2016 Mercedes-Benz G550

MIKE SUTTON
Updated

The Mercedes-Benz G-class, a.k.a. Geländewagen, is a high-powered spectacle of a 4x4, a gloriously antiquated icon for the rich that is just too damn cool—and profitable—for the luxury brand to kill off, despite its being in production for 37 years. While the trifecta of 2016 models includes two stonking AMG versions—the over-the-top 621-hp, V-12–powered G65 and the just-right, 563-hp G63—there’s also a reworked G550, which does without the hot-rod garnish for the less indulgent buyer. But, since the modern-day G-wagen’s brazenness is largely responsible for its continued existence, toning down its wild side doesn’t necessarily make the G550 the best pick.

The entry-level G550 is still big money at $120,825 to start, with the 2016 model featuring Mercedes’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 with 416 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque—a significant upgrade over the previous 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V-8 with 382 ponies and 391 lb-ft. The smaller V-8 revs freely to its 6300-rpm redline, and the grumble it emits from the G’s dual side-exiting exhausts, while menacing, is not as chest-thumpingly deep as before.

A Familiar Face

We appreciate the fact that Mercedes continues to update the old G-class with its latest engines, and this is a powerful truck, with the 4.0-liter providing more than enough speed for the G-class’s ancient chassis to safely handle without electronic support—its maximum cornering capability is a paltry 0.66 g, which is heavy-duty pickup-truck territory. That is a likely explanation for why Mercedes won’t allow its stability controls to be turned completely off. Compared with the more powerful AMG models, the G550’s seven-speed automatic has to shuffle gears a little more frequently to maintain momentum, which it does smoothly and effectively. Despite weighing 5882 pounds, our test vehicle was slightly quicker than the old G550, bolting to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and covering the quarter-mile in 14.4 seconds at 97 mph.

No matter what’s under the hood, all G-wagens have similar solid axles both front and rear and three locking differentials, so you can still bomb through serious slop and make it back out. The G550 has the same updated electronics as the AMG models, including a fancier instrument cluster and center stack, as well as driver aids such as blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. Its recirculating-ball steering remains woefully disconnected from the road; the leather-lined cabin is still narrow, upright, and stingy with passenger space; and, at a glance, the G550 looks largely the same as its rowdier siblings.

Second Fiddle

But as a luxury extravagance, the G550 is easily upstaged by the gung-ho G63, which starts at $140,825 and accounts for half of 2016 G-class sales in the United States. While that 20-grand premium is not insignificant—$136 per additional horsepower, to be exact—the G63’s twin-turbo 5.5-liter AMG V-8 makes it notably quicker, reaching 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds and blitzing the quarter-mile in 13.3 seconds at 107 mph. That’s rapid enough to keep up with a BMW 340i, whereas the G550 is outpaced by some blue-collar pickup trucks. More important, the AMG comes with much larger brakes—14.8- and 13.0-inch rotors front and rear versus the G550’s 12.4- and 10.7-inchers. With its smaller 19-inch Pirelli all-season tires in place of the AMG’s stickier 20-inch summer Yokohamas, the G550 needed an additional 20 feet to stop from 70 mph (183 feet), and by the fifth consecutive stop the distance had faded to a startling 205 feet.

And don’t expect to be moved to the front of the valet queue as readily without the G63’s all-important AMG and BITURBO V-8 badges. (Parking attendants might reserve a spot for the G65, with its BITURBO V-12­ badge, but that model costs $218,825 and is surprisingly slower in our testing than the G63.) Also, the regular G-wagen’s unfinished side pipes don’t bellow with the same authoritativeness as the AMG V-8’s chrome-tipped cannons, which is the best part about driving such an outlandish vehicle on the street. Price-conscious buyers, however, should know that the G550’s smaller-displacement engine does yield an advantage in observed fuel economy: 14 mpg versus 13 for the G63.

Our test truck lacked the optional driver-adjustable dampers ($1400) that are new to the G550 for 2016, so we can’t comment on how they alter the regular setup’s truckish ride. However, our example did include Designo Mystic Red Metallic paint ($2300) and black nappa leather upholstery ($1950), which brought the as-tested price to $125,075. In other markets, the diesel-powered G350d—as well as the more basic G350d Professional—puts a sensible workaday option down at the low end of the G-class spectrum. But in the U.S., where the G550 makes up the already expensive base level, stretching to get into a fire-breathing AMG model looks like the way to go.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

PRICE AS TESTED: $125,075 (base price: $120,825)

ENGINE TYPE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection

Displacement: 243 cu in, 3982 cc
Power: 416 hp @ 5500 rpm
Torque: 450 lb-ft @ 2250 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 7-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 112.2 in
Length: 187.6 in
Width: 73.5 in Height: 76.9 in
Passenger volume: 124 cu ft
Cargo volume: 40 cu ft
Curb weight: 5882 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 5.7 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 15.3 sec
Zero to 130 mph: 38.9 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 6.4 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 3.2 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 4.2 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 14.4 sec @ 97 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 183 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad*: 0.66 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 13/14 mpg
C/D observed: 14 mpg
*Stability-control-inhibited