2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS

Back in the 1980s and 90s, luxury SUVs weren't a real concept, and if you wanted luxury, you bought a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. But now, well into the 21st century, machines like the Maybach GLS are the equivalents to penthouses and corner offices on wheels. The market is flush with SUVs catering to excess luxury, and the Maybach-branded large luxury SUV faces stiff competition from the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and Bentley Bentayga. Based on the already-luxurious Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, the Maybach variant turns the excess up to 11. Powered by a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine producing 550 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque, the Maybach GLS is no slowpoke, but that's not the point: drive one, or rather, be driven in one, and you'll understand. It's a serenely disconnected experience equivalent to a sensory deprivation tank on wheels, one with reclining and massaging seats that announces to the world, "You've made it."

The exterior of the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS will split opinions, but this also comes down to how exactly it's specced. The wrong color and wheel combination look something akin to Pablo Escobar's gaudy taste in mansions on four wheels, but the right combo looks regal without looking over-the-top like the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. The exterior of palatially large SUV features vertical pinstripe chrome struts on the Maybach grille, illuminated power side steps finished in anodized aluminum with rubber anti-slip strips, standard 22-inch high-gloss black alloy wheels with a high-sheen finish, LED headlights, and a panoramic sunroof. The rear windows get the privacy glass tint by default, and anything that can be is decked out in chrome. Maybach badges adorn the C-pillar on either side of the SUV. Optional 23-inch forged alloy wheels can be equipped for even more excess.

The Maybach is still a Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class SUV under all the pomp, so you can expect a vehicle of similar proportions. The 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS measures 204.9 inches in length, 72.4 inches in height, and its body is 79.9 inches wide. These measurements mean the Maybach model is actually a little smaller than the standard GLS, shorter in length by 0.3 inches but riding 0.6 inches taller. It shares the same 123.4-inch wheelbase. All the added luxury weighs a lot, though. With a curb weight of 6,085 pounds, the Maybach GLS SUV is a little more than 300 lbs heavier than the GLS 580.

You know you're rolling in the money if you can afford a car with a two-tone paint job right from the factory, so when Maybach avails eight of these and 11 solid colors, you already know what league you're playing in. The eight dual-tone options include subtle combinations like Lunar Blue/Iridium Silver, designo Diamond White/Obsidian Black, Iridium Silver/designo Diamond White, and Iridium Silver/Selenite Grey, but also some more obnoxious options like Obsidian Black/Kalahari Gold, Obsidian Black/Patagonia Red, Obsidian Black/Rubellite Red, and finally Emerald Green/Mojave Silver. On all of these, the former color occupies the lower section of the body, while the upper section is separated by a fine pinstripe.

If you're looking for a more traditional alternative, solid color options are all relatively demure. Nine of the colors are available at no cost, with options including Black, Polar White, Obsidian Black, three shades of silver, Lunar and Brilliant Blue metallics, and Emerald Green. Designo Cardinal Red metallic costs $360 and designo Diamond White metallic retails for $795.

The Maybach GLS performs precisely the way you'd think a twin-turbo V8 luxury SUV would perform: it's brutally effective in a straight line despite the fact you'll seldom ever call upon its ability to hit the 0-60 mph dash in 4.8 seconds but is at its happiest cruising at highway speeds, where it can overtake unsuspecting family sedans with a mere dip of the big toe and reach its electronically governed top speed of 130 mph with ease. The Maybach GLS is motivated by a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine which sends its power to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission. It's effortlessly smooth, too, with the transmission tuned for refinement and the engine aided by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system called EQ Boost that helps it off the line and uses its 184-lb-ft electric motor to torque-fill any gap in the powerband, while also aiding a towing capacity of 7,700 lbs. With a total power output of 550 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque, performance should be enough for most, but if you want to go even faster, you can always look at the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63, which trades plushness for speed, churning out 603 horsepower.

