Mercedes-Benz GL 420 CDI

Expert Rating:

Introduction

The Mercedes GL is one of those forgotten models in the Mercedes line-up, it sitting above the more popular ML in the SUV range. It's vast too, with seven usable seats and all the off-road ability of its rivals.

What are its rivals?

This GL weighs in at a whopping £64,000 - or nearly £70,000 with all the fancy options Mercedes has thrown at our test car. That puts it up against the mighty Range Rover, the Mercedes GL facing up to rock-crawling aristocracy. You might consider an Audi Q7 too, or a very highly specified BMW X5 as an alternative, as you might luxury saloons coming from the big premium players.

How does it drive?

For something so vast the GL feels remarkably wieldy. It's not as wide as its rivals meaning it's not quite so scary in traffic and width restrictors won't result in complete panic. The air suspension offers variable driving characteristics, the GL as soft and squashy as you like in Comfort mode or rather firm and crashy in Sport. We preferred Comfort, the GL feeling rather nice on its softer suspension soaking up all the worst bumps in the road. It is very soft though, the cosseting ride coming at the expense of control; pitch it into a corner in this guise and the GL rolls around a great deal. Pushing the Sport button sorts this out, though even firmed up suspension isn't ever going to manage to defy the laws of physics - the GL is a big and heavy vehicle. Which makes its fine handling something of a surprise. There's decent weight to the steering and a semblance of agility when you do push it.

It'll crawl anywhere off-road too, the 4x4 hardware and that adjustable suspension coming into its own in the mire. What really dominates the driving experience in this GL though is the engine. The 4.0-litre V8 turbodiesel could power an oil tanker so it makes light work of the GL - despite its scale. Acceleration is extraordinarily easy, the GL hauling itself to 62mph in just 7.6 seconds. It's through the gears though where it feels most impressive, the GL surprisingly rapid. That makes driving it very easy; this is helped by the slick seven-speed automatic transmission.

What's impressive?

The easy pace and the way that the GL shrinks around you. Unlike its competition the GL doesn't feel like you're piloting a battle tank when you're in town. It's quite narrow and that helps enormously when buses and trucks are squeezing past in the oncoming traffic. Its long though, which gives it the ability to seat seven - in comfort. The interior is brilliantly laid out and the seats are all very comfortable and supportive, the rearmost ones lifted by electric motors. With only five on board the boot is vast, even if access to it is rather high up.

The engine never feels like it's struggling, which given its output is hardly surprising. It's refined too, and when you do hear it the noise isn't unpleasant either. It actually sounds rather appealing. The standard Bluetooth system works brilliantly and the standard specification coming with everything you could ever want.

What's not?

Smart as the interior lay out and build quality is, the GL lacks the sense of occasion of the Range Rover. The GL's length makes it a tricky machine to find a parking space for and even when you do it's quite a job getting it in. At this price we think rear side airbags should be included as standard too, as should the powered tailgate. Kitted out with darkened privacy glass and automatically dimming rear mirrors, visibility out the back is pretty difficult at night, so it's easy to lose motorcyclists and pedestrians in the darkened mirrors.

Fuel economy isn't brilliant either, the GL 420 CDI only claiming a 24.4mpg combined economy figure. In reality that's going to be a good chunk less; expect sub-20mpg figures in normal use. CO₂ emissions aren't great either at 307g/km, so fill up all those seats every time you use it to make sure you're doing your bit to reduce your environmental impact.

Should I buy one?

As a spacious and comfortable seven-seat enabled alternative to a Range Rover the GL is definitely worth considering. It's got more gravitas and class than the rather footballer spec Audi Q7 and will get you anywhere a Range Rover can. It's friendlier around town to drive than such rivals too, even if it can't quite match the Range Rover for its interior ambience and sense of occasion. That shouldn't rule out a test drive if you're after a big, spacious premium SUV.

Kyle Fortune