Mercedes-Benz calls it the S-Class of SUVs, and this time, the GLS has the hardware to back that claim up properly. This is not a regular facelift with a shinier grille and a fresh paint catalogue. The new GLS gets revised engines, upgraded suspension tech, a fully reworked digital interface, stronger assistance systems, and a cabin that leans even harder into luxury.
And yes, because this is still a flagship Mercedes, the upright bonnet star is back. In some markets, it even lights up. Old-money Mercedes energy, now with software to back it up.
What Are The Changes To The Exterior Design On The New GLS?
It still looks like a GLS, which is no bad thing. Mercedes has not messed with the formula too much, but it has clearly made the SUV look more upright and more expensive. The larger radiator grille now gets a distinctive chrome frame, contour lighting, chrome fins, and the familiar Mercedes pattern worked into the face.
The redesigned front bumper adds more visual width and presence, while the latest headlamps and taillamps use the star-shaped light signature now spreading across the Mercedes line-up, including on the new GLE Class.
At the rear, a trim section with an integrated Mercedes emblem visually connects the tail-lamps, making the SUV look lower and wider. New paint finishes include Dark Petrol flat and Manufaktur Patagonia Red metallic, while the wheel range now includes fresh 21-inch and 22-inch options.
Exterior highlights:
- Larger radiator grille with chrome detailing and contour lighting
- Upright bonnet star, illuminated in selected markets
- New front bumper for a more commanding face
- Star-signature headlamps and taillamps
- New 21-inch and 22-inch wheel designs
- Standard panoramic roof measuring over 1 square metre
That panoramic roof deserves a mention on its own, because it spans nearly the full length and width of the roof. One section can tilt and slide electrically over the rear panel. On a car this size, it matters. It helps the cabin feel properly airy rather than merely enormous.
What’s New Under The Hood Of The Mercedes-Benz GLS?
This is where this facelift gets interesting for anyone who still cares about what happens beneath the bonnet.
Mercedes-Benz GLS 580:
The GLS 580 now produces 530hp, up from 509hp, while torque rises from 730Nm to 750Nm. More importantly, the 4.0L V8 now comes with a flat-plane crankshaft. Mercedes says the switch is about meeting future emissions standards, though it should also sharpen the engine’s response. The torque band stretches from 2,500 to 4,500 rpm, which should make this thing feel properly effortless in the mid-range.
Mercedes-Benz GLS 450:
The GLS 450 keeps its 3.0L six-cylinder petrol engine, but it is now more responsive and develops 560Nm of torque, a 12% increase. Mercedes credits the gains to a more powerful electric auxiliary compressor, revised cylinder-head flow, modified camshaft design, and other combustion and aftertreatment upgrades.
Mercedes-Benz GLS 350d & 450d
The diesel engines have had meaningful work done too. Both the GLS 350d and GLS 450d now get an electrically heated catalyst, plus aluminium construction for the block and head, which helps trim front-axle weight. Mercedes also throws in Nanoslide cylinder liners and high-tech steel pistons with shaker cooling. Supercool stuff that’s still relevant to Europe, but not as much to the GCC.
Mercedes has also improved refinement with additional insulation around the transmission tunnel, engine bulkhead, engine cover, and bodyshell cavities across all trims and models. A big luxury SUV should not just be quick. It should isolate the outside world so effectively that roadworks feel like someone else’s problem.
What’s Your Pick?
New Mercedes-Benz GLS
BMW X7
Porsche Cayenne
Audi Q8
Does The New GLS Come With A New Suspension System?
The GLS has always leaned toward comfort, but Mercedes has doubled down here. Standard AIRMATIC air suspension now works with new cloud-based damper regulation. In simple terms, the vehicle can prepare for bumps before it reaches them. Using Car-to-X data, a Mercedes-Benz ahead can transmit road information to the cloud, allowing the GLS to adjust damping in advance.
