The Mercedes-Benz G-Class is considered a mid-size SUV, but with heavy-duty 4x4 capability and major off-roading chops it's not your typical ute.
By David Miller
The G-Class has always been hand-built out of the Magna Steyr manufacturing centre in Graz, Austria. Today, the vehicles are still being assembled in the same factory that was used back in 1979.
Mercedes-Benz invited a host of journalists to Whistler, British Columbia to experience the G-Class in its natural habitat – the off-road trails. The vehicles used were 2016 G 550s that have the same engine and suspension as the upcoming 2017s.
This program wasn't about driving on regular roads, as we went on a five-hour journey through the Callaghan Valley trails, 15 minutes west of Whistler. Callaghan Valley is where Mercedes-Benz takes many of its global G-Class customers for a little adventure.
There are many vehicles we describe as bold and aggressive, but none fit the description better than the G 550. Its boxy and bold looks have persevered more than three decades without changing much to its general appearance.
The G 550 is a menacing sight at 1,954 mm in height, 4,764 mm in length and 1,867 mm in width. It weighs in at 2,668 kg providing a lot of girth and balance with its all-wheel-drive system.
With a ground clearance of 235 mm, you have to take a hop to get into the G 550. It's not as difficult as some Land Rovers, however, so there's no need to hold onto a bar to jolt yourself into the seats. However, getting in may be tricky for vertically-challenged individuals.
The same engine in the 2016 will be carried over to the upcoming 2017s – a Biturbo, 4.0-litre, eight-cylinder that produces 416 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. The G 550 comes with Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel-drive system and the engine is matched to a 7G-Tronic plus automatic transmission.
It had rained the day before and was raining once again on this dark and gloomy day, but we went off in a pack led by the Mercedes-Benz and AMG Driving Academy team. These trails weren't the hardest I've ever come by, but there were various types of climbs, descents and challenges along the way that would showcase the versatility and prowess of the G-Class.
To get this show rolling, we had to learn about our locking differentials. What separates the G-Class apart from many other large 4x4 SUVs is the fact that it has three locking differentials in total: centre, rear and front. The buttons are located in the centre console and each can be activated with a simple push of a button.
There's an order to locking the differentials: it starts with the centre one, followed by the rear, and finally the front, but only under a challenging situation. We were in the centre lock differential for most of the time.
Locking differentials provide the driver with more control of all four wheels, something that's needed when riding off-road trails. You will always be in need of traction and therefore electronic stability control (ESP) and anti-lock brakes (ABS) are disabled to allow for more wheel-spin.
The centre differential applies a 50/50 split of traction control to the front and rear tires. The rear lock differential can be helpful when there's potential for a wheel being lifted off the ground. Instead of power being shifted to the raised wheel, under rear lock differential, traction is supplied to the other wheels to assist with that situation. Front lock will do the same, and because there's an order, you will have both the front and rear working on your behalf.
It was a slippery day and the G 550 sitting on 19-inch wheels handled everything in its path. It's easy to get bogged down in muddy trails, but the G-Class kept moving ahead. We only had one hiccup along the way, and that was due to choosing the wrong line, as the mud created a sliding angle that shifted us close to the trees.
One of the challenges was going through a pond that was littered with rocks. We took it slow and steady and once again the G-Class powered its way through without missing a beat and receiving a nice bath to clear a lot of the mud.
This was the bumpiest part of Callaghan Valley that would force a full wheel off the trail. We set up our rear lock differential and with a gentle throttle application, traction was consistently found. Not one vehicle had problems with this intimidating passing.
Out of all of my off-roading experiences, it's never been so simple to make it over large rocks. What's fascinating about the G 550 is that even if you don't choose the perfect part of the rock to climb over, it will still do the job. I don't recommend this, but it was interesting to watch how capable it really is.
On this course, there were numerous peaks and valleys. With our rear lock differential on, the G 550 climbed at a slow pace without much throttle applied and descended at an even slower pace with a hill descent technology in manual mode that eased the process.
Only once throughout the day did we place the front lock differential on and that was a massive climb up a steep hill that went through deep and slippery trails caused by the rain. A little more throttle was necessary, but once again, the G 550 made it without issue.
As part of the experience, Mercedes-Benz brought in what they call the Iron-Schöckl. We all got our turn to hop in a G 550 for this demonstration. It's a man-made iron seesaw that showcases the vehicle's balancing skills as it ascends and descends this enormous structure with grace.
Given its ride height, the G 550 offers impressive sightlines fully around the vehicle. Visibility isn't a problem when making turns on regular roads or judging that rock straight ahead.
Don't expect this vehicle to save on fuel; that's not its speciality and if you're worried about it, it's best you move along. Official fuel economy ratings are 19.0 L/100 km in the city and 16.5 L/100 km on the highway.
The G 550 had leather seating but it won't be the most comfortable vehicle you ride in. It's meant to be an off-road beast, so there was plenty of rattling throughout the journey. The Mercedes-Benz still has the older grey/black infotainment unit inside, but it works just fine with a compass feature that showcases your location, altitude and steering position.
The G-Class (Geländewagen) has been around for 37 years and is one of the longest-serving nameplates in the Mercedes-Benz roster. It made its first appearance in North America in 2001.
The G-Class was first made as a personal vehicle for the Shah of Iran in 1979, ahead of the Iranian Revolution. He owned an extensive personal collection of classic cars and sports cars, but wanted a large SUV to roam around in. Mercedes-Benz got in touch with the Steyr-Daimler-Puch (now known as Magna Steyr), who had worked with the Austrian military in the past and they got started on what would become the G-Class.
Soon after its introduction in Iran, Mercedes-Benz went to work on developing both consumer and military versions of the G-Class. It has been used by over 43 countries as a military vehicle, including here in Canada.
The 2017 G 550 will be available in October 2016. As mentioned, there won't be any changes mechanically, but Mercedes-Benz has focused on improving its colour choices, as well as its upholstery. There will be an ample increase in exterior and interior colour choices, as well as the addition of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The G 550 can be fully customized to your liking. It pricing starts out at $127,200 and goes up from there. No price has been set for the 2017 version.
We've heard a lot of talk about the upcoming 550 4×4² variant that's set to arrive in Canada in the first half of 2017. It wasn't on this trip, but when available, it's expected to increase ground clearance by 203 mm for a total of 438 mm. Considering how great the regular G 550 is, this variant will be able to do things that much easier with 6x6 off-roading skills.
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