Mercedes-Benz G-Class Review 2024

The Mercedes-Benz G-Class was replaced by an all-new model in 2018, but not that you’d notice. From the outside, at least, Mercedes’s clever ruse seeing the original G-Class, which soldiered on for over 40 years, swapped with another one that looks all but identical. That underlines not just the G-Class’s iconic status among buyers, but also within Mercedes-Benz itself, where it’s held in high regard. 

Only a handful of cars can claim production runs as long as the original G-Class, or ‘Gelandenwagen’ often shortened to ‘G-Wagen’, that wonderfully descriptive Germanic name roughly translating to ‘terrain vehicle’.

It might have been built as a tough, dependable 4x4 for commercial and military use, but through its near 50 years of production the G-Wagen morphed into a fashionable, desirable car, more likely to be parked outside the world’s most prestigious addresses.

Its three locking differentials and legendary off-road ability not really necessary for the glittering driveways of those buying it, but Mercedes-Benz staying true to its utilitarian roots with the replacement, regardless. 

Indeed, as replacements go, the G-Class’s is like getting the Beatles albums digitally remastered. It looks, and sounds, virtually identical, Mercedes-Benz’s engineers tasked with making things like the wing-top mounted protruding indicators pass modern pedestrian impact protection laws (they collapse when impacted), while also working to retained G-Class visual identifiers like the exposed door hinges, yet also to make them quiet when driving at speed.

That obsessive attention to detail even saw Mercedes-Benz work on how the doors sound when closing, the current G-Glass making the same satisfying metallic clunk when doing so. It achieved all this while only actually retaining about 10 parts from the original, the spare wheel cover being one, interior sun visors another and the towbar, too. The rest? We’ll leave that for you to work out. 

Its replacement was necessary, as the old car was increasingly difficult to get through ever-stricter safety regulations around the world.

To achieve that with the G-Class it’s now a bit bigger, but the dimensional changes have been hidden cleverly, and are to the benefit of interior space – which was never particularly brilliant in the original.

Like it, it sits on a ladder chassis, like all true off-roaders, and it’s got all the four-wheel drive locking differential hardware and axles articulating suspension underneath to tackle mountains. Literally; Mercedes-Benz’s traditional proving ground for the G-Class being the Schöckl Mountain, in Austria, indeed, inside the door jam of every G-Glass there’s a ‘Schöckl Proved’ badge to underline that. 

Few will ever get their tyres dirtier than a gymkhana meet or a game shoot, but like the Barbour jackets and Hunter wellies their owners will be wearing it’s about what the G-Class is capable of, rather than actually does that matters.

And it looks cool, the G-Class also somehow managing to escape the anti-SUV scorn its rivals receive, such is its enormous charm.

There’s an enormous price tag that comes with it, though, with two versions offered, a more pragmatic G350 d for around £100,000 and a Mercedes-AMG G63 version that pops a 585PS twin turbo 4.0-litre V8 under its bonnet, hangs its exhaust pipes out the side and adds about 50% to the price of the diesel. All a bit silly really, but hugely appealing, too, the G-Class is an icon, and rightly so.  

It might retain a separate ladder chassis upon which the body is mounted for the ultimate off-road ability, but Mercedes-Benz’s know-how has evidently accelerated over the near 50 years since the original was launched.

That frame is very stiff, allowing the suspension to work properly, with the steering in particular being revelatory here, the G-Class now steering with something approaching precision. The ride, too, is acceptable, even on the 22-inch wheels that come with the AMG model.

The go-faster version also comes as standard with variable dampers – these offered optionally on the G350 d – allowing a decent ride combined with good body control. 

There’s plenty grip, masses of traction and take it off-road and the G-Class is all but unstoppable – the G350 d better here because it’s not dealing with the compromises that come with the AMG’s more road-biased suspension. 

Two engines (for the UK, other markets getting a non-AMG V8 badged G500, too) ranging from mild to wild. The G350 d is an in-line six-cylinder turbodiesel unit, with 286PS and a thumping 600NM of torque.

We say mild, but really, a 7.4 second 0-62mph time and a 124mph top speed is more than enough for a car like the G-Class, the sizeable torque and plentiful ratios in the standard nine-speed automatic transmission making for easy, brisk progress.

If you want more speed then the AMG G63 will appeal. With a turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 borrowed from AMG’s performance cars – including the GT R – giving the G63 the ability to reach 62mph in 4.5 seconds and a 137mph top speed as standard, with AMG lightening your bank balance by a further £2000 if you want that raised to 149mph.

The AMG might be a little bit silly, but it’s hugely entertaining, with a glorious soundtrack to accompany the ridiculous performance.   

The Mercedes-AMG might be the fastest, most focussed model in the AMG line-up, but it comes under the Mercedes-Benz empire, which means you can be assured of safety.

The list of standard safety equipment is extensive, with all coming with ABS equipped brakes, traction and stability control systems, driver/passenger front, side, knee and thorax airbags, Traffic Sign Assist, front and rear cameras, variable speed cruise control and tyre pressure monitoring.

