2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class debuted its big third-generation shape in April, revealing a refreshed design with tons of tech and new powertrain choices, including a new turbocharged inline-six and a meaty twin-turbo V8. One thing that Mercedes didn’t mention at the big reveal for its range-topping SUV is price, but that’s been at least partially remedied today with a dollar figure for the entry-level GLS 450. As you’d expect it’s not exactly cheap with a starting price of $75,200, and that doesn’t include $995 in destination charges.

Of course, there’s the fresh engine under the hood as well. The new 3.0-liter inline-six makes 362 horsepower (269 kilowatts) and 369 pound-feet (500 Newton-meters) of torque, which discriminating Mercedes-Benz followers will note is exactly the same on both counts as the previous-generation twin-turbo V6. However, the new arrangement features the automaker’s EQ Boost mild-hybrid tech that aids in both efficiency and power delivery. Using the same nine-speed automatic turning all four wheels as the previous model, Mercedes says the new GLS 450 can reach 60 mph in 5.9 seconds – roughly a half-second quicker than its predecessor.

Like the outgoing model, the 2020 GLS-class will come standard with both all-wheel drive and an air-suspension system, but the new model can also be equipped with Mercedes’s E-Active Body Control suspension system. The active suspension is novel, utilizing the car’s hybrid system to quickly change its damping based on what a forward-facing camera sees on the road ahead, allowing it to deliver a smoother ride on potholed roads and adapt to changing off-road conditions. It can also hilariously bounce itself up and down to help the driver get unstuck from sand or mud. E-Active Body Control adds $8200 to the price of the also-new 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE-class, and we expect it to carry a similar premium here.

While the new GLS450 is a good bit more expensive than the old model, it’s close in price to its main competitor, BMW’s new X7 SUV. In six-cylinder form, the BMW is only $1300 cheaper than the Mercedes and is equally easy to load up with options. The new GLS will hit dealerships at the end of this year, with pricing for the GLS580 model to be revealed then.