Under the hood of the Maybach GLS, you'll find a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 used in many an AMG product. Here, it's tuned for refinement over outright power but still produces 550 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque. The SUV has Mercedes' 4MATIC fully variable AWD and a nine-speed automatic transmission as standard. This might not be as exotic as the twin-turbo V12 engines of old, but this power plant still delivers explosive performance while being perfectly refined at the same time. The Maybach GLS is also technically a hybrid: its gas engine is paired with EQ Boost and a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that adds an additional 21 hp and 184 lb-ft. Between this and the nine-speed automatic, which is already silky-smooth in the standard GLS and is even more imperceptible here, the Maybach GLS is utterly divine, gliding up to speed effortlessly, and overtaking on a whim, without any of the harsh kickdown from the transmission that might be experienced in an AMG variant. There's even a dedicated Maybach mode that pulls off in second gear, disengages the engine stop/start system, and flattens the accelerator curve to make the experience as smooth as possible for passengers. Its size makes it tricky to deal with in the city, but from a powertrain perspective, the Maybach GLS is happy at any speed with an endless well of torque to draw from when you need to get up and go, and yet a smoothness that never feels hurried.

Sure, the Maybach GLS offers a ton of performance, and it's technically an all-wheel-drive SUV, but this vehicle wasn't designed to take the family on a camping adventure in the rocky mountains. The Maybach GLS exists to pamper its occupants in the city and on long-distance journeys. The standard Mercedes-Benz GLS is already an extremely comfortable luxury SUV, but the Maybach version is better still. Its standard air suspension smoothes out most road perfections and makes this one of the most relaxing cars to pilot, period. If you thought the Maybach GLS couldn't get any smoother, wait until you try the Maybach drive mode. This ultra-luxurious driving mode forms part of the ingenious Mercedes E-Active Body Control system which makes use of camera and radar readings to actively adjust each individual spring in preparation for bumps and road imperfections. The GLS uses its 48-volt electric system to make these changes in less than the blink of an eye. In this configuration, the ECU softens the throttle response, tones down the exhaust note, and makes the gear changes and suspension even softer, but it primarily focuses on making sure that all body movements are at their lowest for the rear-seat occupants. The CURVE drive mode makes the GLS lean into bends at 3 degrees to reduce lateral forces. In this mode, few SUVs compare.

You don't even consider buying a Maybach if you're in any way concerned about fuel costs, as the experience supersedes all else. EPA gas mileage figures for the Maybach GLS are claimed at 15/19/16 mpg city/highway/combined. This is only marginally better than the more powerful AMG GLS 63, but with driving modes that specifically disengage the auto stop/start for the sake of refinement, this is no surprise. The competition doesn't fare much better: the V8 Bentley Bentayga will manage a mildly impressive 15/24/18 mpg while the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, with 50% more cylinders and 68% more displacement will gulp down 12/20/14 mpg.

A 23.8-gallon fuel tank gives the Maybach GLS an estimated range of 381 miles.

Mercedes-Benz has been at the top of its game when it comes to interior design and build quality. The standard GLS is already a seriously luxurious SUV, but slapping the Maybach name on the back means that the interior of this SUV gets a complete overhaul which turns it into a rolling six-star hotel room, but sacrifices its third row of seats in order to do so. Examples of absolutely ostentatious levels of luxury include fully reclinable rear seats, extending, folding tables, heated and ventilated seats with massage function, a refrigerator with space for champagne bottles, and even a set of custom silver champagne flutes. The GLS is packed with all the latest tech, including a rear MBUX tablet, and Mercedes-Benz' Driver Assistance package which includes a host of features like traffic sign assist, lane keep assist, evasive steering, and route-based speed adjustment.

