Mercedes-Benz GL 350 BlueTec 4Matic

The second-generation Mercedes-Benz GL - the largest and most commodious of Mercedes' four dedicated off-roaders. Revealed at the New York motor show earlier this year, the seven-seater goes on sale in the UK next April at a starting price expected to be around ₤60,000. 

The new model is based on a revised unitary steel platform from the first-generation GL. It features improved safety measures, a heavily reworked chassis and a complete restyle inside and out.

At 5120mm in length, 1934mm in width and 1830mm in height, the new GL is now 21mm longer, 14mm wider and a nominal 10mm higher. Despite the increased external dimensions, it continues to ride on the same 3075mm wheelbase, although both tracks have been widened to give it a slightly larger footprint.

The bump in size provides the basis for a larger and more versatile interior offering more headroom and vastly improved access to the rear cabin. The 2-3-2 seating layout of the old model remains. Handily, the two rear-most seats can be electrically erected or folded into the floor of the luggage compartment from controls placed within the rear side doors or within the sides of the boot lining. In five-seat form, boot capacity increases by 100 litres to 680 litres.

While retaining the same basic steel platform structure as before, the new GL adopts more sophisticated suspension. Mercedes-Benz claims this provides the GL with a significant boost in on-road comfort while endowing it with added off-road ability. 

The new GL will be sold with a choice of three  engines, including the widely used turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 diesel  in the GL 350 BlueTec 4Matic driven here. It is expected to account for the majority of UK sales, and delivers 46bhp and 59lb ft more than the similarlyconfigured engine used in the older GL 350 CDI, with 254bhp and 457lb ft. The revised diesel also boasts vastly reduced emissions that allows it to comply with upcoming EU6 regulations. 

The restyled GL is, if anything, even more imposing than it was. The appearance at the front leaves you in no doubt about its lineage, but the rear disappointingly possesses common visual links with any number of current off-roaders, particularly the shape of the tail lights.

Inside  you are treated to an airy cabin that shares much with that of the latest M-class. It is a classy and high-quality driving environment, but despite its newness it lacks the up-market feel of the soon-to-be-replaced Range Rover. Accommodation is plentiful in the first two rows of seats, but less so in the third row.

Mercedes-Benz’s latest V6 diesel feels custom-made for its new flagship off-roader, providing the GL 350 BlueTec 4Matic with a good turn of speed from a standstill, a satisfyingly flexible mid-range and effortless motorway properties. It is strong enough to make the V8 petrol powered GL 500 BlueEfficiency superfluous, with a 0-62mph time of 7.9sec and a towing capacity of 3500kg. 

The turbocharged 3.0-litre unit mates wonderfully to the firm's seven-speed automatic gearbox and four-wheel drive system to imbue the base GL with excellent levels of mechanical refinement and remarkable fuel efficiency. Official figures put combined cycle consumption at 38.2mpg and average CO2 emissions at 192g/km. This all makes it a great long distance proposition, and with a 100-litre fuel tank it boasts a theoretical range of almost 800 miles.