2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580

The two big guns in the GLS SUV series are the GL 450 and the GLS 580. The Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 comes with a V6 hybrid engine that uses EQ Boost technology to generate a total of 362 hp of peak power and it is mated to a 9-speed automatic gearbox but the upper GLS 580 model receives a more powerful V8 hybrid engine that also shares the same technology. The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 is a 7-seater luxury SUV that takes the head to the competitors like the BMW X7 xDrive50i, Lincoln Navigator Black Label, and Cadillac Escalade Platinum.

The best thing about the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 is its availability in a single trim level and that too is loaded with plenty of standard basic and advanced technology. The GLS 580 comes with only one 4.0-L, twin-turbo V8 EQ Boost gas powertrain option, the vehicle has some amazing convenience features that state the luxury and royal lifestyle, the features are: 5-zone automatic climate control, heated & ventilated front seats with memory settings, power multi-contour front seats with massage feature and much more.

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The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 is available in only one trim level but the single trim level of this vehicle is enough to describe its royal attributes and high-end ride quality. This luxury SUV has 3 rows and a seating capacity for 7 people, all its premium features make its price tag of $98,850 pretty reasonable. The only problem of standard trim is the unavailability of advanced safety features like active distance assist, active steering assists, active speed limit assists, active lane-keeping assist with active lane-change assist, and much more, these features can be added to the vehicle at an additional cost of $1,950 with the Driver Assistance Package. So, we recommend the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 with the Driver Assistance Package.

One thing that the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 is known for is its strong powertrain as Mercedes used the diecast alloy block & heads to manufacture it, although Mercedes offers this 7 seater SUV with only a single powertrain option this 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 EQ Boost gas engine is enough to launch this SUV at full capacity without breaking a sweat. The V8 engine churns out a total of 483 hp of power and 516 lb-ft of peak torque at a low 2000 rpm.

Mercedes has mated its punchy V8 engine with the smoothest and snappy 9G-TRONIC 9-speed automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels of the GLS 580 with the aid of the 4MATIC fully variable all-wheel-drive system. With the best combo of the V8 engine and responsive transmission, the GLS 580 launches itself from standstill to 60mph within just 5.2 seconds, whereas it can easily sprint a quarter-mile distance in 14.2 seconds. The right set of equipment can help this vehicle to tow max up to 7700 pounds which is quite impressive with respect to its rivals.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 here is the most powerful luxury SUV with almost 27, 33, and 63 hp more power than the BMW X7 xDrive50i, Lincoln Navigator Black Label, and Cadillac Escalade Platinum respectively. Mercedes & BMW come with an AWD system with variable power transfer to wheels, whereas Lincoln and Cadillac get a 4WD drivetrain but the 10-speed automatic transmission of Lincoln & Cadillac does provide certainly better fuel efficiency and a stable high speed. When it comes to the acceleration and drive experience Mercedes holds the top position amongst its competitors while BMW, Cadillac & Lincoln offer even performance figures

How Does the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 handle?

Let’s first talk about the drive experience and ride quality of the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580, the powerful engine combined with the smoothest and most responsive automatic gearbox launches the vehicle as smooth as you need or as fast as you want. The cabin remains silent clearing out all the road and wind noises which tells us the high-quality material has been used to seal the cabin from the outside world. 

More importantly, is the adaptive suspension system which can raise or lower the vehicle’s height for additional ground clearance and grant it for rough patches. The cabin is covered everywhere with high-quality leather trims and Mercedes has added some fine touches like aluminum trims on doors and steering wheel with the ambient lighting surrounding the whole cabin. The massage feature for the front passenger and driver really puts their body in relaxed mode while keeping the tiredness out of the window even on long rides.

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 Braking Performance

The braking system of the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 sits on the pinnacle as the front 14.8 inches and rear 13.6 inches rotors can stop this vehicle within 113 feet distance while cruising with a speed of 60 mph. The stopping distance of this SUV is pretty amazing while also keeping its unladen weight of 5754 pounds. Other than that, Mercedes has also integrated GLS 580 with some awesome technologies that play a huge role in its braking performance, the features include active brake assist, PARKTRONIC with active parking assist, adaptive braking technology, anti-lock braking system, and downhill speed regulation.

The braking performance on Cadillac Escalade Platinum is but on a fuzzy side, so out of the other three BMW X7 xDrive50i has the lightest body with standard features and technology after BMW comes the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 with 5754 pounds of base weight followed by the Lincoln Navigator Black Label. The weight of a vehicle plays a huge role in its braking performance, the heavier the vehicle is more time it requires to stop without the right rotors set and just like that BMW takes first place in braking performance with the shortest braking distance whereas Mercedes falls slightly behind, the Cadillac here shows the worst braking distance of 133 ft.