Passengers in the GLS Maybach sit nearly ten inches higher than in the S-Class sedan, and with the help of retractable side-steps, getting in and out of this luxury SUV is a painless exercise. Inside, the seating arrangement has been altered from the original GLS configuration: the Maybach car has two instead of three rows of seating and the second-row seats have been moved back by 4.7 inches and can be reclined up to 43.5 degrees. With the front passenger seat in the "chauffeur" position, legroom increases to a massive 52.8 inches (4.4 feet). Seating for four is standard, but the Maybach can accommodate up to five if a rear bench is specified. Those in the rear get the same massage seats as in the front, and both front and rear seats are heated and ventilated. In the front, the Maybach GLS affords its occupants a generous amount of space, and six-foot-plus adults will have no issue finding a comfortable seating position. The front seats also offer multi-contour technology that features electrically adjustable lumbar support. The Energizing Kinetics function makes minute adjustments to the seat cushion when driving to make things even more comfortable and encourage front occupants to "sit actively".

As you can imagine, the interior of the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach is an exercise in extravagance. The cabin is decked out in luxury materials such as Nappa leather and open-pore wood. Seat color choices include Black Nappa leather, or Mahogany/Macchiato Beige Nappa leather at no cost. The optional designo Leather package also includes a Crystal White/Silver Grey Pearl option for an additional $13,500 with signature rose gold piping. All the leather features box-pleated center detailing and contrast stitching, and occupants in the rear seats get comfort headrests and matching cushions.

Trim options include Natural Grain Grey Oak and Brown Walnut at no cost, while designo Natural Grain Black Flamed Ash wood, Brown Linden 'Flowing Lines' wood, and Black Piano Lacquer "Flowing Lines" wood will set you back $850. Small details such as the dashboard finished in Nappa leather and fine chrome detailing add to the feel that this is no regular GLS. The steering wheel is a Nappa leather-wrapped item by default, but for $600, it can be had in classy leather and wood.

Considering the Maybach GLS has only two rows of seating, it would be logical to assume the extra space would help contribute towards greater cargo volumes, but this is only partly true. Whereas the standard GLS offers 17.4 cubic feet of space behind the third row of seats, the Maybach GLS only provides 18.4 cubic feet behind the second row. Behind the rear seats, you'll find a fixed load compartment partition with parcel shelves that separates the interior from the luggage compartment. In this configuration, Maybach states that you can easily fit four golf bags. With the optional mini fridge installed, the trunk space is drastically reduced.

Inside the cabin, small door pockets, a decent glove compartment, and central storage compartment offer enough small-item storage space. There are heated and cooled front and rear cupholders for the ultimate convenience, and in the standard four-seat configuration, the full-length center console has dedicated storage for rear occupants while in place of the center rear seatback, an additional storage cubby can be turned into a refrigerated box with space for three bottles of champers.

Typically, Mercedes makes you pay for all the nice features, even on its six-figure models. But on a Maybach, that simply won't suffice. Standard exterior features on the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach include adaptive LED headlights, a panoramic glass roof, power running boards, rain-sensitive windshield wipers, and a hands-free liftgate. On the inside, every Maybach GLS comes standard with keyless entry, 64-color ambient lighting, multi-contour power-adjustable front and rear seats with heating, ventilation, and massage functions, heated front and rear armrests, push-button start, and a four-zone executive climate system. The doors have soft-close functionality and even the steering column is power adjustable. A head-up display is standard, too. If all of that isn't luxurious enough, you can opt for folding tables in the rear of the cabin and a refrigerated console for your favorite bottle of bubbly.

Standard driver assistance features include a head-up display, attention assist, blind-spot monitoring with cross traffic alert, active steering assist, lane change and lane keep assist, and route based speed adaptation, to name just a few. A surround-view system is standard, and active parking assistance and traffic sign recognition round out the driver's safety suite.

