Used Mercedes-Benz GLS for sale: everything you need to know

Mercedes-Benz bills the GLS as the ‘S-Class of SUVs’ and one look at its specifications, space, luxury, and indeed price is enough to confirm that the GLS hits that mark. Essentially, it gives customers who might otherwise have bought an S-Class another luxury option from the Mercedes brand.

An S-Class doesn’t give you seven seats either, which the GLS does, though how many GLS buyers make use of all seven is another matter. The GLS though is enormous and imposing, which certainly appeals to some buyers, and AMG and Maybach variants only widen the model’s appeal.

It isn’t alone in the large, luxury SUV space however. Closest to it in concept is the BMW X7, while cars like the Range Rover, Bentley Bentayga, and Porsche Cayenne offer a different take on the luxury formula, albeit without seven seats. The Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90 meanwhile have  a seven-seat layout in a more affordable package.

Should you buy a Mercedes-Benz GLS?

You’ll probably already know whether you want a Mercedes-Benz GLS or not. If seven seats are essential, you might already have considered cars like the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90, and dismissed them for not quite having the image you’re after - and as far as image goes, there still aren’t many brands that can top that Mercedes three-pointed star on the bonnet.

The GLS is enormous and has a presence to match. Arguably more so than the S-Class luxury saloon, thanks to its extra height, but its 5.2-metre length also plays a part. Mercedes has made the most of that space by fitting in seven seats, and if you don’t need to house that many people, the rear rows can fold down for something approximating the world’s poshest van.

It’s not just about size though, as one look at the specification list tells you the GLS is on par with an S-Class there, too. Even the least expensive models include kit like a Burmester sound system and air suspension that you’d pay extra for on some smaller Mercedes, while Maybach models get well into the realms of Rolls-Royce standards of luxury.

It’s actually the driving experience that slightly less the GLS down, with a ride quality that never quite settles (something that can’t be said of an S-Class), while the sheer size and weight hamper its cornering abilities. It’s at its best on motorways as a result, where it’s very refined, aided by the smooth engines.

The BMW X7 is perhaps the GLS’s closest rival, and costs similar money both new and used. It gets very close to the GLS in many aspects and beats it in a few, including the driving experience, so it’s well worth considering unless you’re a Mercedes diehard. For image, quality, and performance, if not seven-seat ability, the Range Rover, Porsche Cayenne, and Bentley Bentayga should also be on your list.

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What’s the best used Mercedes-Benz GLS model to buy?

If you’re not looking at either the AMG or Maybach variants, then you get just a single engine choice in the Mercedes-Benz GLS, a 2.9-litre twin-turbo inline six diesel. That’s no hardship: it’s got plenty of power and torque and is more than capable of moving the heavy GLS around, and it’s both quiet and vibration-free too. Economy isn’t bad for a car this big, but may feel quite thirsty if you’ve only driven smaller vehicles (including smaller, but still large SUVs from the Mercedes range) before now.

Trim levels have changed a little over the years, and you can read more on these further down. But even the entry-level models (AMG Line Premium, Night Edition) feature the kind of equipment you’d expect from the Mercedes S-Class luxury saloon, so anything more really is down to personal preference.

Used Mercedes-Benz GLS fuel economy and performance

• Mercedes-Benz GLS 400d: The majority of GLS are powered by a 2.9-litre, twin-turbocharged inline six cylinder diesel, with a quoted power output of 330PS. With a standard 9-speed automatic transmission it can haul the GLS from 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds, while combined economy is a claimed 30.7mpg.
• Mercedes-AMG GLS 63: The AMG uses a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine with a hefty 612PS, enabling a 4.2-second 0-62mph sprint. Mercedes claims up to 22.1mpg combined.
• Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600: ‘600’ used to mean V12s, but today it’s a derivative of the 4-litre twin-turbo V8, in this form making 557PS. 0-62mph takes 4.9 seconds, while economy is 21.1mpg.

What used Mercedes-Benz GLS trim levels are available?

The Mercedes-Benz GLS range can be broadly split between the regular GLS models, the AMG high-performance variants, and the ultra-luxurious Mercedes-Maybach GLS. Among the standard cars though there are several trim levels, which have also changed over the years, so we’ve tried to simplify things as much as possible below. Broadly though, you’re looking at S-Class levels of standard equipment in all GLS models.

• The Mercedes-Benz GLS AMG Line Premium was where the range used to begin before the car’s mid-life update. 22-inch wheels, air suspension with adaptive damping, AMG body styling, keyless go, LED headlights, a panoramic roof, a Burmester sound system, ambient lighting, heated front and rear seats, and a head-up display were all standard.
• The Mercedes-Benz GLS AMG Line Premium Plus was as per the regular AMG Line Premium but included cooled front seats, squashy ‘Comfort’ headrests, open-pore oak wood trim, heated front and rear armrests, and a pair of 11.6-inch screens for rear seat passengers with similar functionality to those in the front.
• The Mercedes-Benz GLS AMG Line Premium Plus Executive stepped up to 23-inch alloy wheels, massage seats, a Nappa leather trimmed dashboard, sunblinds in the rear doors, heated third-row seats, and an extra tablet in the rear running the MBUX infotainment software.
• The Mercedes-Benz GLS Night Edition is roughly analogous to the AMG Line Premium trim on earlier models, with detail changes to reflect continuous trim and technology improvements.
• The Mercedes-Benz GLS Night Edition Executive is likewise very similar to AMG Line Premium Plus trim from earlier models.
• The Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 features either 22 or 23-inch alloy wheels depending on the year, AMG exhausts, brakes, suspension settings, and interior details, soft-close doors, a 360-degree parking camera, and carbon interior trim.
• The Mercedes-Maybach GLS gets its own 22 or 23-inch wheel design (again depending on model year), a Maybach grille and bonnet emblem, E-Active Body Control suspension (which can counter body lean in corners), heated acoustic windscreen glazing, soft close doors, a panoramic sunroof, and Maybach-specific interior features.

Used Mercedes-Benz GLS dimensions and boot size

The Mercedes-Benz GLS’s dimensions are:

• Length: 5213mm
• Width: 2030mm (without mirrors), 2157mm (with mirrors)
• Height: 1823mm

The Mercedes-Benz GLS’s boot size is:

• 470 litres (seven seat mode)
• 890 litres (five seat mode)
• 1470 litres (second and third rows folded)

Used Mercedes-Benz GLS road tax

It should come as no great surprise that the Mercedes-Benz GLS finds itself subject to the government’s VED or ‘road tax’ surcharge, given it costs well over £40,000 to buy brand new. That means a bill of £570 per year for all models, at least until the seventh year of registration, when it drops down to the standard rate, currently set at £180.

How much is it to insure a Mercedes-Benz GLS?

As with VED, insurance for the Mercedes-Benz GLS is unlikely to be cheap. The AMG and Maybach models automatically find themselves in the maximum group 50, while the GLS 400d models are groups 48-49, depending on trim level. This is actually a touch below the BMW X7 though, since all variants of that car can be found in the maximum group.

Read our full Mercedes-Benz GLS review