The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is a full-size, Alabama-built sport utility offering three-row seating and a 7,500-pound towing capacity. 100,000 either with options or as the base price for the performance-oriented AMG model. The GL-Class is closely related to the five-passenger GLE-Class (formerly the ML), which is also built in Alabama, but it adds an extra row of seating and about a foot more length. Its styling is also a little more chunky than that of the GLE, with an upright grille, a more exaggerated front end, and a near-vertical rear. The look emphasizes the fact that the GL was intended as an alternative to some of Detroit鈥檚 fanciest truck-based SUVs鈥攁nd to rival their towing and off-road proficiency. With its abundant luxury touches and high level of refinement, the GL-Class can easily take on the Land Rover Range Rover as well as Cadillac's Escalade. After a 2014 redesign and a new engine option for 2015, the 2016 GL gets no changes of note.

The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is a full-size, Alabama-built sport utility offering three-row seating and a 7,500-pound towing capacity. 100,000 either with options or as the base price for the performance-oriented AMG model. The GL-Class is closely related to the five-passenger GLE-Class (formerly the ML), which is also built in Alabama, but it adds an extra row of seating and about a foot more length. Its styling is also a little more chunky than that of the GLE, with an upright grille, a more exaggerated front end, and a near-vertical rear. The look emphasizes the fact that the GL was intended as an alternative to some of Detroit鈥檚 fanciest truck-based SUVs鈥攁nd to rival their towing and off-road proficiency. With its abundant luxury touches and high level of refinement, the GL-Class can easily take on the Land Rover Range Rover as well as Cadillac's Escalade. After a 2014 redesign and a new engine option for 2015, the 2016 GL gets no changes of note.

For 2017, Mercedes will recast the line as the GLS-Class, which is in keeping with it's "GL" prefix denoting sport utility and "S," which indicates is positioning in line with the S-Class luxury sedan. The renaming is similar to other Mercedes-Benz models that have changed names; M-Class to GLE-Class, for example. With the seven-passenger GL, Mercedes-Benz has a five-SUV strategy in the U.S., which is capped by enduring G-Class. Mercedes-Benz does claim some off-road ability in the GL, and while it鈥檚 not a choice for rock-scrambling, it鈥檚 good for muddy or snowy trails or the kind of off-roading you鈥檇 encounter getting to a mountain hideaway. An off-road package adds skid plates and locking differentials, along with a Class IV hitch. All GL models can tow up to 7,500 pounds, but the diesel is probably the best bet for that. While the sheet metal appears to follow standard SUV styling guidelines, it's the interior that really differentiates the GL from lower-priced competitors鈥攁s well as some costing as much or even more than this three-row hauler. Everything has a quality feel, with excellent fit and finish, and design that's very reminiscent of the last S-Class models.

While it's a bit odd that, at this price, the lower-end GL models still come with vinyl upholstery as standard, it is at least a quality product, called MB-Tex, and leather is available for a little more. Visibility from the driver's seat is very good, and it's easy to find a comfortable seating position, especially with the optional contour seats. The second-row seats are very roomy and accommodating, while the third row is decent for adults on short trips. When not in use, the third row can be electrically lowered into a flat load floor. The switch to the GLS-Class name is expected to coincide with a mid-cycle refresh of the three-row Mercedes crossover, which is likely to arrive for the 2017 model year. Mercedes may add a Mercedes-Maybach version of the GLS-Class at that time as well, featuring even finer interior trimmings and other unique styling and equipment. In its first generation, the GL-Class was offered in three different models鈥攖he GL 450, GL 550, and GL 350 BlueTec. All of the models came with a 7-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The GL-Class changed very little between its 2006 introduction and the 2013 model year. In 2009 it received a revised, improved version of the infotainment interface. Also in 2009, the availability of the diesel engine was expanded to 50 states. In the 2010 model year, all versions received a mild styling update. A new GL-Class arrived for 2013, bringing with it revised looks as well as weight reductions to improve efficiency, performance, and handling. For 2015, Mercedes updated the GL 450's engine. It swapped the V-8 for a high-output version of the company's new twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6, tuned to 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque.

Among the many life-saving features on the GL-Class is the innovative ATTENTION ASSIST system that can alert the driver to the first signs of drowsiness, a factor that causes more than 100,000 accidents a year in the U.S. A steering sensor is coupled to smart software that uses 70 parameters to establish a unique driver profile during the first 20 minutes of driving. Between 50 and 112 mph, the system identifies the erratic steering corrections drivers make as they begin to get drowsy and triggers an audible warning, and a 鈥淭ime for a Rest? 鈥?message with a coffee cup icon appears in the instrument cluster. Other examples of trailblazing safety innovations include: Active Lane Keeping Assist, which alerts the driver by simulating rumble strip vibration in the steering wheel if the car drifts from its lane without the turn signals on. It operates at speeds above 37 mph via a system that recognizes lane markings, thanks to a small camera in the windshield and a computer that analyzes the video images.