2018 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class SUV

Ranging from a price tag of $94,950 dollars for the top end variant and $64,550 dollars for a slightly less specked out the variant of the car, the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 happens to boast a 4.7L engine that churns out 449 bhp which is sports car territory for a few.

You expect some really interesting things to come in the car. Because of the price that you might be paying, it really delivers and provides a bang for the buck. There are different options that come along with the two variants of the car. For the GLS 550, it costs $94,950 dollars and provides some premium sedan features in an SUV. Things like electric steering, all-wheel drive, auto stop engine features, premium interiors are all included.

Trim	GLS 550	GLS 450
MSRP	$94,950	$69,550
Key Features	Engine Auto Stop-Start Feature	Gas-Pressurized Shock Absorbers
	Full-Time 4MATIC All-Wheel Drive	4-Corner Auto-Leveling Suspension
	Electric Power-Assist Speed-Sensing Steering	Front and Rear Anti-Roll Bars
	Permanent Locking Hubs	Electric Power-Assist Speed-Sensing Steering
	Speed Sensitive Rain Detecting Variable Intermittent Wipers	Automatic with Driver Control Height Adjustable Suspension
	1 LCD Monitor in The Front	Dual Stainless-Steel Exhaust with Chrome Tailpipe Finisher
	Digital Signal ProcessorDriver and Passenger Heated-Seatback and Ventilated Front Seats	Fully Galvanized Steel Panels
	60-40 Folding Split-Bench Front Facing Manual Reclining Flip Forward Cushion/Seatback Rear Seat	LED Brake lights
		Audio Theft Deterrent

But for the lower end GLS 450, it starts from $69,550 dollars which gives you some of the few features of the top end variant. You get LED light everywhere. From the headlights to the tail lights, everywhere. Adjustable shock absorbers, along with Bluetooth radio and other stereo features are standard.

We recommend

There isn't anything that we can recommend, you can go for either of the cars as the specifications might differ a lot. But then both of them happen to pack the punch for the kind of money that you are shelling out. Yes, they are expensive, so choose your options well to accommodate your expenditure.

"The 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class is supremely confident on slippery roads thanks to the Dynamic Select modes on the drivetrain, which includes a Slippery setting."-KBB

Engine and Transmission

For the kind of money that you are paying, it's a basic requirement for the engine to be powerful. That's why the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 happens to sport a 4.7L I8 engine that delivers 449bhp @5250 rpm. 516lb-ft of torque is very aggressive for an engine in an SUV but a wonderful engine after all. But then moving your heads on the competition then you come to the realization that none of the cars are that powerful. Some might cost way more than the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 but then excel in other areas.

Models	Mercedes Benz GLS 550	Cadillac Escalade Platinum	2019 Volvo XC90 Excellence	Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6
MSRP	$94,950	$98,090	$104,900	$87,350
Engine	4.7L l8	6.2L l8	2.0L l4	3.0L l6
Transmission	9-Speed Automatic	10-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic
Horsepower	449 hp @ 5250 rpm	420 hp @ 5600 rpm	400 hp @ 6000 rpm	340 hp @ 6500 rpm
Torque	516 lb.-ft @ 1800 rpm	460 lb.-ft @ 4100 rpm	472 lb.-ft @ 2200 rpm	332 lb.-ft @ 3500 rpm

The Cadillac Escalade Platinum comes closest to the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 delivering 420bhp @5600 rpm and the Volvo coming next with 400 bhp @ 6000 rpm and towards the end, the Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6 churning out 340 bhp @ 6500 rpm.

Acceleration

Power is where the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 happens to excel the most and in terms of acceleration, it's the fastest when compared to its competition. Its 0-60mph happens to be under 5 seconds and quarter-mile range scores about 13.5 seconds.

Models	Mercedes Benz GLS 550	Cadillac Escalade Platinum	2019 Volvo XC90 Excellence	Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6
0-60 MPH	5.0	5.9	5.6	6.2
Quarter mile	13.5	14.4	14.1	14.6
Engine	4.7 L	6.2 L	2.0 L	3.0 L
Emission (Tons/yr. of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)	11.0	10.4	9.2	NA

Looks like the 550 is the best performer amongst its competitors. Its quickly charges ahead and maintains at least a time gap of half a second with its competitors i.e the  Escalade, the XC 90 and the Rangerover.

Handling and steering

You might be wondering what such a big car, it might wobble on corners, but then the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 outperforms your thoughts and expectations mainly because of the all-wheel-drive system that the car has been fitted with.

The steering feels light and handles beautifully. Also, the power and handling just go seamlessly together such that you get the cornering just right and also make it even agiler in rough terrain. The off-roading experience with the car is amazing and will definitely surprise you in every way possible.

