Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 2021 Review

As the biggest, heaviest and most expensive SUV from the German car-maker, the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC is the pinnacle of its luxury SUV range and makes a striking first impression.

Priced at $378,297 plus on-road costs – $20,000 more than first advertised back in March – the mega-luxury land yacht is visually arresting, with its standard-fit 23-inch alloy wheels, huge chrome grille and power-operated aluminium side steps.

The interior is likewise a sumptuous affair, with fine Nappa leather covering almost every conceivable surface.

Maybach’s first SUV is based on the seven-seat Mercedes-Benz GLS, and while the cockpit has similarities, the back seats are a completely different proposition – especially when you add the twin ‘luxury individual seats package’ like our test vehicle.

Adding $9500 to the Maybach invoice – and worth every cent in my opinion – the three-seat rear bench is swapped out for a pair of business-class-style seats that mimic the front seats’ amenity, with power adjustability, heating and cooling functions and even several very relaxing hot and cold massage settings.

The big rear recliners also offer way more legroom than in the front, along with leg support should your calves feel tired, plus cushy head restraints and extra lumbar pillows.

To call back seat comfort levels exceptional would be an understatement, particularly when you factor in twin 11.6-inch entertainment screens with matching noise-cancelling wireless headphones, and a central (and removable) 7.0-inch master control tablet.

The latter can be used to change ambient lighting, climate control (piped through eight rear air vents), the extensive seat functions, side window and glass roof sun blinds, plus the 27-speaker, 1590W Burmester 3D surround sound system.

There’s four USB-C ports in the rear plus a pair of leather-lined metal fold-out tray tables hidden beneath the rear centre console that not only have achingly beautiful engineering, articulation and build quality, but are also very effective.

Indeed, I spent half a day sitting in the back seat writing this review, as it’s far more comfortable than my home office – and quieter, too, without the screeching of irritated toddlers.

Our test vehicle was finished in the Emerald Green metallic colour and also featured optional gloss black flowing lines with piano lacquer trim ($1300), taking the total price before on-road costs to $389,097.

While it’s less expensive than the Rolls-Royce Cullinan (from $659,000), the Bentley Bentayga (from $348,300) can be had for less – albeit with less equipment and a diesel engine at entry level.

That said, it could be argued that the modern-era Maybach doesn’t have the badge value, recognisability or desirability of either rival, despite its pre-war lineage.

The high-riding super-SUV is backed by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and comes with five years’ free roadside assistance, while a capped-price service plan is pegged at $4550 for five years.

Service intervals are 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first.

The cockpit of the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 is very similar to that of its donor car, the Mercedes-Benz GLS, which means extra-large twin 12.3-inch screens dominate proceedings.

The user interface is excellent, the menu system intuitive and there’s a huge amount of depth and adjustability across both the infotainment and driver displays.

Rear seat passengers get almost as much depth in the three touch-screens available to them, but there’s plenty of hidden technology in the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 that contributes to its smooth operation.

Take the suspension system, for instance. It combines adjustable AIRMATIC air suspension (in lieu of springs) and adaptive dampers – for both compression and rebound – to deliver excellent ride comfort, even on the massive 23-inch alloy wheels, by varying response individually at each wheel.

In terms of safety, the Maybach may not have five ANCAP stars next to its name – neither it nor the standard GLS has been crash-tested in Australia or Europe – it’s still the vehicular equivalent of a restaurant with three Michelin stars.

That means advanced autonomous driving functions, lots of airbags and collision prevention systems galore.

As well as very effective adaptive cruise control and active steering assistance, the German luxury SUV features unique airbags located within the rear seat cushions, designed to prevent passengers sliding under their seat belts when the rear seats are fully reclined.

The first – but certainly not last – Maybach-branded SUV, the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 packs in a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 48-volt mild-hybrid electric augmentation.

While fuel economy isn’t amazing – claimed at 12.5L/100km, but returning 19L/100km on test – it strikes us that this will not be the chief concern of owners, many of whom will be paying a lot more for a chauffeur driver than filling the large 90-litre fuel tank.

While peak power and torque of 410kW at 6000-6500rpm and 730Nm at 2500-5000rpm sounds like a lot, and is similar to the Mercedes-AMG GT <<< /mercedes-amg-gt-r-2019-review-121261/ >>> sports car, it’s been tuned very differently and metes out propulsion via the nine-speed automatic in a very refined manner.

Even at full throttle the hefty 2.8-tonne behemoth motivates smoothly – despite a very believable and rapid 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.9 seconds.

The permanent all-wheel drive system delivers plenty of grip in most conditions too.

Befitting an outrageously opulent transportation contrivance, it’s a quiet powertrain.

There’s none of the aggro, none of the acoustic drama you get from the same 3982cc V8 in the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S, for instance. If anything, the mild-hybrid system’s 16kW and 250Nm boost makes initial acceleration quieter.

A fully electric version of this Maybach SUV would work beautifully too, the smoother, quieter power delivery of electric motors making the experience even more unified. Which is precisely where the Mercedes-Maybach EQS will come in.

The 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 is surprisingly satisfying to drive and be driven in.

But to be honest, I preferred doing the latter, as those executive rear seats have to be experienced to be believed.

From the driver’s seat it’s abundantly clear that the Mercedes-Maybach crew wanted to deliver a refined and ultra-quiet on-road experience.

The steering is feather-light which makes three-point turns effortless, despite its hulking 5.2-metre length. And although the luxury SUV was never designed to be a performance vehicle, handling dynamics are pretty good for such a monumentally large and heavy machine.

It tracks through corners with decent agility at middling speeds and grips up well thanks to AWD systems and suspension trickery, but its 2785kg mass eventually gets the better of it.

As we’ve mentioned, it’s the Maybach’s supple ride comfort that really stands out. It glides over rough roads with nonchalant ease, able to absorb pretty much everything this side of a sink hole.

The ultimate experience really occurs when you get to sit in the back seat, making use of the extensive entertainment and comfort systems.

Just slot on the glossy headphones, pop on some meditative music and enjoy a massage while reclined. Bliss.

As Maybach’s first attempt at an ultra-luxury SUV, the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 is impressively executed.

And it feels like more than just a Mercedes-Benz with a pair of concealed two-metre-long aluminium fold-out side steps.

Sure, it may have visual similarities with its GLS donor car, but it drives very differently and the attention to detail and lavish cabin – and especially the rear seats – are gobsmacking.

As chauffeur-centric markets like China continue to account for a larger slice of the premium SUV pie, expect to see more of these luxury leviathans hitting the market and upping the ante with dazzling, no-expense-spared rear seat compartments.

Given it’s a lot easier to get in and out of than its low-slung S-Class Maybach sibling, expect sales to outpace its cousin too.

It’s true that Mercedes-Maybach doesn’t have the same badge cachet as a Bentley or a Rolls Royce – which is important when you rock up to your mate’s private jet – but this German luxury SUV delivers magnificently on its promise of pampering passengers.

It might also give Aussie buyers waiting for the incoming new-generation flagship Range Rover something else to consider too.

How much does the 2021 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC cost?
Price: $389,097 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol
Output: 410kW/730Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel: 12.5L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 285g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested