While I am still cautious about going through the potholes, it’s a relief to know that the GLS can handle them much better.
BHPian Samyakmodi recently shared this with other enthusiasts:
Some of you might recall that we bought a BMW 630d back in 2020, right in the midst of the pandemic. It has served us well over the years, despite a few hiccups, and now clocks in at around 97,000 km.
However, as my parents are getting older, they’ve started facing difficulties getting in and out of the 630d. We began considering a new car that could offer the same level of comfort while being more accessible for them. Our requirements were simple yet non-negotiable: comfort that we’ve grown used to with the 630d, ease of ingress and egress, ample space, and, ideally, the ability to ferry the whole family (including our parents, two kids, their nanny, my wife, and I) when needed. Oh, and it had to be a joy to drive—though that’s purely my preference.
Cars Considered
Toyota Innova Hycross: A fantastic car overall, but the interior quality left us wanting more, and it wasn’t particularly exciting to drive.
Kia Carnival: The new model was on the horizon, but I wasn’t convinced about the brand, especially regarding safety.
BMW X5, X7, and the 740d: Having dealt with the horrors of run-flat tires (RFTs) on the 630d, I wasn’t keen on another BMW. The X5 didn’t offer the rear-seat comfort we were used to, and the X7’s captain seats weren’t ideal for easy access. As for the 740d, while it’s ugly on the outside, the interior is stunning. Dad loved it so much that he joked about keeping the doors open just to admire it. It was nearly perfect without the RFTs, but the low seating and poor after-sales experience with Infinity Indore ruled it out.
Range Rover / Land Rover Discovery Sport, Defender, Velar, and Sport: These cars had their appeal, but reliability issues were a dealbreaker. The Discovery Sport had subpar plastics, the Defender struggled on highway manners, the Velar’s rear seats were cramped, and the RR Sport, despite my high hopes, disappointed with its rear seats with poor under-thigh support and a challenging ingress/egress due to the rear wheel arch.
Toyota Vellfire: This was a top contender. The comfort and Toyota’s reliability were hard to beat, but a few issues held me back: 1) It would have been purely chauffeur-driven (not my idea of fun), 2) ₹1.5 crore for a Toyota seemed steep, especially when I wouldn’t be able to drive it and 3) Availability was uncertain. The local dealer wasn’t even sure whether he would be able to give us the car in the next 6 months also.
Mercedes E/S/GLE/GLS: We had bought an E-Class for our business partner earlier this year, and while he is happy with it, the low seating made it impractical for our needs. The S-Class was fantastic, but again, the seating was too low. The GLE almost fit the bill, but the high floor and low rear seats made it uncomfortable for long rides as it barely gave any under thigh support.
The GLS did not have any wow factor either. But it seemed far more spacious than the competition, ingress/egress were manageable, engine was decent, and seemed to be jack of all trades but king of none!
After much deliberation, we narrowed it down to the GLS 450d.
While the car met our needs, I couldn’t help but feel a bit short-changed by Mercedes. With only five colors to choose from and limited interior/exterior combinations, it felt a bit restrictive. The GLS also came with fewer features than the GLE, which was surprising for a car of this class.
That said, the sales team at Landmark Cars Indore won us over. They never tried to upsell or badmouth other models, and they were transparent about the shortcomings of their cars. They answered my queries patiently, whether it was during the day or late at night. Though Mercedes India could invest more in training their sales team about the cars’ features, their grace and professionalism were commendable.
Where the GLS Falls Short
Compared to the GLE:
1. No Heads-up Display
2. No Temperature-controlled Cup Holders
3. No Energizing Package
4. No Air Balance Package
Compared to the BMW 630d:
1. The MBUX system feels basic compared to BMW’s iDrive. You can’t even switch tire pressure units from kPa to PSI.
2. No Active Brake Assist while reversing or parking (or if it exists, I haven’t been brave enough to test it!).
3. Parking sensors don’t alert you when a vehicle gets too close in traffic—could be due to the PPF, but I never had this issue with the 6GT.
4. The sunroof has a flimsy cloth cover instead of a solid one, offering little protection from sunlight.
5. No gesture controls—which I once thought were gimmicky in the 6GT but have since grown to not just appreciate but end up using them almost all the time..
6. I also noticed some quality issues that felt unacceptable for a flagship car. For instance, the sunroof switch feels spongy, like something out of a government contract’s lowest bid. The display dimmer knob is absolutely rubbish to use – wonder who approved this quality at Mercedes Benz as it is absolutely horrendous to use.
7. At low speeds, the ride quality is average at it’s best, and there’s noticeable body roll (though maybe that’s just my sensitivity to driving an SUV for the first time).
8. The car is also slow to respond to commands, like folding the rear seats—there’s always a delay. And while the touchscreen is responsive, rearranging the icons can take several attempts. Heck even the rear net blinds on the windows are slow!