Braking

In terms of stopping the beast, the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 is fitted with relatively huge brakes both in the front and the back. The front is about 14.8 inches and the back being 13.6 inches. But if you think it weighs more than its only weights 5,578 lbs. which is light indeed.

Model	Mercedes Benz GLS 550	Cadillac Escalade Platinum	2019 Volvo XC90 Excellence	Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6
Brake Front (in.)	14.8	17	13.2	15
Brake Rear (in.)	13.6	17	12.1	14.4
Curb Weight (lbs.)	5,578	5,856	5,059	4,974
60-0 MPH (ft.)	NA	NA	NA	NA

The braking distance of all the four SUV's are not available so far and so we cannot judge their performance.

This is a strong suit for the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 as despite having the powerful engine with the craziest of performance, the fuel economy is just low, significantly low. In a city it might give only 14 mpg and, on the highway, it gives about 19 mpg. Overall an average of about 16 mpg.

Model	Mercedes Benz GLS 550	Cadillac Escalade Platinum	2019 Volvo XC90 Excellence	Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6
MPG (city)	14	14	17	17
MPG (highway)	19	21	23	23
MPG (combined)	16	17	25	19

This is the place where the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 lacks is where the Volvo shines amongst the competition. This becomes the major drawback of having such heavy engine with such a power-packed performance.  

"Our test car was equipped with Mercedes' Designo leather interior that offers Bentley quality at about half the price."- Edmunds

Seating and comfort

A place where you can find the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 to excel again is the comfort and seating. Mainly in this category, you can witness that the car can accommodate 7 passengers comfortably without any kind of hesitation and can give them no problems for long drives whatsoever.

Model	Mercedes Benz GLS 550	Cadillac Escalade Platinum	Volvo XC90 Excellence	Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6
Passenger capacity	7	7	4	5
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	41.2/58.5/40.3	39.7/64.9/45.3	38.9/57.7/40.9	39.3/60.7/42.5
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	40.0/58.3/38.5	38.7/64.4/39.0	38.5/56.5/37.0	39.2/59.4/40.2
Third (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	38.9/50.5/35.0	38.1/62.2/24.8

The GLS 550 gives a very gig headroom, it lags behind the Escalade and Range Rover in terms of Shoulder room and leg room. However they are on par with that of the Volvo XC90

Interior Features

Is it's a Mercedes, then you can expect some fancy new gizmo to always be there and the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 doesn't come shy of anything. Some of the interior features are given below.

• Engine Auto Stop-Start Feature
• Electric Power-Assist Speed-Sensing Steering
• Permanent Locking Hubs
• LCD Monitor in The Front
• Digital Signal Processor
• Driver and Passenger Heated-Seatback and Ventilated Front Seats
• 60-40 Folding Split-Bench Front Facing Manual Reclining Flip Forward Cushion/Seatback Rear Seat
• Radio: AM/FM/CD -Inc.: Bluetooth connectivity
• Audio Theft Deterrent
• Electric Power-Assist Speed-Sensing Steering

Cargo Capacity

This the region where every SUV must and should sine in order to retain its badge of an SUV, and the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 just does that by proving ample amount of space in every direction. Even with each of the three seats folded, it simply provides greater storage options than the others.

Model	Mercedes Benz GLS 550	Cadillac Escalade Platinum	Volvo XC90 Excellence	Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6
Cargo Volume with 3rd row up (ft.3)	16	15.2	15.8	31.8
Cargo Volume with 2nd row folded (ft.3)	49.4	51.6	31.8	31.8
Cargo Volume with the 3rd row folded (ft.3)	93.8	94.2	85.7	68.6

Like discussed before, the Cadillac Escalade Platinum also provides the same features as that of the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 but then an inch short of the Mercedes. The Volvo comparatively is a good car, but then in terms of cargo storage and other utility things, it doesn't do that great of a job. However, the Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6 is simply out of the competition because, in the class of cargo, it's inferior to the rest of the competition.

Towing capacity.

For premium SUV's this might not be the category, but the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 happens to have a maximum towing capacity of about 7500 lbs. that makes it very durable in many ways possible. Also towing can become easy because of the immense power that it happens to pack.

Model	Mercedes Benz GLS 550	Cadillac Escalade Platinum	2019 Volvo XC90 Excellence	Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6
Maximum Towing Capacity	7500	8100	5000	7716

The Cadillac Escalade Platinum beats the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 by having a towing capacity of about 8100 lbs. The Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6 comes close with its towing capabilities by having a maximum towing capacity of about 7716 lbs. But in the end, the least amount of towing capacity by having only 5000 lbs. would be the Volvo. Thus the GLS 550 can be rated as an average tower amongst its competition.