There’s Attention Assist, too, a driver monitoring system that keeps check of the driver’s drowsiness, Mercedes-Benz being an innovator in safety equipment and not scrimping with it, even on its rawest, most focussed model.

Powerful and four-wheel drive, the G-Class can haul. Whether it’s a horsebox, race car trailer, your boat or anything else, the G-Class is truck-like in its capacity to pull it, with an unbraked trailer rating of 750kg, and a braked trailer weight of 3500kg. It’ll recognise when it’s towing, too, with the ESP changing its reactions to suit, adding trailer stabilisation to make hauling as easy, and as safe, as possible.

Key here is the stretch in the wheelbase, which brings some extra legroom in the back, while the increase in width means there’s a bit more space across the cabin, too. It’ll still be a bit tight for three adults across the back seats, but three children should fit, so long as their car seats aren’t too bulky – the outer two seats having Isofix mounts. 

The boot is huge, with 667 litres of space back there, the rear seats folding (in a 66/33 split) to allow 1,246 litres of carrying capacity, but access to that space is by a side-hinged door, which does limit the access to that space a bit more than a conventional hatchback would. Oddment storage is good throughout, too, and it’ll haul pretty much anything, too, see ‘towing’ below for details.  

The build quality is impeccable, with the G-Class feeling like it’ll survive forever, because in all likelihood it will. With its luxury goods billing there’s the sort of soft leather finishes and choices of stitching and colours to appease such buyers, mixed with a sort of utilitarian chic that works given the G-Glass’s roots - that enough to forgive it the odd hint of hard plastic in the otherwise classy interior.

The AMG gets a bit more of a sporting look, so its steering wheel is cut off at the bottom and there’s angrier looking choices on the configurable dials, and an IWC clock in the dash, too. 

It might look ancient outside, but the infotainment inside is bang up to date. Using Mercedes-Benz’s latest MBUX (Mercedes-Ben User Experience) there’s a 12.3-inch screen containing the sort of connectivity configurability and equipment you’d expect in a luxury car, with things like sat nav, DAB, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto all standard.

It’s all operated either by touch, or via steering wheel controls or a Merc’s Comand click and turn controller – the G-Class thus far escaping the replacement of this excellent inputting control for the less easy touchpad that’s creeping in elsewhere in the Mercedes-Benz range.

There are configurable dials in front of you, and the option of rear-seat entertainment, while the AMG gets the Burmester surround sound stereo, it available optionally with the Premium equipment line pack on the diesel, which, combined with other features it brings, like the 360 degree parking camera, is a worthwhile option. 

The G-Class was never cheap, and that remains the case. The list price for an AMG Line G350 d starts at £96,220, but add that Premium equipment line pack mentioned above, for the better Burmester stereo, parking cameras, electric sunroof, LED headlight and adaptive damping adjustment for the suspension and the £6000 it costs tips you over the £100,000 mark.

Indeed, don’t expect to pay less than £110,000 if you start ticking the options, the Winter Pack, with its auxiliary heater and heated windscreen perfect for pre-warmed drives at your ski chalet, while things like metallic paint, contrasting roof colours and things like Nappa leather packs all adding up pretty quickly. 

The AMG model gains a lot of that equipment as standard, as you’d expect with its starting price not far off £150,000. With it you can pay £2,000 to have its speed limiter removed, to make your G-Class capable of 149mph, but we’re not sure if that’s really necessary. They’re expensive then, however, the G-Class has incredible residuals, so while it’s costly to buy, if you sell it it’ll retain a good chunk of that original outlay.  

Running costs on the diesel should be a good bit cheaper – relatively speaking here – than those for the AMG, chiefly down to the diesel’s better fuel consumption. 

The G350 d consumes 25.2-25.9mpg on the official combined consumption cycle, tested to WLTP standards, and that should be achievable, and more, on a longer, steady run. The AMG is a good bit more thirsty, which given its power isn’t really a surprise.

Officially, it returns between 18.6 and 18.8mpg on the combined cycle, which might be possible, but the likelihood is it’ll be less.

If you’re even remotely heavy of foot expect that figure to tumble. It’s heavy, so you’ll be certain to spend a fair bit on tyres and things like brake pads, particularly if you drive the AMG version with any enthusiasm. Insurance won’t be inexpensive, either, but at this price point that’s unlikely to be a surprise. 

The current line up comprises of the G350 d or the AMG G63. The G350 d has a huge standard specification including leather upholstery, climate control, MBUX, Apple CarPlay, Android Audio, 20-inch alloy wheels. To that we’d add the Premium Pack, which brings the upmarket Burmester hifi surround sound system, 360 degree parking cameras, LED healights, Adaptive damped suspension and an electric sliding sunroof. 

The G63 AMG has all the above, with more power, larger alloy wheels, AMG styling inside and out, AMG specific configuration of the instrument screens.