We wish that the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 were appealing to those other than the 3-year lease buyers or 4-years to trade-in owners. It’s such a beautiful SUV.

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 is a beautiful, well-executed sport utility with an unusually roomy interior and cargo area. This high praise is mitigated by the lower reliability and warranty offering the Mercedes brand brings. For those buying new and expecting to trade in three years, those downsides are not a problem.

For us, the GLS 450 is a sehnsucht of a vehicle, having a lot that we long for in the luxury segment. But without necessarily being the top choice despite that.

Still, the 2024 GLS 450 offers a great powertrain, a strong road presence, more comfort than any competitor we can name, and a great look. It’s a highly appealing three-row option for buyers who can afford what the full-sized luxury SUV market now demands as a price tag.

The GLS and Escalade are clear rivals with similar amounts of luxury. The Escalade is no longer purely American in ostentation and includes a lot of European flavor to its interior experience. Comparatively, the GLS is less truck-like in drive quality.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS is a more luxurious option compared to the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, but the Jeep includes more off-road prowess and a smoother all-weather capability by comparison. The choice here will largely come down to styling preference and capability needs.

The Range Rover is often the benchmark for luxury and capability in the large luxury SUV segment. The Mercedes-Benz GLS, though, outclasses the Rover in luxury. The GLS also has a roomier third row and better cargo space.

The base price for the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS is about $88,000 plus delivery. Most buyers enter the six figure arena when purchasing a new GLS, however, after adding accessories.

The table below shows the most common trim levels and how much they will run you.

A new front and rear design for the Mercedes-Benz GLS includes redesigned bumpers, a new (less aggressive) look for the grille, and some changes for the LED tail lamps. These cosmetic changes bring the GLS some upgrades from its 2020 debut, giving it a more modern design.

Technology changes include a major update to infotainment, with Mercedes’ new MBUX system offering voice-activate and natural-language controls. Which means one can merely say “Hey, Mercedes,” and then ask for what is needed. This includes setting navigation while already on the road, interior lighting changes, radio tuning changes, and more. It’s one of the best systems in the business right now.

Driver aid upgrades include tuning for some of the already included systems as well as the addition of evasive steering assistance (adds to forward collision mitigation with steering-based avoidance), active lane change assistance (changes lanes automatically when adaptive cruise is engaged and driver activation of turn signal), and more. A full suite of safety systems is now standard on the GLS.

The GLS 450 is one of three models for the GLS, the other two having larger engine options and sport-centric tuning. The GLS 450 uses a well-vetted 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine that outputs a respectable 375 horsepower. This mates to a nine-speed automatic transmission with all-wheel drive as standard. An adaptive air suspension is also standard on the GLS.

These come together with a strong appeal when on the road. The Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 feels well balanced and often maneuvers as if it were a smaller vehicle. It’s a testament to German engineering. This is especially evident when the E-Active Body Control suspension upgrades are in place.

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 is a wonderful SUV to drive with a quiet interior, strong road dynamic, and comfortable feel. It’s adequate in inclement weather, but not a great off-road goer if that’s expected of a large SUV like this.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) does not often crash test luxury vehicles like the GLS. So there are no ratings from that organization for this SUV.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has not published crash test results for the 2024 GLS either.

Our only metric for the GLS in terms of safety is the host of standard safety equipment that it includes. That is a big plus to the “how safe is it?” question. Not enough for us to declare this Mercedes a definite safe pick, but it’s more than nothing.

Higher-end SUVs with high price tags like the GLS are not easy to find reliability information for. What is available, though, suggests that the Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 is the most reliable of the three GLS models, thanks to its comparatively less complex drivetrain. Overall, however, the luxury segment and the Mercedes-Benz brand do not have high reliability expectations when compared to the rest of the automotive market.

Buyers at this level, though, are not often as concerned with reliability beyond the first three years of ownership, when the vehicle is under full factory warranty. Used buyers can expect the usual concerns with the GLS.

We recommend adding the E-Active Body Control suspension upgrades and the Acoustic Comfort Package to lessen both cabin noise and greenhouse heat. The 29-speaker Burmester sound system is a decadence, but well worth the price for audiophiles.

For those with a camper or boat, the GLS 450 can tow 7,700 pounds with an optional trailer hitch installation.

Mercedes-Benz warranties for the GLS 450 are below average for the segment. Powertrain coverage is a year less than most competitors and there is no included maintenance, unlike many luxury brands.

• Basic: 4 years / 50k miles
• PowerTrain: 4 years / 50k miles
• Emissions systems: 8 years / 60k miles
• Tire protection: 1 year / 12k miles
• If buying used look at our best extended warranties

There are some used models of the GLS 450 entering the market as lease trade-ins begin to arrive in lots. These used models can mean significant savings over the new version of the vehicle, but come with the caveat that there’s likely no warranty coverage available for the SUV.

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