"The GLS-class has clean exterior lines and a boxy shape that is rather tapered and rounded at the edges."- Car and Driver

Dimensions and weight.

Ranging with that premium design and build of a luxury SUV, the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 has everything that might give you the best in class exterior features that you might want. With a length design and the best ground clearance, you can definitely be impressed with it at all times.

Model	Mercedes Benz GLS 550	Cadillac Escalade Platinum	2019 Volvo XC90 Excellence	Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6
Curb weight (lbs.)	5,578	5,856	5,059	4,974
Length(in)	202.6	203.9	194.9	196.8
Width(in)	84.3	80.5	79.1	81.6
Height(in)	72.8	74.4	69.9	73.3
Ground clearance (in)	8.5	8.0	9.4	8.7
Wheelbase (in)	121.1	116.0	117.5	115.0
Track width (in) F/R	64.8/65.6	68.7/68.7	66.0/66.1	66.3/66.6

The Cadillac Escalade Platinum on the other hand simply comes short to what the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 misses out on. The Volvo happens to be one of the shortest of the competition out there. Coming down to the Range Rover you can expect it to be small and fine looking. Thus the GLS 550 scores a good rating amongst its competition.

Exteriors features.

The 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 happens to have some of the best exterior features that you could find on an SUV. Some of which are given below.

• A 4-wheel drive system.
• Speed Sensitive Rain Detecting Variable Intermittent Wipers
• Gas-pressurized shock absorbers.
• 4-corner auto-leveling suspension.
• Front and rear anti-roll bars.
• Electric Power-Assist Speed-Sensing Steering
• Dual Stainless-Steel Exhaust w/Chrome Tailpipe Finisher
• Fully Galvanized Steel Panels
• LED Brake lights
• Audio Theft Deterrent

Safety ratings and features.

The 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 does sport some impressive safety features that can impress you. The car hasn't been tested by the NHTSA and the IIHS, therefore the ratings haven't been given below. But the safety features of the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 are as follows.

• mbrace2 Emergency Sos
• Side Impact Beams
• Dual Stage Driver and Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
• Blind Spot Assist Blind Spot Sensor
• Child seat Sensor and Rear Child Safety Locks
• First Aid Kit
• Airbag Occupancy Sensor
• Outboard Front Lap and Shoulder Safety Belts -Inc.: Rear Center 3 Point, Height Adjusters and Pretensioners

Mercedes Benz GLS 550 vs Cadillac Escalade Platinum.

The Cadillac Escalade Platinum, in general, is a car that is relatively powerful and offers specifications of the money that you pay. With premium sedans like features and an overall sleek design, it's as big as an SUV but then performs amazingly like a sports car.

In comparison to the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550, you can be surprised to see several of the features being very close. The overall fuel economy is very low and doesn't surprise you in any way. But then the Cadillac Escalade Platinum does cost more while still retaining its durable and luxury factor.

Mercedes Benz GLS 550 vs 2019 Volvo XC 90 Excellence

The Volvo, on the other hand, won't surprise you in any way possible. Yes, for Volvo enthusiasts, they might find this car different and special. the only area where this car shines and outperforms everyone else is in the department of fuel economy, which is very high even for an SUV.

When put side by side to a 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550, you can see that the Mercedes is a machine that just beats the Volvo in every nuke and corner. Mainly because of its powerful engine, high interior spaces and other areas that can favor the Mercedes in most of the ways.

Mercedes Benz GLS 550 vs Range Rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6

The range rover HSE 3.0L Supercharged V6. is a car that a small family of four could have. It's a car that will neither disappoint nor impress. It's a mediocre car that delivers specifications that come right in the middle of everything. Nothing special is to be mentioned other than the price tag which is cheaper than the rest.

But against the 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550, you can expect it to be not that great or not great at all. Because of the Mercedes having everything that is huge and massive with out of this world specifications, the range rover just can compete with it in any way possible.

The 2018 Mercedes Benz GLS 550 is a machine that some would only dream to have. Yes, it's a Mercedes that provides everything that you wish for but in the size of an SUV. Providing top-notch specifications and every sort of features available, it sports it all.

But then when you look down to the two variants of the car, you can see the huge price gap that can make it a bargain to have. Like to poles of a magnet, they are that far apparat and the low-end spec model simply doesn't offer much as the high end one.

Yes, this car isn't designed for all of them out there. For hardcore enthusiast and fanatics of the Mercedes brand and want something that makes you look superior to others, then this is the perfect car for you. Or else other options are available that can provide you with a much better package after all.