Like a certain genre of film, you know it when you see it. I’m speaking, of course, about the Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen. Even amid an ocean of modern SUVs, the G-Class cuts an unmistakable silhouette. It cannot be confused with a Wrangler, a Land Cruiser, or even a Defender, despite its similarly boxy shape. No SUV, since perhaps the Escalade of the early 2000s, so oozes Kardashian-esque conspicuous consumption. And until now, G-Classes intended for America have always been powered by our nation’s everlasting symbol of performance excess: the V-8.
No more, at least for the base G. For the 2025 model year, the Mercedes-Benz G 550 packs a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with a mild hybrid system and a nine-speed automatic. It replaces the outgoing 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, which lives on in the fire-breathing AMG G 63. The M256 six-cylinder, which Mercedes has used widely since 2017, makes 443 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque. That’s 27 more horsepower but 37 fewer lb-ft of torque than the outgoing V-8, from an engine with roughly the same dimensions as the V-8 but weighing about 90 pounds less. The 2025 G 550 shaves 0.3 second from its zero-to-60 sprint (now clocking in at 5.3 seconds) while also increasing its EPA city fuel economy rating by 30 percent. The 48-volt starter-generator improves low-speed take-off, serving up 20 hp and a useful 148 lb-ft of torque.
The G 550 starts at $149,400, but no customer on planet Earth orders one with any mercy for the options list. Our test G was pampered to the tune of $32,030 in options. The trinkets: Platinum Magno matte gray paint ($3250), 20-inch wheels and blacked-out exterior trim from the AMG Night Package Magno ($3500), an AMG carbon-fiber trim pack ($3700), leather interior grab handles ($550), a two-tone nappa leather steering wheel ($800), and the rear-seat entertainment package ($2990). The AMG Line package ($3500) adds a sport exhaust, wider fenders, pinstriping, painted brake calipers with Mercedes-Benz lettering, a sport steering wheel, and AMG floor mats. A comprehensive Manufaktur Interior Package Plus ($13,250) lays on the luxury with nappa leather upholstery, massaging front seats with rapid heating and cooling, active pneumatic lumbar support, and contrast stitching in the cargo area.
The G-Class is rarely associated with restraint. But the effect of this G 550 is more subtle than the aggro G 63, with its gaping air intakes and snarling side-exit exhaust. Mercedes-Benz updated the G-Wagen for 2025, introducing the inline-six for the G 550 and a new hydraulic active anti-roll system for the G 63. Otherwise, the new G is more of an evolution of the version it replaced for the 2019 model year, whereas the 2019 model was a complete rethink of its predecessor.
What improvements there are, however, further refine this rugged, triple-locking-differential off-roader into a more livable luxury SUV. The new 3.0-liter is marvelous, for one. It’s Santana-smooth but Guns ‘N Roses–powerful when you need it to be, with no perceptible turbo lag. We mourn the V-8’s rumble, sure, but the six suits the relatively dignified G 550. And the G 63 now has a character all its own. The nine-speed automatic fades into the background, as a good transmission should. Braking power is sufficient, but you do need to almost stand on the pedal at times to get the expected stopping force in sudden-braking situations.
The adaptive suspension is now standard. It helps the G 550 handle respectably, at least for a 5500-pound truck with a Shaq-like center of gravity. The Benz’s tendency to push in corners and lean on the outside tires never goes away, and the active lumbar’s computer is forced to play the front seats’ many air bladders like a virtuoso, inflating and deflating in a desperate attempt to keep front passengers in place. But the ride is astounding. Four-inch deep ruts on dirt farm roads are no match for the pride of Graz, which treats them more like annoyances than hazards. The suspension can absorb immense and often sudden shock without the vehicle losing control, or perhaps more important, launching an occupant’s noggin into the headliner. City maneuvers are slick, thanks largely to the G’s short front overhang and the driver’s far-forward seating position.