The high power and performance always have to pay with the low fuel efficiency and just like that the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 guzzles a lot of fuel. The vehicle actually claims 16 mpg under the city driving conditions, 21 mpg while cruising on straight highways, and roughly 18 mpg under the combined or mixed conditions. The fuel tank capacity is not great either, the GLS 580 gets a decent-sized 23.8 gallons of a fuel tank which takes the overall range of this vehicle to 500 miles on highways.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 pays the debt of powerful engine and peppy performance with its fuel economy, it claims only 18 mpg in the combined conditions whereas BMW X7 xDrive50i which is somewhat close to Mercedes in terms of power figures has the most fuel-efficient engine amongst the rivals which claims 22 mpg of economy, whereas both Cadillac Escalade Platinum and Lincoln Navigator Black Label struggles to beat Mercedes & BMW and shows the lowest fuel numbers of around 17 mpg. Thanks to Cadillac to back it up the poor economy with 28.3 gallons of a fuel tank but Lincoln isn’t much lucky while Mercedes has integrated a decent-sized 23.8 gallons of a tank which is at least bigger than that of BMW.

The cabin of GLS 580 really defines the definition of a luxurious cabin as the whole cabin is covered with premium quality soft-touch material. All the information related to this vehicle can be checked on the digital instrument cluster located behind the steering, the buttons mounted on the steering wheel are nice & clicky while can be seen clearly. The steering wheel has a power tilt & telescopic feature which really allows the rider to acquire a comfortable seating position.

The touchscreen system located at the middle of the dashboard has nice and responsive touch but it can also be controlled with the aid of touchpad controls placed on the central console. The air conditioning system of GLS 580 will again remind you of its luxury, the 5-zone automatic climate control can set 5 different temperature levels at a time and takes only a moment to completely cool the whole cabin. The GLS 580 gets one fancy-looking center console that has grab handles with ambient lighting on either side of it, hidden cupholders, infotainment touchpad controls, and some other drive mode control buttons with plenty of storage space.

The seating comfort on front row seats is really amazing, this SUV has a massage function especially for front row passengers & drivers. The front seats are designed to offers great comfort and one will not get tired even on long trips. The second row has an occupancy of 3 people and seats on the second row are as comfortable as the first row but lacks some convenience features. The egress and ingress to the third row are a bit uneasy but the third row holds decent space for adults too, the only complaint would be inadequate knee room otherwise, all is good.

All four vehicles in the table have the occupancy of 7 people as standard, the additional body length of both Cadillac Escalade Platinum and Lincoln Navigator Black Label does provide extra room in the front row, Cadillac ranks at the top of the list with the roomiest cabin on front seats. Moving to the second row, here the Lincoln Navigator Black Label makes its way with the most spacious and comfy seats followed by the Cadillac and Mercedes-Benz GLS 580. 

On the third row, every vehicle lacks shoulder and legroom except for one & only the Lincoln Navigator as it has 40.9 inches of legroom with 64.2 inches shoulder room, not only that it also has a decent-sized cargo of 20.9 cu-ft its not as great as 25.5 cu-ft cargo of Cadillac but not too puny like of BMW & Mercedes-Benz. Some highlights of the features in the cabin have been mentioned below:

• Power front seats with memory settings
• Heated & ventilated front seats
• Multicontour front seats with massage 
• Keyless-Go
• 5-Zone automatic climate control
• Soft-close door
• Leather upholstery
• Power folding 50/50-split 3rd-row seats
• Infrared-remote window opening & closing
• Power tilt & telescopic steering wheel

How intuitive is the infotainment system?

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 has the best infotainment system, it comes with a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen display, the infotainment screen has the smoothest touch and responsive screen time. The screen not only shows the multimedia info but also displays drive modes selections and automatic climate temp details too, It can also be controlled with the aid of the touchpad that is located on the fancy center console with other drive modes and adaptive suspension controls. The premium 13-speaker Burmester surround sound system plays songs with such clarity that every detail of the song can be heard. Other than that, GLS 580 also supports voice control with “Hey, Mercedes” keyword activation, a hands-free Bluetooth interface, and much more. Some highlights of the infotainment system of the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 are:

• 12.3-inch Multimedia touchscreen display
• 13-Speaker Burmester surround sound system
• MB navigation system
• Touchpad controller
• MBUX user interface
• Voice control with “Hey, Mercedes” keyword activation
• Steering wheel touch control buttons
• Multiple USB-C ports
• Hands-free Bluetooth interface
• HD radio receiver & SiriusXM 6-month Platinum Plan trial
• Bluetooth audio streaming
• Apple CarPlay & Android Auto smartphone integration

The overall design language of Mercedes GLS 580 is unspeakable, the vehicle holds a high stance which makes it look like a true SUV, while being a luxury vehicle, this car can accomplish any task & can trek on off-roads too. Let’s take a look at this car, the front end receives a massive oval grille oriented horizontally, in the middle of the grille resides the big chrome-treated Mercedes badge with two chrome strips covering the grille. The headlights look beautiful with the LED DRLs located on the top of the headlight housing and with two additional DRL strips in the middle of the housing. Other than that, the front part of this vehicle is covered with big vents for better airflow to the V8 engine, while the hood has four lines integrated on it for an aggressive appearance.