9. The steering wheel controls, all touch-based, are quite irritating, and the new steering wheel design that isn’t available in India looks much better but comes with even more annoying touch controls. And somehow MB forgot to add the next/previous track button on it. Although if you say those words aloud – the car does the job.
10. There are no video tutorials like “how to” – the 6GT has them on board as well as on YouTube. Mercedes should seriously consider having its own “how to” channel on YouTube for its MBUX system as it is not as easy as people claim.
11. You do not have customisable driving mode. You just get 3 modes which MB has decided is good enough for you – Comfort, Eco and off-road. Yet to use off-road and eco and comfort are very close to notice any substantial difference.
What I was expecting from the car
1. They should have given massaging chairs at the least. Maybe not for all seats – but rear shouldn’t have been omitted. They missed on the front as well.
2. Their Magic Vision control – a wiper system with the spray nozzles in built.
Considering this is supposed to be their flagship SUV under their brand (not Maybach) omission of these 2 things other than what’s missing compared to the GLE is absolute blasphemy!!
When we visited the dealership, they also showed us the Maybach GLS. One feature that stood out was the deployable side step—though it looked odd, it was undeniably comfortable. I was informed that they could retrofit a similar sidestep onto the GLS, but it wouldn’t be an original Mercedes part. They even gave us the option to source it ourselves or get it through them. However, when I asked whether it would affect the warranty, they first assured me it wouldn’t. But when I requested this in writing, they declined. A sidestep would have been a nice addition to this car, but I’m still weighing whether it’s worth the potential risks.
Initial Ownership experience :
The car has it’s quirks and I am still trying to figure out what is what – but I am quite happy over all with the car. Today experienced Mercedes’ pre-safe seatbelt coming in action. A person on a bike decided to “cut across” quite close to the car and immediately the seatbelts tightened up and the car I presume was about to apply emergency brakes! Though I skipped a heartbeat (not in a pleasant way) – I am happy knowing that the car will take care of the occupants inside.
I would have preferred the car showing the side view on the display screen each time I switch on the indicators – which if not entirely wrong is available in the E class. The side view mirrors have a red triangle which glows if someone is in your blind spot – but because of the car’s size – it’s usually out of your field of vision, especially the left side one.
Few quirks which I find amusing in the car are to do with their ambient lights. Every time you adjust the AC temperature – the corresponding side’s ambient lights turn blue/red depending on whether you have reduced the temperature or increased it. The ambient lights flash red whenever you are opening the door and the car detects a vehicle coming up from behind.
The multi beam LED headlight is straight out of a science fiction story. One has to see it to believe it. It can literally cast shadows on the car in front and on the oncoming traffic while totally illuminating everything else around it. Now the 6GT’s headlamps feel absolutely “bleh” compared to the merc.
Another quirk which I noticed in the car is – it comes with 2 sun visors on each side!! Not sure how often I would remember to use them though.
When you unlock the car – it projects a nice three pointed star logo on the ground – which to be honest feels cool for no reason.
The car comes with two headphones for the rear entertainment – though I still haven’t got around to trying them. But I am assuming they should be good considering how good the Burmester sound system is.
It also has a very clever camera trick called transparent bonnet. This can be accessed via off road settings. What it does it gives you a view of what might be under the bonnet between the front tyres. Cool gimmick – but not sure how usable it would ever be in my use case scenario.
The camera also swivels when you turn the steering while moving forward.
Found a nice easter egg on the windshield – there is Carl Benz’s signature.
The cabin is much quieter than the 6GT, and my dad finds it far easier to get in and out. Now, the whole family can travel together, which is a huge plus. And perhaps most importantly, I no longer have to dread every pothole! Despite my cautious driving, the 6GT cost me four cracked alloys. While I am still cautious about going through the potholes, it’s a relief to know that the GLS can handle them much better. The moment you press the accelerator, the engine comes to life, and the gear shifts are seamless – all this is done in a very serene way (maybe that’s how Mercs usually are). However, if I’m being honest, the 6GT still feels like a more engaging car to drive.
And yes, this car is huge. It might seem intimidating at first glance, but its manoeuvrability is impressive, with a surprisingly manageable turning radius for its size. This car is intimidating for others on the road as well, as people give way when you approach (but that may well be the case for all SUVs). Especially this feeling was amplified when I was driving my polo the other day and people just simply bullied me on the road – or so it seemed.
On the flip side – this car doesn’t catch as many eyes as the 6GT does on the road. 4 years in – and still I see people staring at the car at the traffic signals – the GLS doesn’t attract that kind of attention.
With barely 600kms done so far – I am still struggling to be comfortable with the car’s size. Totally clueless about the width and where the car’s length ends so far.
On a side note – MBIL doesn’t give much accessories to choose from. Least they can offer is dash cam and mudflaps for their cars. All I could get from them (by paying extra of course) were the rubber mats.
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