Mercedes-Benz GLS review

The GLB may also have seven seats, but the GLS is the only Mercedes SUV that can comfortably accommodate seven adults. Mercedes rates the rearmost two seats for adults up to 1.94 metres tall (provided the second-row is slid as far forwards as it’ll go), which is very tall indeed. Said seats can also be heated, and benefit from their own climate controls and zone. Getting into them is pretty straightforward, too – all the seats move about electrically, but they take their sweet time.

A clever microphone setup pipes the driver’s voice through the rear speakers and the rear passengers’ through the fronts, so you can have a conversation without having to shout. Don’t tell your kids about it, though, because once they find the microphones there’s no knowing what they may do.

Electrically-operated massage seats with pillowy headrests are available and do a decent job of making you think you’re in a taller, more airy S-Class. But we can’t help but think if this thing is really trying to be the “S-Class of SUVs”, it should be perhaps a little bit plusher still. Maybe it was the dark trim and darkened wood of our test car that cramped its style a little. Of course, there is the Maybach version if you want to go really premium, but that ain’t cheap and only seats four or five.

Has it got a big boot?

Of course it does. With all seven seats in use in the non-Maybach cars, you get a total of 355 litres of luggage space, which is not far off the boot space in a Volkswagen Golf. If you’re only carrying five people there’s 890 litres, or if you drop both of the rear rows there’s a flat floor and up to 2,400 litres of carrying room.

What about the tech?

The dashboard is dominated by two 12.3in screens, although the GLS hasn’t been given the Hyperscreen treatment, so you’ve got one for the driver’s instrumentation and the other for controlling the MBUX infotainment system.

On first meeting the software, and all the various means of controlling it, it can feel a bit daunting. Capacitive buttons and sliders on the steering wheel control left- and right-side screens respectively, The central screen is also touch sensitive, or can be controlled with another touchpad on the centre console, where you used to find a click-wheel.

Get it set up the way you want it, though, and it’s great - superb quality graphics and an attractive UI, and clever voice control that actually works. Unless you have a particularly thick regional accent.

The vast majority of the switchgear and materials feel on-point, though perhaps not quite as nice as the ones you get in an actual S-Class. As ever, the more you spend, the better it gets, with fancier leathers, better headlining and posher trim.

USB-C ports aplenty will keep the kids happy, while all UK cars get the glorious Burmester surround sound system as standard. There’s also a head-up display, a 360-degree parking camera (very handy), wireless phone charging, and you can have multiple screens in the back if you want to spend the extra cash.