Mercedes-Benz has just updated the GLE and GLE Coupe, so it's also time for a round of updates to the bigger, fancier, pricier GLS, which shares a lot of its mechanical package with the GLE.
The updated luxury SUV comes as standard with seven seats and will arrive in European dealerships at the end of October.
New grille at the front
Outside, you'll spot the updated GLS from its new radiator grille (already pretty in-your-face...), which now gets four louvres galvanised in a Silver Shadow colour. The bumper gets a new shape, and there's a high-gloss black finish for the air intakes.
The under-bumper bash plate (which Mercedes has the gumption to admit is there for decoration only) has also been redesigned, and at the back, there are new brake lights with three horizontal block shapes inside the lenses. A new 20-inch multi-spoke light-alloy wheel in Himalayas grey with a high-sheen finish has been added to the range of wheels.
Inside, you can choose from two new standard leather finishes - Catalana beige and Bahia brown - and the range of high-end 'Manufaktur' options has also been extended to include piano lacquer with flowing black lines was previously only available in the ultra-expensive Maybach model. As standard, you get glossy brown lime wood.
In the air vents, you'll now spot that the flaps are finished in the same Silver Shadow colour as the grille, which again is a touch lifted from the Maybach model.
It's incredibly unlikely that any GLS owner will ever venture far from the tarmac, but nonetheless, Mercedes has upgraded the optional Off-Road Engineering package, which now includes an actual, functional underbody bash plate and an extra 30mm of ground clearance.
The digital MBUX dashboard also gets an update, with new display options (the yellow dial 1980s-style 'Sport' mode has sadly been dropped in favour of a red-focused layout with the rev counter at the centre), and there are new colour options for the display.
Off-road mode
If you select Off-Road mode, you get an inclinometer on the screen, which shows what angle the car is tilting laterally and longitudinally, as well as a 'transparent bonnet' effect from the all-around camera system.
For all its luxury, the GLS is a good towing vehicle, with a maximum braked load of 3,500kg and a 'tongue weight' on the towbar of up to 140kg. That towbar can also accommodate a bike rack weighing up to 100kg. There's also a trailer assistance function in the parking camera menu and a trailer function for navigation, which helps you avoid any width or height restrictions.
If you go for the 'full-fat' Maybach option, you get a different grille with vertical vanes and chrome surrounds for the air inlets in the bumper. 23-inch alloy wheels are also standard.
Inside the Maybach GLS, the ambient lighting comes with an animated projection system, while the leather seats now get luxurious diamond quilting. The Maybach only comes with the high-end Manufaktur leather options in either crystal white/silver grey pearl or mahogany brown/macchiato beige.
For both GLS and Maybach, you can also choose from new paint options - Sodalite blue metallic and Manufaktur Alpine grey non-metallic - and you can have up to three touchscreens in the rear, which come with ultra-fast 100w USB-C charging points.
Mighty AMG 63
Don't forget the AMG version, which, quite apart from the mighty 612hp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, now comes with unique brake lights and, in the centre of the grille, the AMG Affalterbach badge instead of the Mercedes star. Standard alloys for the AMG model are 21 inches, but you can have 22-inch or 23-inch options too.
AMG versions come with Nappa leather interiors, finished in Bahia brown/black or Macchiato beige/black. There are also AMG-specific layouts for digital instruments. Standard AMG equipment includes an electric panoramic sliding sunroof, heated and climatised front seats, Adaptive High Beam Assist and Smartphone Integration. Also included are the engageable AMG Performance exhaust system, the Burmester sound system, the Memory package, the 360-degree Parking Pilot, the keyless-go package and Blind Spot Assist.
Oh, that V8 is also now a mild-hybrid, with a 48-volt system chipping in an extra 22hp and 250Nm of torque as and when needed, as well as improving low-speed economy and emissions.
Actually, all of the GLS engine options - the 3.0-litre 450 straight-six petrol, the 4.0-litre 580 V8 petrol, and the 3.0-litre straight-six 350d and 450d diesels - now come with 48-volt mild-hybrid, which add either 20hp or 22hp and between 200Nm and 250Nm depending on the model. CO2 emissions start from 210g/km for the diesels, rising to 314g/km for the 4.0-litre V8 GLS 600 Maybach. Actually, the AMG 63 GLS is surprisingly not the worst for CO2 emissions - it records 289g/km of CO2 on the WLTP cycle, proving that performance needn't be profligate.