The interior is quiet, too, thanks to small aerodynamic improvements, including a new curved lip at the top of the windshield and more rounded A-pillars that reduce wind noise. Highway trips are a breeze, with no bizarre buffeting or grating tire roar reaching the interior. Inside, Mercedes adds its MBUX infotainment suite, bringing two large screens to replace the old rotary wheel controller. The extra dose of modern tech is appropriate for an SUV costing nearly $200,000, but the sensitive haptic-touch steering wheel buttons introduce more fuss than flash.
Ergonomics are also drastically improved, which makes the interior feel more like a high-end Mercedes-Benz than a military-issue 4×4. They’re not perfect, though: There is very little space between the outer seat cushion and the door, which makes door pockets difficult to access. And short drivers who need to slide the seat embarrassingly far forward, such as your author, will notice that the interior door handle is closely located next to the left thigh, which makes it a bit awkward to pull open.
One’s view over the hood is distinctive, in the way that staring down the scooped nose of a big-block Corvette or Hemi Cuda inspires the urge to seek and overtake up any car in your path. In this case, it’s more of an insatiable desire to ram and/or crawl over obstacles, be they parking blocks, medians, or oversized roadside rocks. The bumper bar leads the charge, the G’s pair of tent-shaped turn-signal lenses happily poking up from the angular front fenders. Rear visibility is approximately 25 percent tire cover, which is a little inconvenient, but, again, a consistent reminder that you’re driving a G-Wagen.
Another unfailing delight: the doors. Oh, the doors. They open via an engraved button, integrated into a thin but substantial-feeling metal handle, that you depress with your thumb. (And for the first time on a G-Wagen, they now work with keyless entry.) The mechanism greets you with the melody of oiled, polished metal parts sliding and snapping in and out of place. The sheet of metal shuts with a thunderous, satisfying thwack. Particularly wonderful is the sound of the heavy, leather-lined rear cargo door finding home, right after you’ve set your filthy climbing gear and IKEA bag of rope custom Tumi luggage on the varnished cherrywood floor. German scientists have determined that the cosmic opposite of this exquisite noise is that of plastic rattling behind the dashboard of a Ford Fiesta. But seriously—on the downside, you really do have to slam the doors to ensure they close properly, which renders quiet operation next to impossible. Don’t park next to your sleeping baby’s bedroom window.
We did all of our driving on public roads, a few of them paved with dirt or gravel but none of them a challenge for the trail-bred G 550. A disservice, perhaps, but nevertheless reflective of the way more than 9 out of 10 owners will use theirs. The “invisible hood” off-road camera view, letting the driver see all around and even under the car via the center screen, really helps with parallel parking outside of daycare and keeping those 20-inch wheels scuff-free.
In Las Vegas, Miami, or Los Angeles, a G-Wagen is practically an endemic species, but this is not the case in granola-crunchy Ann Arbor, Michigan. People stare. First with confusion, which soon morphs into mild disgust, followed by righteous rage if you do anything untoward, like graze a lane marker or neglect to signal a turn. Speaking of parking, we got a ticket at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market after forgetting to pay the fare. Something tells me this particular meter maid stood a little taller that day, relishing the opportunity to dole out a little economic justice.
With sedan sales still declining in the United States, the S-Class may no longer be the three-pointed star’s true flagship. The G-Class is worthy of that title, whether powered by six or eight cylinders. And though $180K is a lot of money, it’s tens of thousands less than the Bentley Bentayga, Aston Martin DBX, or Lamborghini Urus, while possessing orders of magnitude more charm and capability than any of them. With the latest G-Wagen, Mercedes has continued its fusion of desirability, status signaling, zombie-apocalypse toughness, and luxurious comfort. You know it when you drive it.
Highs: Weapons-grade flair factor. Astounding ride quality. Ample cargo room. Unquestionable off-road chops.
Lows: Truck-ish handling. Brake pedal could be more responsive. Doors that you have to slam shut, even when you’d rather not.
Takeaway: Straight-six? V-8? Doesn’t matter. Ain’t nuthin’ like a G-thang.
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