The Mercedes-Maybach GLS600 is a less useful GLS, but it is damn nice on the inside and super smooth out on the road. I logged a ton of miles in this one, and here’s what I found.
Disclaimer: Mercedes tossed us the keys to this GLS600 and included a tank of fuel.
About
This is far too luxe for my tastes, but for what they were trying to achieve, I think the interior is a knockout. The exterior, on the other hand, is a failure. I prefer restrained designs that don’t tack on every latest styling trend, and in that sense, this vehicle fits– it’s attempting to be handsome rather than garish. However, I feel it ends up rather homely and some details look cheap. That lower grill cover, for instance, looks like something a farmer would staple over a hole in the wall of his chicken coop. The upper grille– a potential character feature– is banal and featureless, like something from a mid-90s Buick. The rest of the body in general is just dull, somewhat pudgy, typical-SUV sheetmetal and plastic that you might not be surprised to find on any marque. Literally, remove the badges and black out the windows, and it might be difficult to pin down the manufacturer.
I realize for people who want to show off their money, you need something that carries a high price tag. But it’s strange how a $50k Genesis G80 can turn my head and elicit a quiet “damn!” from my lips, while this $160k behemoth only makes me shake my head and wonder about the huge disconnect between wealth and good taste.