2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 GL-Class, and includes Mercedes GL safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is not to be confused with the legendary G-Wagen SUV, the boxy one based on an old German military vehicle. The GL-Class is far more sophisticated than that. However, this isn’t some silly crossover – it’s a real SUV with genuine off-road capability combined with luxurious accommodations for up to seven passengers.

Mercedes-Benz updates the GL with standard LED running lights and new interior trim for 2012, and the reversing camera monitor now offers guidance lines to help the driver better plan a path around obstacles. Otherwise, the 2012 GL-Class is the same as last year’s model.

The GL-Class is available in three very different flavors: the GL350 BlueTEC with a clean-diesel turbocharged six-cylinder engine, the GL450 with a V8 engine, and the GL550 with a more powerful V8 and all the trimmings.

The GL350 BlueTEC and GL450 are very close in price and are equipped almost identically. Highlights from their standard equipment list include dual-zone automatic climate control, heated power front seats, genuine Burl Walnut wood interior trim, a power sunroof with a glass panel over the third-row seat, a COMAND in-dash control screen with a stereo and a CD/DVD changer, and Bluetooth hands-free connectivity. The third-row seat features power folding operation, and the GL includes a HomeLink programmable remote control, rain-sensing wipers, a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel, and Mbrace telematics with a free six-month subscription. Each GL-Class comes with 4Matic all-wheel drive, an AirMatic height adjustable self-leveling suspension, and skid plates, while the ML350 BlueTec adds 20-inch aluminum wheels with run-flat tires. The GL450 has standard 19-inch wheels and regular tires, despite the fact that it is slightly more expensive than the turbo-diesel model.

When most buyers choose a GL350 BlueTEC or GL450, they upgrade with one or two Premium Packages. Premium Package 1 adds a COMAND upgrade with satellite radio, an iPod/USB connection, HD Radio, a 4GB Music Register hard drive for music storage, Gracenote database software, an SD card slot, and enhanced voice control. The COMAND system also features a hard-drive navigation system with real-time traffic reporting and a Zagat Survey restaurant guide. Other upgrades that comes with this package include a rearview camera, a power liftgate, a power tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, a memory system for the driver’s preferences, power folding and auto-dimming side mirrors, a compass in the rearview mirror, and a 115-volt power outlet.

The Premium 2 Package includes all of these items plus Keyless Go entry and push-button ignition and a premium 610-watt Harmon Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system. Since the GL450 comes standard with 19-inch wheels that simply will not do, an Appearance Package adds 20-inch alloys shod with run-flat tires, and a set of snazzy aluminum side steps.

If that’s not enough, the GL350 BlueTEC and GL450 can be equipped with a wood-and-leather steering wheel, a heated steering wheel, triple-zone automatic climate control, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and premium ambient cabin lighting. Full leather seating is also optional on these models, along with a rear-seat entertainment system with dual screens, wireless headphones, and a DVD player. Additional extras include Parktronic parking sensors, a Blind Spot Assist system, bi-Xenon headlights with Active Curve Illumination and heated headlamp washers, and aluminum running boards. Buyers can also outfit the GL-Class with trailering equipment, and dealers are happy to install more stuff if you want it.

The GL550 comes loaded with everything listed above, plus 21-inch AMG wheels, unique front styling, fender flares, infrared reflecting glass, and an Adaptive Damping suspension with Comfort and Sport modes. Buyers can also swap the standard Burl Walnut wood trim with a Light Birch selection. There are no option packages for the GL550; the only extras are a handful of dealer-installed accessories.

Choosing a new GL-Class is mainly about what’s under the hood, not the equipment that’s available on each model.

The least expensive model, the GL350 BlueTEC, is equipped with a Common Rail Direct Injection turbo-diesel V6 engine that makes 210 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and a whopping 400 pound-feet of torque between 1,600 and 2,800 rpm. A seven-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters puts the power through a 4Matic all-wheel-drive system.

To meet emissions regulations in all 50 states, an AdBlue exhaust treatment system is employed in the GL350 BlueTEC. Acceleration to 60 mph takes 9.4 seconds, according to Mercedes, while the EPA expects this model to get 17 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway.

The GL450 is slightly more expensive than the GL350 BlueTEC, and is equipped with a 4.6-liter V8 making 335 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 339 lb-ft of torque between 2,700 and 5,000 rpm. Like the GL350 BlueTEC, the GL450 is equipped with a seven-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and 4Matic all-wheel drive. Acceleration to 60 mph is dramatically improved at 7.1 seconds by the Mercedes stopwatch, but it comes at the expense of fuel economy ratings, which drop to 13 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway. Also, this engine requires premium fuel.

The pricey Mercedes-Benz GL550 has a 5.5-liter V8 good for 382 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 391 lb-ft of twist between 2,800 and 4,800 rpm. It, too, is equipped with a seven-speed automatic and 4Matic all-wheel drive, and the GL550 is the quickest of the bunch to 60 mph, which arrives in 6.4 seconds. Fuel economy, not unexpectedly, is the worst of the bunch, coming in at 12-city/17-highway.

The 2012 Mercedes GL-Class certainly isn’t lacking when it comes to safety features. Seven airbags (which Mercedes claims protect occupants 13 different ways), Neck-Pro active front head restraints, four-wheel vented-disc antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist, and a stability and traction control system are all standard. The GL is also equipped with hill start assist, trailer stability assist, and Pre-Safe technology that can recognize when a collision is about to occur and tightens the seatbelts, closes the windows and sunroof, and moves the front seats into an optimum position to maximize protection. Finally, the Mbrace telematics system includes service that can help speed rescuers to the GL’s exact location after a crash has occurred.

Refreshingly (to us, anyway), the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is devoid of many of the safety technologies that are increasingly common on luxury models, and which take control of a vehicle whether the driver wants them to or not. Safety related options are limited to Parktronic parking sensors, a Blind Spot Assist system, and bi-Xenon headlights with Active Curve Illumination.

How all this stuff works in an actual crash is a bit of a mystery. The GL is heavy, so it tends to do better when colliding with a smaller vehicle. But because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) had not tested the GL as this review was written, official ratings are unavailable.

As far as reliability is concerned, the GL is rated average in this regard by J.D. Power and Associates. Consumer Reports holds a dimmer outlook, rating the GL as below average for its likelihood to provide trouble-free motoring for years to come.

With the optional Class IV trailer hitch, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class can tow up to 7,500 pounds. In terms of cargo volume, the GL provides 14.3 cubic-feet behind the third-row seat, 43.8 cu-ft of cargo space behind the second-row seat, and a maximum cargo volume measurement of 83 cu-ft. These measurements fall short compared to other large luxury SUVs.

Yes, this is a large luxury SUV, capable of carrying seven passengers, and weighing anywhere from 5,346 to 5,545 pounds.

The standard 4Matic all-wheel-drive system divides power in a permanent 45:55 front-to-rear split. A 4-Wheel Electronic Traction System can distribute the bulk of power to the individual wheel with the most grip, if necessary. With the AirMatic suspension raised to its highest setting, the GL provides 10.9 inches of maximum ground clearance.

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

On paper, the Mercedes-Benz GL-Class isn’t terribly competitive with many other big luxury SUVs. It tows less, hauls less, offers less, and costs more. It’s not particularly reliable, and it’s definitely not fuel-efficient. So why would someone buy it, aside from the brand prestige associated with its three-pointed-star grille emblem? Because it has an air of authenticity and solidity about it, something discernable only with a test drive. This SUV is old-school, and we love it.

-- By Christian Wardlaw