This week, I have an SUV I have really enjoyed. It is the 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580, the flagship SUV in the Mercedes lineup, and the most powerful of the GLS models. I was pretty familiar with many of the features, you see I have this SUV in my garage, except it is the 2022 GLS 450, same SUV but the six-cylinder version.
This is a sharp-looking SUV with a sculpted hood, distinct lines running through the body, beautiful 21” wheels, a nice spoiler at the rear, and chrome dual exhaust tips built into the bumper at the back. The Emerald Green Metallic paint is simply stunning.
Under the hood there is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with a mild hybrid assist that is mated to a 9-speed shiftable automatic transmission. Together, they produce a heart-pounding 483-horses and a strong 516-pound feet of torque. Acceleration is not an issue with this SUV, and it sounds great. This is the 4MATIC, which signifies it is all-wheel drive.
As you enter the luxurious cabin, it is all Mercedes. Leather seats are inviting and slightly bolstered, but not too much for anyone to be comfortable. The GLS has one of the most spacious and comfortable cabins I've tested since I had its little sister, the GLE model not too long ago. The heated and cooled power adjusting and massaging leather seats were firm, but not too firm. It was nice to see a light-colored interior, you get mostly black these days.
Beautiful dark wood runs throughout the cabin, from the door panels and it continues across the dash. The center console houses the drive modes and shortcuts to the infotainment screen. You can choose from individual sport, comfort, or eco. There are USB-C ports, a couple of big cupholders, and the track pad if you prefer, and there are very comfortable grab handles for both front seat passengers. There is also a cell phone charger and you can raise and lower the GLS.
Moving to the back seat, it is very roomy with two heated captain chairs, and those occupants get their own air conditioning vents and electronic controls, and more USB-C charging ports. The third-row seat will hold two adults very comfortably with good leg and headroom and you can fold it down with the push of a button and it operates quickly.
Cargo area is spacious with up to 84-cubic feet of cargo behind the front seats. The tailgate is power and can be operated from the key fob, or from a pull switch on the driver’s door. Also from the rear, you can lower the GLS for easier loading of cargo. Under the floor is the full-sized spare and a small amount of storage.
This is a Benz, so it comes extremely well equipped with a massive Panoramic power sunroof, soft closing doors, ambient lighting, the Burmeister sound system, power tilt wheel, brake hold, start/stop disable button, side steps, all power assists, and a lot more including brake hold and a must-have on my personal vehicles, soft-closing doors.
On the safety side, you get active steering assist, active lane change assist, emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, and traffic sign recognition.
Fuel economy is OK given the size of this SUV. It is rated at 16 in town and 21 on the highway. The GLS 580 came out late due to the chip shortage, so I have not gotten a window sticker yet, but duplicating it online, the MSRP is about $120,000, which is well in line with other large, luxury SUVs.
This SUV is truly a joy to drive, handling is amazing, and it just feels heavy and substantial. It is incredibly quiet inside, acceleration is fantastic, and it is a wonderful, roomy, daily driver. If you need to tow something, it can handle up to 7700-pounds.
2022 GLS 580 in a few words: Great driving SUV with a ton of power, loads of room, and an incredibly luxurious cabin.