All-new Mercedes-Benz GLS unveiled

The three-pointed star's biggest, most luxurious and spacious SUV has finally been exposed in the USA and the new Mercedes-Benz GLS is coming to Australia from around October.

Measuring a colossal 5.2 metres long and almost two metres wide, the prestige German juggernaut is the brand's flagship SUV, offering every conceivable luxury and technology feature you can think of.

Making its world premiere at this week's 2019 New York motor show, it exposes a new look based on the brand's 'sensual purity' ethos. In other words it looks like every other Benz SUV now.

The giant machine's wheelbase has grown by 60mm to a massive 3135mm, which liberates more room for all seven occupants and increases boot space too.

But it'll need to be big, because its cross-town rival from Munich, the new BMW X7 that launches here in May, also measures 5.2 metres long and two metres wide.

The seven-seat Mercedes GLS offers up to 2400 litres of cargo space, which can be accessed with the press of one button that folds down the (powered) second and third row of seats simultaneously. There's even a button that lowers the boot sill by 50mm to improve loading access.

Second-row occupants can mess around with a pair of very large 11.6-inch touch-screens as part of the ongoing development of the MBUX system, to which passengers can say "Hey Mercedes, open the sunroof" and so on.

If that's not enough, a 7.0-inch Android tablet that tucks into a docking station in the armrest can be had too.

Drivers get a few cool toys too, including E-Active Body Control adaptive suspension and a range of grunty engines, including the an all-new turbo-petrol V8 that makes its global debut in the Mercedes-Benz GLS 580.

It's not clear if this engine is coming to Australia but it'll be a firecracker, pumping out 360kW/700Nm and backed up by a temporary 'EQ boost' of 16kW/250Nm when you floor it. Fuel consumption (WLTP) is claimed to be as low as 9.8L/100km.

There's no talk of an AMG model, but it's only a matter of time, as is an all-out Mercedes-Maybach version.

As the brand's biggest and most lavish SUV -- so far -- the new GLS won't be cheap. But while local pricing is still being negotiated, it won't be the most expensive Benz SUV – that honour goes to the retro G-Class that tops out at almost $250,000 for the side-piped AMG V8.

The GLS 450 (270kW/500Nm), GLS 400d (243kW/700Nm) and GLS 350d (210kW/600Nm) are also available in the US and are likely starters for Australia. The GLS 450 also comes with the 48-volt EQ Boost system.

Currently in Australia, the outgoing Mercedes-Benz GLS sells for between $118,730 and $221,730.

Expect modest price rises given the extra equipment available, such as advanced gesture control that can deduce whether the driver or passenger is flailing, five-zone climate control, USB ports in every row, a super-luxury six-seat option that adds two premium seats in the second row and a larger high-resolution head-up display with extended projection.

Even the headlights have been given extra-special treatment, with 112 LEDs on each side blasting out the highest amount of lumens possible by law, illuminating hundreds of metres in front of the SUV.

The new model will also have improved off-road capabilities.

What do you think of the new Mercedes-Benz GLS? Have your say in the comments below.