On the side profile of GLS 580, the first thing one would notice will be the massive 21-inch AMG twin 5-spoke alloy wheels which can be upgraded to the 23-inch wheels AMG alloys. ORVMs are power-folding and have side indicators integrated on them while having a camera underneath. The roof comes with a factory-fitted panoramic sunroof and roof racks and if one needs to raise or lower its height then the adaptive suspension system might come in handy. Another thing to notice is the side profile has some really aggressive lines with body-colored fender arches that provide GLS 580 a bulky appearance. On to the rear section of the vehicle, nothing much is happening besides the cool LED taillights with a body-colored roof spoiler, besides that the rear part has a clean design.

The BMW X7 xDrive50i and Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 have slightly lighter chassis than the other two vehicles in the competition and which helps the vehicles to be noble on their wheels. Again, the shorter length of both Mercedes and BMW allows them to move better in tight conditions but the shorter wheelbase of Cadillac lets it take sharp turns with a small turning radius. In terms of ground clearance, Lincoln Navigator takes the lead with 9.6 inches whereas Mercedes falls behind with 7.9 inches of clearance. Some highlights of exterior tech have been mentioned below:

• 21-inch AMG twin 5-spoke alloy wheels
• Remote start via Mercedes me a mobile app
• All-season tires
• Airmatic suspension with adaptive damping system
• ECO start/stop system
• One-touch “carwash mode”
• Dynamic select
• Illuminated running boards
• Side-mirror logo projector
• Power tilt/sliding sunroof
• Speed sensitive rain detecting variable intermittent wipers
• Power liftgate rear cargo access
• Rear fog lamps
• Cornering lights
• Perimeter/Approach lights
• An LED intelligent light system with ultra-wide high beams
• LED Daytime running lamps & taillamps
• Adaptive Highbeam assist
• Surround-view system
• Parking damage detector
• Privacy glass

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLs 580 has been tested neither by the NHTSA nor by the IIHS but it doesn’t mean it’s lacking in safety. In fact, Mercedes keeps the safety of the occupants as the first point in its priority list and that is why it has loaded the GLS 580 with lots of basic as well as advanced technologies, these techs are comprised of features like ESP with crosswind assist, aerial view camera system, driver monitoring alert, front collision mitigation system, surround-view camera system and much more. All the safety features of Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 are;

• Active Brake Assist
• Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call service
• ATTENTION ASSIST
• LED Daytime Running Lamps and taillamps
• LED Intelligent Light System with Ultra Wide Highbeams
• Adaptive Highbeam Assist
• Crosswind Assist
• Blind Spot Assist with Exit Warning Assist
• PARKTRONIC with Active Parking Assist
• Surround View System
• PRE-SAFE
• PRE-SAFE Sound
• Seat belt technology
• 7 airbags
• Adaptive braking technology
• Downhill Speed Regulation (DSR)
• Antilock Braking System (ABS)
• Brake Assist (BAS)
• Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
• High-strength unibody
• Advanced Tire Pressure Monitoring System
• SmartKey with KEYLESS-START
• Antitheft alarm system with remote panic feature
• Parking Damage Detector
• Rain-sensing windshield wipers
• MAGIC VISION CONTROL
• Auto-dimming rearview and driver-side mirrors

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 Vs 2021 BMW X7 xDrive50i

The BMW X7 xDrive50i does have close enough power as that to the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 engine but there is a huge gap in performance, not only that, Mercedes looks bigger and has a higher stance than BMW which impacts the overall appearance of the vehicle. BMW does feel nimble as compared to Mercedes while having a better braking performance and a slightly better fuel-efficient engine but all these things fade away in front of the luxury features of the GLS 580. 

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 Vs 2021 Lincoln Navigator Black Label

In terms of engine, performance, and fuel efficiency Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 takes the lead whereas when compared to the sheer looks, then the Lincoln Navigator Black Label does stand out in the crowd. The front end of the Lincoln has a big chrome-treated grille with awesome DRLs that stated the art of Luxury and royalness. But in technology and features-wise both the vehicles are evenly matched.

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 Vs 2021 Cadillac Escalade Platinum

Cadillac’s name is enough to state its solid build and luxuriousness, this vehicle might not be the most powerful SUV out there but for a 7-seater luxury SUV lacking behind by a second doesn’t bother much, what matters the most, is the royal features inside these vehicles and as per that aspect, Cadillac Escalade stands tall. Other than that, Cadillac Escalade Platinum may be a longer vehicle than Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 but it has a shorter wheelbase and spacious first, second, and third row, which gives it an upper edge over Mercedes.

As per the final verdict, the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 gives tough competition to its rivals but it’s the only 7-seater SUV that has the most powerful engine with amazing performance not only in the sheets but also in the real world too. Mercedes ensured the practicality of the GLS 580 and integrated it well with the luxury features. This SUV can be taken on long trips with family & friends, it’s a perfect vehicle for children too due to its spacious cabin and plenty of entertainment features that keep them occupied. One thing is for sure that the GLS 580 is the ultimate vehicle in Mercedes’s garage and if one is looking for such a vehicle then he/she should grab it as soon as possible.