2023 Mercedes-Benz G550 Review: Call Me a Convert

I didn’t think I was a G-Wagen type of guy. Then I drove one…

Published May 12, 2023

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The Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen does many things well. But blending in is not one of them. The G-Wagen garners awed respect from car enthusiasts; there aren’t many more capable all-around vehicles to get you from Point A to Point B. But respect does not prevent the G-Wagen from being a massive lightning rod. Few vehicles burn more fossil fuels during that trip from Point A to Point B. And the “G” experience is often far more about the conspicuous display of wealth than the capability off the pavement; most country club access roads do not require three locking differentials.

It’s hard to approach the G-Wagen without preconceptions. But the preconceptions add to its intrigue. Never having driven one has been a glaring unticked box on my metaphorical car journalist bingo card for years. And I metaphorically leaped at the chance when the local Mercedes fleet offered me a G550 for the week.

(Note: Mercedes V8s have been in short supply, so, I technically drove a 2022 model. Still, it’s identical to the 2023 currently on sale.)

The 2023 Mercedes-Benz G550: What We Think

I entered the week as a G-Wagen skeptic. But the G550 did not take long to win me over. One might call the Mercedes G-Wagen a hilariously over-engineered Jeep Wrangler that costs three times as much…and that’s pretty much what it is. But it turns out I love driving an over-engineered Jeep Wrangler.

I’d liken the G-Wagen to an exquisitely marbled tomahawk steak. It’s decadent. It’s terrible for the environment. And you can find great-tasting cuts of meat that cost far less (and emit far less carbon). But however much your head says no, driving a G-Wagen — even in restrained G550 spec — is a singular experience that hits you right in the gut. It’s crazy expensive to own and operate a G-Wagen. But it’s also undeniably special.

The G-Wagen feels like an old-school Mercedes

Entering a G-Wagen brought me back — to my parents’ 1988 Mercedes-Benz 560 SL. Mercedes only built a handful of cars back then; engineers had the bandwidth to design them to an exceptional standard. Modern Mercedes cars — constrained on multiple fronts — don’t exude the same gravitas. But the G-Wagen is an exception.

The G-Wagen doesn’t overwhelm you with MBUX tech — likely due to timing rather than intent. There’s no dashboard-spanning Hyperscreen or augmented reality navigation. Rather, it impresses you with its tactile and mechanical quality. The V8 — even the G550’s less powerful version than the one found in the AMG G63 — rumbled through the sport exhaust. The doors emitted a satisfying click when you shut them (and you must shut them with gusto). The optional Nappa leather seats made me feel like I wanted to be in an English club smoking fancy cigars — even though I don’t like cigars.

The G-Wagen’s proportions deceive you

Visually, the G550 primes you to expect a large SUV. And the G-Wagen is big…but maybe not in the way you anticipate. The G-Wagen is surprisingly tall; at 77.2 inches, the G550 is 3.2 inches taller than a J200 Land Cruiser. You hop up to enter it. You feel like you’re sitting high within it, looking down on other trucks and SUVs. I dared enter one parking garage over the week — one I knew had an eight-foot clearance. And I still triple-checked that there wasn’t a roof rack on the car before entering.

Length-wise, however, the G-Wagen is shorter than you would think. At 194.4 inches, it’s between a four-door Wrangler and a four-door Bronco. And that shows itself in the cabin, which feels tighter than you would think. Legroom extends more downward than outward. Its 38.1 cubic feet of cargo space and potential 68.6 cubic feet are on par with a compact Toyota RAV4. And much of the space is vertical (and thus less useful).

The Mercedes G550 strikes the perfect driving balance

Mercedes threaded the needle with the second-generation G-Class. The update brought the SUV into the 21st century — but only just. You still feel the weight. And you receive that patented off-roader experience — effortful steering and some top-heaviness in corners — but it comes with the annoying edges filed off.

Even the lukewarm G550 is powerful by off-road standards, with 416 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque. And the G-Wagen can scoot, accelerating from 0-60 mph in less than six seconds. The nine-speed transmission performs its task smoothly. The G-Wagen stayed surprisingly flat under braking. And its damping did an excellent job on pothole-laden Michigan roads, perhaps the on-road equivalent of the G-Wagen’s Schöckl proving ground.

Sure, you could find a “sport activity vehicle” that would carve corners more precisely and lop another second off your 0-60 mph time. But that’s not really the point here.

One adjustment that caught me off guard was the seats. Even the mildest neighborhood turns caused the seat bolsters to pop out to the appropriate love handle and keep me perfectly in place. It’s not off-putting. But it is surprisingly intimate at first.

But the G550’s fuel economy is brutal

The other thing the G-Wagen can’t do besides blend in is consume fuel efficiently. The G550 is the more efficient G-Class, which is like being the more upbeat Alice in Chains album. The EPA rates the G550 for 14 mpg in city driving and 17 mpg on the highway. I averaged toward the lower end of that range on my drives. That’s about the same as the Ford F-150 Raptor on 35s.

That consumption isn’t great for the planet. And factoring in that the G550 requires premium gas means that it will be a major hit to the wallet (not that anyone in the G-Wagen wealth range would notice).

Options can make the G-Wagen hilariously expensive

The $139,900 starting price of the G550 — again, this is the base model G class — can make your eyes bulge. But as with many Mercedes cars, that’s just the entry point; the final price you end up paying is substantially more. My tester came out to $169,020, even with Mercedes comping the destination and handling.

My tester was loaded with pricey appearance add-ons. It had a swanky G Manufaktur interior package for $13,250. The fetching Deep Green G Manufaktur paint job costs $6,500. An AMG Line package, including the resonant sport exhaust, added another $3,470. And you still need to throw down an additional $1,400 to get an adaptive suspension.

You could build a stripped-down G550 and enjoy it. But when you’ve come this far with a frivolous off-roader, you might as well go all-in.

Driving the G-Wagen is a solitary pleasure

Driving a G-Wagen made me feel happy inside. My kids loved it. Normally reserved, I found myself wanting to smile, wave to other drivers and share my enthusiasm about the cool car I was getting to drive. But, valet guys geeking out aside, no one is happy you’re driving a G-Class. People avoid making eye contact. It’s the antithesis of driving the VW Bus.

The reactions don’t entirely kill your vibe. But driving a Mercedes G-Wagen means you’ll have to accept that you’re killing the vibe for others.

What are the alternatives to the Mercedes G550?

The G-Wagen doesn’t have a direct rival. No one but Mercedes devotes this much expenditure and effort to building an exquisite, purpose-built, body-on-frame off-roader. The closest analog for merging serious luxury with serious off-road capability — even if it’s a unibody vehicle — is probably the Land Rover Defender. A fully loaded V8 Carpathian edition could get within the G-Class’s price point.