Mercedes-Benz’s seven-passenger GL-Class was redesigned for 2013 with all-new styling inside and out. It wasn’t just a new face; interior room and standard features were increased, plus two new turbocharged V-8 engines and a re-engineered diesel V-6 were available under the hood.
With three rows of seats standard, the GL-Class competes with flagship SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade, the Infiniti QX56 and the Lexus LX 570. (Skip to details on: GL63 AMG) New for 2014 After being redesigned last year, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is mostly unchanged. The company’s Splitview dashboard screen is available as a special order option on the GL-Class for 2014. Splitview allows the driver and passenger to view two different images on the center dashboard screen. For example, the driver can see the navigation information on the screen, while the passenger can watch a movie at the same time. Exterior Highlights
Air suspension and available active stabilizer bars to mitigate body lean
Standard 19-inch alloy wheels; 20-inch and 21-inch wheels available
Aluminum running boards
Interior Highlights
4.5-inch screen between the main gauges
Standard knob-based Comand system
Dash comes stitched in faux leather
Available leather upholstery
Power-folding third row and available power-tumbling second-row seats to access third row
Under the Hood
GL350 BlueTec 4Matic has 240-horsepower, turbodiesel V-6 engine that makes 455 pounds-feet of torque
GL450 4Matic uses a 362-hp, twin-turbo V-8 with direct injection that produces 406 pounds-feet of torque
GL550 4Matic employs a 429-hp, twin-turbo V-8 with direct injection that makes 516 pounds-feet of torque
Available off-road package includes skid plates, a two-stage transfer case, a locking center differential and air-suspension adjustments to render up to 12 inches of ground clearance
Mercedes says the GL-Class can ford nearly 2 feet of water when equipped with off-road package
Safety Features
Electronic stability system
Antilock brakes
Side-impact airbags front and rear
Side curtain airbags
Driver’s knee airbag
Available collision warning and mitigation system
Attention Assist to alert sleepy drivers
Crosswind Stabilization keeps the GL in its lane during high winds
Available blind spot warning system
Available lane departure warning system
Available surround-view camera
Available PreSafe system augments collision mitigation with automatic braking
GL63 AMG Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG packs big power into a big SUV. To be exact, there’s 550 horsepower from the twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V-8 that sends power through a seven-speed automatic transmission.
Like the regular GL-Class, there’s room for seven occupants in three rows, though this GL63 can take passengers to a top speed of 174 mph.
Standard all-wheel drive splits 60 percent of the power to the rear wheels and 40 percent to the front
Active suspension with multiple Comfort or Sport driving modes
Panoramic sunroof
Widened fenders that fit 12-inch-wide tires on 21-inch wheels
