There’s a lot to be said for diesel engines. For one thing, they tend to have a lot more torque, which is just what you need for nippy acceleration or for towing (or both, depending on what you’re driving). It’s usually cheaper than unleaded petrol (although the prices of fuel fluctuate all the time). On top of this, especially given the general trend towards sustainability and environmental responsibility, it’s also possible for diesel engines to run on biodiesel derived (at least in part) from sustainable (non-fossil) sources. With all these advantages, it’s no surprise that Mercedes-Benz have now added to their new GLS SUV range and brought out the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel.

It may seem as though Mercedes has stuck to the Teutonic tradition of using just numbers and letters to name their new models (in contrast with the Italian and Asian habit of using actual words). However, they haven’t just dipped into the Scrabble set blindly and pulled out the first letters that came along. There is a code behind the name of the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel. Here, the G stands for “geländewagen”, which translates to “land wagon” or what we’d call an off-road vehicle. L probably stands for “long”, as this SUV falls into the long wheelbase category, as it’s 5.1 metres long from bumper to bumper and 3.0 metres from hub to hub. S might not officially stand for “sporty” but it certainly applies.

Let’s start with what makes the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel unique: the engine. Currently, only one diesel engine is available in GLS models in Australia, the 350 d. This comes in a V6 configuration and has a displacement of 3 litres. The peak power isn’t super high (it never is in a diesel engine) but is a pretty respectable 190 kW at 3400 rpm. But the torque…. oh yes, yes, yes!  A massive 620 Nm all the way from 1600 rpm to 2400 rpm, which is just what you need for off-roading or for towing the horse float – two jobs that the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel has been designed to carry off with style.  If you are into putting off-roading 4x4s through the 0–100 sprint test, the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel manages to do this in a reasonably decent 7.8 seconds and it has a top speed of 222 km/h – not that you’re going to be doing this on rough terrain if you have any sense. The combined fuel consumption figures suggest that in test conditions, the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel can squeeze out 7.8 L/100 km, which aint bad for a big customer.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel isn’t some wussy pretendy off-roader that looks the part but doesn’t have the four paws to prove it. This SUV has a full-time 4×4 drivetrain and Mercedes’ innovative 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission. The 9G-TRONIC features nine forward gears with silky smooth operation. It’s this system that helps keep the ride very comfortable and the your driving as fuel-efficient as it can be. Another factor that adds to the ride comfort in the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel is the suspension system. Being bounced around might be fun for a little bit but it’s flipping annoying on a long journey, so this is kept to a minimum with the ADS Plus, with ADS standing for Active Damping System. Getting technical, this system involves a double wishbone at the front, multilink at the back, and with both front and back fitted out with the works: air springs and monotube dampers with continuously variable damping action.

Driving modes are a feature that has become very common in most new vehicles over the last ten years. The Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel has a grand total of five possible modes: Individual, Sport, Comfort, Slippery and Offroad.

Active safety features that work with the drivetrain and the suspension in the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel feature the Intelligent Drive system. This has a whole truckload (almost literally, if you class an SUV as a type of truck) of sensors that have the job of helping you stay safe. Of course, the ultimate responsibility lies with the driver, but this vehicle will give you all the help it possibly can. One feature that I particularly like is the Attention Assist feature. This looks at things like how you’re steering and how long since your last break in driving, and works out if you’re getting a bit sleepy. If you are, a warning light and sound comes on, with the dashboard warning displaying an icon of a coffee cup (and it can use online integration to find the nearest service station where you can get a cuppa). I like the idea of a car that tells me that I really ought to have a quick latte!  This can be switched off if you want. Other active safety features that come as standard in all GLS models including the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel are the adaptive braking system with hill start assist, brake assist, priming, brake drying and the HOLD function; the active blind spot assistance; the active lane keeping assistance; electronic traction control; ESP; downhill speed control and the PRE-SAFE anticipatory protection system… and heaps more!

If you’re going out into the great wide open in your new Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel, you might find the scenery and the fun of driving entertaining enough.  However, it’s good to have more, as we know all too well that a good seven-seater vehicle like the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel is going to be doing the school run and carting kids to the soccer match as well as going off-road.  Driver comfort is taken care of with the heated seats, cruise control, lumbar support in the seats, stop/start function and keyless entry and starting, and a nice 11.4-cm multifunction instrument display panel.  Everybody will like the 8-inch display system that works with the hard-disk navigation system and the seven-speaker sound system (with the full shebang of input modes, including 2 USB ports and a DVD player). It’s got Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity as well as voice control and smartphone integration. It’s practically a smartphone on wheels (Spotify, anybody?). Three-colour ambient LED lighting with five dimming levels, three-zone automatic climate control, black leather upholstery and a 12-volt socket are other handy features, although there are lots of others.

The exterior styling of the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel manages to combine style with a hint of toughness. This SUV won’t look out of place parked outside a classy café (which it probably found with the Attention Assist and the COMAND online function) and it won’t look out of place in the ski-field car park. Alloy-look roof rails come as standard and complement the 20-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels. LED daytime running lights and an LED Intelligent Light System help the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel see and be seen at any time of day or night. The standard Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel available at the time of writing (the 350 d) sees things in black and white, with these being the standard colours available; the 350 d Sport has eleven paint colour possibilities, which are mostly shades of grey as well as black and white, plus a metallic brown (I knew brown was due for a comeback) and cobalt blue.

Current model series include:

• Mercedes-Benz GLS 350 d
• Mercedes-Benz GLS d Sport

For any more information on the Mercedes-Benz GLS Diesel, or for that matter any other new car, contact one of our friendly consultants on 1300 303 181. If you’d like some fleet discount pricing (yes even for private buyers!), we can submit vehicle quotes requests out to our national network of Mercedes-Benz dealers and come back with pricing within 24 hours. Private Fleet – car buying made easy!