Mercedes G-Class review

If you’ve flicked through a celebrity magazine or visited Harrods lately, you’re probably familiar with the Mercedes G-Class. This square-sided SUV may be popular with the rich and famous, but it was initially developed as a military vehicle back in the 1970s.

The ‘G’ stands for Geländewagen, or ‘cross-country vehicle’, so the G-Class isn't a case of style over substance. Indeed, despite a number of big updates over the years, the looks and character haven’t really changed a great deal. This is very much an old-school 4x4 with rugged suspension, a separate chassis and a high centre of gravity – attributes that make it incredibly competent off road. The Mercedes G-Class can certainly go a lot farther than Kensington High Street; think of it as a posh Land Rover Defender and you’re not a million miles away. 

It’s certainly a lot pricier than your average 4x4, though, with basic models of the G-Wagen – as it’s affectionately tagged on the likes of Instagram – costing about the same as a mid-spec Range Rover or a heavily optioned Audi SQ7. But, despite its utilitarian persona, it exudes typical Mercedes luxury, with swathes of leather inside, a modern infotainment system and all the clever driving tech Mercedes can throw at it. And if that wasn’t enough, you can also have it with AMG tuning and a V8 engine in the Mercedes G63 AMG.

If the idea of this most iconic of luxury 4x4s appeals, click through to the next page to start reading our in-depth review. And while we can’t promise huge savings on the Mercedes G-Class, our New Car Buying service could net you a great discount on most other new SUVs.