That sounds like exactly the kind of feature that marketing departments would normally ruin with over-explanation, but the actual result seems useful. Mercedes says it is especially effective over longer artificial speed bumps, where the new GLS is designed to glide through with less disruption, particularly for passengers in the rear.
Then there is E-Aactive Body Control, which remains one of the cleverest suspension systems fitted to any large SUV. The control units analyse the driving situation 1,000 times per second and can individually adjust spring and damper forces at each wheel. That means better body control in corners, less nosedive under braking, less squat under acceleration, and the ability to keep the body level regardless of load.
Chassis tech highlights:
- Standard AIRMATIC air suspension
- New cloud-based damper control
- Car-to-X data used to prepare for bumps in advance
- E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL analyses conditions 1,000 times per second
- More than 20 sensors and five multi-core processors support the system
- 48-volt architecture allows energy recuperation on poor roads
This is still a big SUV, not a sports car in disguise, but Mercedes is clearly trying to make it feel less clumsy than something of this size should be.
What New Tech Does The 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLS Come With?
The outgoing GLS was starting to feel like it belonged to a previous chapter of Mercedes interiors. The new one gets the standard MBUX Superscreen, which places three 12.3-inch displays under one glass panel across the dashboard. It looks futuristic, but crucially, Mercedes has not deleted everything tactile in the process.
There are still proper physical controls where they matter, and the steering wheel now uses Mercedes’ signature “rocker-and-roller” control concept with galvanised metal rollers. That should keep daily usability intact.
The digital layer is much deeper now too. The MBUX Virtual Assistant can handle more complex voice interactions, navigation uses Google Maps tech with Mercedes’ own interface layered over the top, and there are more than 40 apps covering streaming, gaming, productivity, and other services. Rear-seat passengers can also get two 11.6-inch full-HD displays, plus removable MBUX remote controls that manage entertainment and comfort functions.
Mercedes has also added ambient visual styles, high-resolution welcome animations, and personalised decorative display options. Buyers spending this kind of money expect a little theatre when they open the door.
Is The New GLS Still A Proper Luxury Seven-Seater?
Very much so. The GLS remains a standard seven-seater with three electrically adjustable rows, and Mercedes says even third-row passengers up to 194cm tall can sit comfortably back there.
The GLS measures 5,207 mm in length and 1,956 mm in width, with a 3,135 mm wheelbase. That wheelbase is 60mm longer than the GLE’s, and it pays off in second-row space. When you need cargo room instead, the second row folds flat and total load capacity rises to 2,400 litres.
The Rear Comfort Package Plus turns the middle row into something closer to a mobile lounge. It adds multi-contour seats with massage, removable MBUX remotes, Thermotronic climate control, electric sun blinds, third-row seat heating, sidebags, wireless charging, and more.
Mercedes has also worked on air quality, seat comfort, and overall ambience. There is a new electric cabin air filter, Energizing Air Control, improved seat ventilation, new massage motors, and fresh interior colours including Beech Brown.
What Driver Assistance And Lighting Features Does The New GLS Get?
The new GLS comes armed with serious processing power. Mercedes says every model uses a sensor suite that includes ten exterior cameras, up to five radar sensors, and 12 ultrasonic sensors, all working with a water-cooled processor and MB.OS. That is a lot of hardware dedicated to making a large SUV less stressful to drive.
MB.Drive Parking Assist can now detect spaces earlier, identify unmarked spots, and perform parking maneuvers at speeds of up to 5 km/h. Mercedes says that makes it around 60 percent faster than before. There is also improved surround-view functionality, plus a wheel-rim protection warning for those who enjoy large alloys but not curb rash.
Assistance and lighting highlights:
- 10 exterior cameras
- Up to 5 radar sensors
- 12 ultrasonic sensors
- MB.Drive Parking Assist now up to 60 per cent faster
- Digital Light standard on all models
- Light field around 40 per cent larger
- Energy consumption up to 50 per cent lower
- High beam range up to 600 metres
That is not just spec-sheet filler either. On a car this large, better cameras, stronger lighting, and smarter parking assistance are the sort of features owners will actually use every day.
