-performance tires and silly exhaust placement, it's a liability off-road.
Comfort
2.0When 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.
Interior
1.0The 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.
Utility
2.5Surprisingly 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.
Which G-Class does Edmunds recommend?
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 hardware of the AMG variants but with fewer of those models' concessions to on-road driving. Buyers simply seeking a status symbol should go straight to the range-topping, new-for-2017 G550 4x42 model. It is a bonkers machine that defies classification — a singularly unparalleled motorized device.
2017 Mercedes-Benz G-Class models
The 2017 Mercedes-Benz G-Class is a five-passenger SUV that is offered in four trim levels: G550, AMG G63, AMG G65 and G550 4x42 (as in "squared"). All versions are equipped with a seven-speed automatic transmission, live axles at both ends, full-time four-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case and three locking differentials, and they can tow up to 7,000 pounds. The G550 is entry-level only in a relative sense. It's extremely well-equipped — beyond its prodigious drivetrain hardware, it has leather-upholstered 10-way power-adjustable and heated seats, heated backseats, power-folding and heated mirrors, adaptive cruise, dual-zone climate control, navigation and premium audio. It's equipped with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 (416 horsepower, 450 pound-feet of torque).