Two massive 12.3-inch displays dominate the dashboard of the Maybach GLS. The one acts as a digital instrument cluster, while the other acts as the infotainment display. This system is operated by Mercedes-Benz User Experience software (MBUX) and is slick and easy to learn, although it can be a little intimidating to start. The GLS's infotainment system boasts full Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration and you can tune into your favorite radio station or podcast thanks to standard SiriusXM and HD Radio functionality. Navigation is standard and includes augmented video, which uses a front-facing camera and overlays arrows onto the on-screen display so you never miss a turn.

An integrated two-way ICC (In-Car Communication) system means that the driver can talk to those in the back with ease, while the VIP reclined in the rear can command his chauffeur where to go next without having to strain their vocal cords. It gets better for those in the prime seats as a seven-inch tablet in the back gives rear-seat passengers the ability to control the infotainment and climate control systems and even adjust the ambient lighting, and it docks into the center console.

The Maybach GLS has one of the most impressive sound systems around: the Burmester High-End 3D surround sound system features 27 high-performance speakers and 27 separate amplifier channels with a total output of 1,590 watts. This system delivers cinema-quality levels of audio quality with ceiling-mounted surround speakers and LED-illuminated tweeters.

In terms of reliability, the Mercedes-Maybach has been recalled twice at the time of writing. One recall was issued for backup camera display issues and another for interior switch illumination issues. Mercedes-Maybach's warranty coverage on the GLS includes a 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty with drivetrain cover for the same time/distance. New owners also get a four-year/50,000-mile roadside assistance plan.

Neither the IIHS nor the NHTSA has a review of the Mercedes-Maybach GLS's safety. The standard GLS-class SUV has also not been subjected to a review from either authority.

Despite not being rated by the NHTSA and IIHS, the new Mercedes-Maybach GLS should prove to be extremely safe. As a large SUV, its sheer size and construction count in its favor, but it also comes packed with the latest safety tech. Standard features include a nine-airbag system with front side-impact, driver's knee, and rear-seat side impact protection.

Along with the expected passive safety features, the Maybach GLS comes exceptionally well-equipped with advanced driver assistance features, including adaptive braking, automatic emergency braking, driver attention assist, blind-spot monitoring with cross-traffic alert, active steering assist, active speed limit assist, lane keep and lane change assist, and route-based speed adaptation. Speed limit assist, traffic sign recognition, parking assist, a surround-view camera system, and a head-up display are also standard. The only optional safety feature is trailer stability assist, which we suspect not many Maybach buyers will need.

Since the Maybach brand no longer builds bespoke models and relies on a standard Mercedes-Benz to provide a workable platform, there have been concerns that they could never match the standard set by Rolls-Royce and Bentley. After all, an S-Class is good, but even polished, it's just an S-Class, right? Wrong. In the case of the Maybach GLS, it takes on a completely different personality to the standard SUV. It's not just about losing the third row of seats and giving the second-row occupants a ton of luxury - which it does - but it's the consideration that's been given to the powertrain and chassis that completely transform the experience. It has power, but it's tuned to be deployed in such a manner that you wouldn't spill the ice-cold champagne in your silver flute in the back seat, while the suspension's active compensation for bumps and curves works exceptionally. The exterior can get a little gaudy, and if you look for it in the details, there's some regular GLS still present in the cabin, but in every other fashion, this is high society motoring at its finest, and it doesn't even require you to break the bank.

In the grand scheme of things, the price of the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 isn't all that expensive, considering the amount of car you get for the money. An S-Class goes through a circa-$70,000 transformation to earn its Maybach badge but, at $160,500 excluding a $1,050 destination fee, the 2021 Maybach GLS 600 is a little more than $60,000 dearer than a standard GLS but has undergone an even greater transformation than the S-Class. We'd argue this is more luxurious than the Maybach S, and yet, it's $24,000 cheaper. Compared to its chief rivals, the Maybach GLS is a downright bargain. A Range Rover SVAutobiography starts north of $200k, while a Rolls-Royce Cullinan starts at $335k. The closest rival, price-wise, is the circa-$180k Bentley Bentayga.

