2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GL-Class

7 months later and still Love, Love, Love this car

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 5 Interior Rating: 5 Reliability Rating: 5 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 5 Value Rating: 5

My first Mercedes Benz . . . I really researched SUV's, looking for that perfect balance of utility, comfort and reliability. I went out of my way to get one with standard tires, the ride is so much better, smoother. It maybe doesn't look very flashy, but then flash was not something I wanted. The seats could be a little more comfortable, they're only ok, they are hard and begin getting uncomfortable after long hours of driving. The pick-up is smooth and immediate, easy to pass. The Distronic cruise control is beyond wonderful, it makes long drives so much more pleasant and easier too. The entertainment system is excellent, very intuitive and the console knob is very convenient and easy to operate. While the bluetooth phone hooks right up without any problem, connecting your music is a little harder and is my only complaint with the entertainment options. Navigation is great. Over the past 10 years I've driven a couple of Escalades (and every year they are little more uncomfortable and missing another bell or whistle), Tahoe (how much stick on plastic pieces can they fit in the interior?), Navigator (why oh why does Ford/Lincoln not get on board with adaptive cruise control in their most luxurious SUV?). The Mercedes beats them all, on all fronts. It's quieter, smoother, more responsive. Cruise control holds as well going downhill as on a flat surface. We don't need the 3rd row of seats and they fold down easily and flat, creating a large cargo area. MB offers great mats and containers built to fit, making optimal use of the area. Body built in America, engine built in Germany. I turned off the lane minder feature, I found the vibration and gentle guide back into my lane aggravating, would probably turn it on if I was driving sleepy, otherwise it's just too sensitive. Overall, great vehicle . . . I hope it continues to exceed my expectations.

Beware, it lokks good on paper, but is very disapp

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 3 Performance Rating: 2 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 1 Safety Rating: 4 Technology Rating: 3 Value Rating: 1

Hard seats, mediocre brakes and dreadfully rough transmission shifts. Driving "in town" is awful due to the way the transmission is always slamming down or up, very clunky. Hard braking is terrifying because the front end goes down and tge rear end lifts just like our 1972 Ranch Wagon witg rear drums. With 9300 miles, I had the car shut off due to transmission failure, but even woth that fixed, the hard as wood seats still give me pain. And tge brake rotors are already warped. Truly a mix of astonishing engineering (the bi-turbo V6 is terrific), terrific space and cheap cost cutting combines into a mediocre SUV, I will buy Lexus next.

GL Diesel: Great SUV Sluggish Performance

Performance: 0 Comfort: 0 Fuel Economy: 0 Fun To Drive: 0 Interior Design: 0 Exterior Design: 0 Build Quality: 0 Reliability: 0 Comfort Rating: 4 Performance Rating: 3 Interior Rating: 4 Reliability Rating: 4 Safety Rating: 5 Technology Rating: 4 Value Rating: 3

This is one of the finest SUV's available being beat only by Land Rover Range Rover Diesel which lists for about 25-30k more. The GL's acceleration is sluggish and is much less nimble than my X-5 diesel. The GL offers more space than the BMW and has excellent fuel economy given its size. The premium package excludes adaptive xenon headlights and 3 zone climate control which is ridiculous. The standard halogen lights are anemic at best so it is imperative to order any Mercedes with xenon lamps. Do not purchase a Mercedes without upgraded headlights! Another bad call by the manufacturer was not to include as a standard feature 3 zone climate in a vehicle with a third row. Make certain your GL has 3 zone climate control otherwise you can be certain the third row will be very uncomfortable in summer months or warmer climates. My car included the rear seat entertainment package. The operation of this package is by remote controls so is beyond my four year olds ability rendering it useless. Furthermore the rear monitors can only be operated from the rear seats. Skip this package an I-pad is a much better choice. There is only one USB port in this car. Mercedes seems to lag behind its US competitors in amenities and technology. The car has many attributes and is the most practical SUV currently being marketed. Until something better in its class comes to market this still is a hard car to beat.