Big luxury on the inside
Premium leather upholstery is found wall to wall; literally. The dashboard, the steering wheel and the door cards are dripping with the stuff. One of my favourite details about these Mercedes vehicles will always be the

Photo: Philippe Champoux

stitching that brings all these hides together. The layout of the instrument is fine and mostly logical. As one learns to navigate the multitude of controls, the sheer number of buttons becomes less impressive.

The large front buckets and I mean large, are comfortable and provide just enough lateral support. The 2nd row split folding bench can accommodate three passengers with ease and with very few complaints. The GL 450 is one of the very rare vehicles that can actually claim that the 3rd row of seats is actually liveable. When said row is electrically stowed in the "down" position, cargo space abounds. It is especially easy to access when the truck is equipped with the power tailgate, which is available with the Premium package. Speaking of volume, the cabin is plenty roomy for one and all and their gear.

Perhaps not as handsome on the outside
Nearly everyone that I showed the truck to and spoke to mentioned that

Photo: Olivier Delorme

they were not crazy about the front-end treatment and that there was something odd about the design. I think it is only a matter of time before the GL's fascia becomes one of the new faces of the "bling" crowd. Certainly the chiselled fenders and rising beltline, not to mention the Three Pointed Star, will have this SUV in many posh settings or driveways.

Pricing for the GL starts at $76,500 and will fetch over $100,000 with options.



Good stuff:
Smooth and powerful V8
Beautiful cabin

No so good stuff:
As always, for the price, certain items should be standard

Competitors:
Audi Q7
Toyota Sequoia
Lexus LX470
Cadillac Escalade
GMC Yukon Denali
Chrysler Aspen
Lincoln Navigator
Range Rover