Mercedes Maybach has held the place in the Daimler family as the pinnacle of Mercedes Benz and for 2021, Maybach is introducing their first-ever SUV, the Maybach GLS 600. This uber luxury SUV has the trimmings you’d expect from Maybach, including a back seat that wouldn’t look out of place in a first-class airliner.
While the segment is full of rich entires from Rolls-Royce and Bentley, the GLS 600 has plenty of upgrades to warrant a look if you need the most luxury SUV experience from the 3-pointed star.
The 2021 Maybach GLS 600 comes in a single well-equipped trim level. It’s powered by a turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 (550 horsepower, 538 lb-ft of torque) that puts power to the ground via a nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Just about everything that’s optional or available on the regular GLS is standard on the Maybach.
Standard feature highlights include:
- 22-inch wheels
- E-Active Body Control adaptive suspension (dramatically improves ride comfort and cornering stability)
- 12.3-inch infotainment screen
- Digital gauge cluster display
- 7-inch touchscreen for the rear seat
- Wireless charging pads in the front and rear
- Burmester audio system
- Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line onto the windshield)
- Four-zone automatic climate control
- Front and rear heated and cooled cupholders
- Heated, ventilated and massaging seats both front and rear
- Panoramic glass roof
Driver aids include:
- Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the Maybach and the car in front)
- Automatic emergency braking (warns if a front impact is imminent and applies the brakes if you don’t respond in time)
- Blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert (warns you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while reversing)
- Lane departure warning (alerts you if the vehicle begins to drift out of its lane)
- Surround-view camera (gives you a top-down view of the Maybach GLS 600 and its surroundings for tight parking situations)
Options include:
- Folding tables for rear passengers (four-seat configuration only)
- Two-tone leather upholstery
- Two-tone exterior paint
- 23-inch wheels
- Refrigerated compartment
- Champagne flutes and built-in holders
You’re not looking for value if you want a Maybach GLS, but at $172,200 (as equipped) it’s definitely the least expensive of the uber-luxury SUVs. No other competitor puts together such a well-appointed package for anywhere near the same money. It feels solid, pristine and opulent — easily matching rivals such as the Bentley Bentayga. If anything, Mercedes could offer more options for personalization. The four-year/50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty is average for the class.