Review: Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (2006 – 2013)

Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (2006 – 2013): At A Glance

• Insurance Groups are between 49–50
• On average it achieves 84% of the official MPG figure

What does a Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (2006 – 2013) cost?

Compare new Mercedes-Benz GL-Class deals

View offers

List Price from	£37,120
Buy new from	£35,332

Buy a used Mercedes-Benz GL-Class from £27,990

£27,990
2013 Mercedes-Benz GL Class GL350 BlueTEC AMG Sport 5dr Tip Auto

£31,840
2014 Mercedes-Benz GL Class GL350 BlueTEC AMG Sport 5dr Tip Auto

View more cars for sale

Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (2006 – 2013): What's It Like Inside?

• Boot space is 300–2300 litres

Though only a foot longer than the 4,780mm ML it feels a much bigger vehicle. You're aware of that as soon as you climb aboard. It's also squarer at the front, with less of a rake to the screen. And it's an honest 7-seater. I actually spent twenty miles in one of the rearmost seats and would have been happy to spend 300 miles there. The ride quality, the shape of the seat, the legroom, the toe-room under the seat in front, the sunroof above and the view forward between the three head restraints in front of you all help to make it a very comfortable place to travel, despite being located right over the rear axle. There is about 18" of luggage space behind (300 litres), but if you want to carry stuff instead of people, the seats automatically fold at the press of a button.

As with all latest generation 7GTRONICs the transmission is not only very co-operative, it's a doddle to drive. A little lever on the steering column selects Drive, Neutral, Reverse and Park. This helps enormously with three-point turns because all you have to do is move the lever either up or down to select forward and reverse from each other. To put it in park you merely press the end of the lever.But there is a visibility problem when reversing.

The big mirrors alone and the reversing beepers just aren't enough. It really needs the PARKTRONIC reverse park assist system with reverse parking camera as on top versions of the XC90. Despite being capable of carrying six to seven people and their luggage 800 miles in a day, crossing deserts, fording rivers, climbing mountains and whatever, or towing a boat or a large caravan, some GLs will inevitably find themselves pressed into duty on the school run. And in all honesty, they're a bit big for that.

Child seats that fit a Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (2006 – 2013)

Our unique Car Seat Chooser shows you which child car seats will fit this car and which seat positions that they will fit, so that you don't have to check every car seat manufacturer's website for compatibility.

Which car seat will suit you?

What's the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (2006 – 2013) like to drive?

• Engines range from GL350 CDI BlueEfficiency to GL500
• Readers report Real MPG to be between 15–28 mpg

Engines for the UK are a 224PS 3.0 litre V6 diesel, a 306PS 4.0 litre V8 diesel and a 388PS 5.5 litre V8 petrol. The 4.0 litre V8 diesel is a new engine. Other markets also get a new 340PS 4.7 litre V8 petrol, All feed their power to the 4MATIC four wheel drive system via Mercedes 7-speed 7GTRONIC automatic transmission, and all have AIRMATIC suspension that enables you to raise the height of the body in three stages according to the severity of terrain you are asking the car to tackle. Kerb weight is a substantial 2,430kg to 2,550kg, allowing a braked towing weight of 3,500kg.

We drove three versions, the 420 CDI, the 500 and the 320 CDI over a variety of roads, terrain and even rivers in Iceland.

It has the same 7GTRONIC shifter toggles behind the steering wheel as the ML and SLK. Forward gets a lower gear. Back gets a higher gear. You can do this in manual or automatic modes, selected by a button on the console, but manual locks it in whatever gear you have selected until you change. For off road use, the two dials of the same standard ‘Off Road Pro' system (optional on the ML) allow you to select suspension height, locked centre diff and locked rear diff. At maximum ground clearance of 307mm and with the rear diff locked you are restricted to 30kph.

This system works very well indeed. So well that an off-road route playing follow-my-leader down a river was like a walk in the park. The accelerator pedal allows you to adjust your speed very finely or keep to a constant speed, which is often best policy while fording rivers.

Despite being fitted with Dunlop Grandtrek AT2 M+S tyres, the car handled very decently indeed for a big 4x4 on the road. Communicative steering, MB's heavily sensored ‘Dynamic Handling System', and the 7GTRONIC shifter enabled it to be hustled along at serious speeds (we saw 200kph in the 500), or simply cruised at a comfortable 120-130.

Though obviously the new 420 CDI is the engine of choice, the 320 CDI does the job more than adequately and doesn't ever feel underpowered in the manner of the 2.7TDV6 in the Discovery 3 or Range Rover. And you can justify it to Ken Livingston on the grounds it's a bus, capable of carrying 7 people comfortably, while delivering far lower emissions and much better fuel economy per person than a 40 seater bus containing 7. Despite the GL's bulk I preferred it to drive both on and off road to the ML.

Later I had a chance to get re-acquainted with RHD versions on UK roads and off them on a severe off-road course.

Only the GL420 CDI and GL500 were available on this occasion, and on UK roads there's not much difference between them in performance terms. Surprisingly, the 500 is slightly more fussy, needing to change gear more frequently to sustain the same sort of pace. The size is no impediment, as they seem to shrink around the driver and corner very nimbly. I preferred the driving experience to the R Class, though it has to be added that the R Class I drove was only a 320 CDI.

Off-road we had ample opportunity to try all modes of the Off-Road Pro system, employing the highest suspension setting, low range gears, centre and rear diff locks and manual gearchange as appropriate. It took everything the course could throw at it, seemingly with distain. And the cars we used were the same GLs we drove to and from the venue, all on Pirelli Scorpion M+S road tyres that both plugged through the mud and were pleasantly quiet on the motorway.

It may be huge, but the GL is currently the biggest and best SUV on the UK market and the only one capable of carrying seven for long distances in comfort. It pips even the Discovery 3 at that job.

Road test

Mercedes Benz Mercedes-Benz GL-Class 2006 Road Test

Real MPG average for a Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (2006 – 2013)

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

What have we been asked about the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (2006 – 2013)?

Every day we're asked hundreds of questions from car buyers and owners through Ask Honest John. Our team of experts, including the nation's favourite motoring agony uncle - Honest John himself - answer queries and conudrums ranging from what car to buy to how to care for it as an owner. If you could do with a spot of friendly advice before buying you're next car, get in touch and we'll do what we can to help.

Ask HJ

How reliable is the Mercedes-Benz GL?

I'm considering buying a luxury 4x4 seven-seater. I'm tempted by a Mercedes-Benz GL500 which has LPG conversion for £16,000 (80,000 miles) so running costs should be under control. But I have read some issues with reliability and repair costs. I understand being a Mercedes-Benz the repair costs are not going to be low, but I just wanted to know the reliability and typical repair costs (not from main dealer of-course). Can you help?

Potential nightmare. Not only is the GL one of the most expensively unreliable cars on Warranty Direct's books, this one adds to it with an LPG conversion that could add another long list of expensive reliability issues.

Answered by Honest John

More Questions

What Cars Are Similar To The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class (2006 – 2013)?

Unclear on what your next car should be? Use our Car Chooser to pick something that suits your needs.

KIA Sportage (2016 on)

Porsche Cayenne (2010 - 2017)

Honda HR-V (2015 on)

Top 10: Crossovers for 2019

Top 10: Best SUVs and crossovers for under £20k