Mercedes The 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 is the only trim available for the Maybach-branded SUV.

With it, you get a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine 550 hp and 538 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission. Exterior features include 22-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, power running boards, a panoramic glass roof, a hands-free liftgate, and rain-sensitive windshield wipers. On the inside, expect to find multi-contour power-adjustable front and rear seats with heating and ventilation, leather upholstery, keyless entry, 64-color ambient lighting, a quad-zone climate system, and push-button start. The infotainment system consists of a 12.3-inch touchscreen display with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, and SiriusXM functionality. Navigation and a 27-speaker Burmester sound system are also standard. Driver assistance tech includes active lane change assist, route-based speed adjustment, active lane-keeping assist, and evasive steering assist.

Maybach doesn't specify any optional packages but does offer individual options to make its GLS even more luxurious. The exterior can be modified with larger 23-inch forged alloy wheels, and the interior is offered with optional upholstery colors and a few individual options. Seating for five is a no-cost extra, but a wood and leather steering wheel costs $600. Retain the two-seater rear cabin and folding rear tables can be equipped for $1,800 or a mini-fridge and champagne flutes can be added for $1,100 and $800 respectively. If you want to access the Maybach's towing potential, a Class IV trailer hitch is available for $575.

Mercedes might charge a small fortune for the only one trim available, but the Mercedes-Maybach GLS SUV is an all-inclusive behemoth with very little left to do but choose personalisation options and choose how garish you want to be. If we were buying, we'd get it with one of the classier two-tone paint options like Emerald Green and Mojave Silver, but we'd stick to the slightly more demure 22-inch wheels. The Crystal White/Silver Grey Pearl Nappa leather is our kind of wealthy, and the Black Flamed Ash wood would suit it to a tee. We'd retain the four-seater arrangement and opt for the mini fridge in the back, but not the silver champagne flutes. Instead, we'd specify that Maybach stock it exclusively with Bud Lights at our behest. Chances are, if you really want one, though, you don't care how we'd spec it.

The Bentley Bentayga has been available in the USA since 2016, and it is still one of the best-selling prestige SUVs around. It brings a level of style and refinement that sits above traditional luxury SUVs. Under the hood, you can get a 6.0-liter W12 with two turbos, 626 hp, and 664 lb-ft of torque, making it considerably more powerful than the Maybach in top-spec, but there's also a hybrid version and one with a 4.0L twin-turbo V8 with 443 hp and 516 lb-ft which is a close price match for the Maybach at $180,500. The exterior of the Bentayga isn't exactly subtle, but we think it's easier on the eye. On the road, the Bentayaga is a beautiful thing to drive and is as comfortable as the GLS, despite lacking some of the German's fancy tech. The interior is sublime: the choice of materials is up there with the best of them, and there's tons of space, but the Maybach does offer more modern tech features. The Bentley has more customization and hails from a brand where the badge has a little more prestige, but we think either of these are spectacular. We'd stretch for the Bentayga, but we'd also go big and get it with the W12, but we wouldn't fault anyone for choosing the Merc.

Rolls-Royce introduced its first-ever SUV back in 2019, and we were pleased to see that the company had not strayed far from its core values. Simply put, this is the most luxurious SUV you can buy. Sure, it costs more than double the price of the Maybach, but you get what you pay for. Under the hood, the Cullinan features a 6.75-liter twin-turbo V12 engine producing 592 hp and 664 lb-ft in Black Badge configuration. Both SUVs are rapid in an effortless way, but the Cullinan sounds a little better while doing it. The British SUV glides over road imperfections just a little better than the Maybach does, and its transmission is a little more intuitive.

Inside, both are utterly divine, with tons of space and even more tech and luxury. The CUllinan feels vastly more opulent while the Maybach is more tech-focused. Rolls-Royce charges you $350,000 before options, but the Cullinan is luxury like nothing else. The only problem is when you park it, you have to look at it.