Smooth drive
The AIRMATIC DC suspension that equips every GL-Class works well, absorbing road imperfections and transmitting only slight motions through the cockpit. It also levels the truck when you load it up. The GL320 doesn't offer the sporty driving dynamics as, say, a BMW X5 or a Porsche Cayenne, but then again, it's a smoother road tripper. Barrelling down highway off-ramps, AIRMATIC DC pumps up the outside shocks to keep body roll in control.
You can also raise or lower the suspension height at the touch of a button on the dash. The ride height also drops above 120 km/h to improve aerodynamics. The adaptive suspension system with 3 selectable driving modes (Auto, Comfort, Sport) isn't available on the GL320 CDI, but then again, this type of gadget isn't a must-have feature.
The 4MATIC all-wheel system splits power 50:50 in normal conditions, but can distribute torque to any wheel it wants when slippage is noticed.
Well-appointed cabin
The luxurious cockpit of the GL320 CDI is quite a place to spend time in. The seats and the dashboard are covered in synthetic leather, what Mercedes calls Artico. Genuine leather for the seats is a $2,500 option, which seems like a rip-off in a vehicle of this price; environmentalists will approve that a cow won't be slain to cover your seats, though. Real wood and silver trim brighten up the otherwise dark environment.
The controls are generally well-positioned, but even after a week, I still can't get used to the location of the gear selector. Also, the radio buttons were unnecessarily fussy, and the tiny joystick used to change stations and such often slips out of your grasp.
The square shape and generous proportions of the GL-Class means lots of space for occupants. In the second row, passengers will benefit from lots of leg and shoulder room; the third row seat can be used by adults if they are willing to rub their knees on the 2nd-row seatback.
Also, access to the rearmost seat isn't simple, as only the right-side portion of the 2nd-row bench can be flipped forward. Fold down all rear seats, though, and you get a big cargo hold, but not as big as in the GL's rivals.
The AIRMATIC DC suspension that equips every GL-Class works well, absorbing road imperfections and transmitting only slight motions through the cockpit. It also levels the truck when you load it up. The GL320 doesn't offer the sporty driving dynamics as, say, a BMW X5 or a Porsche Cayenne, but then again, it's a smoother road tripper. Barrelling down highway off-ramps, AIRMATIC DC pumps up the outside shocks to keep body roll in control.
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| The seats and the dashboard are covered in synthetic leather. |
You can also raise or lower the suspension height at the touch of a button on the dash. The ride height also drops above 120 km/h to improve aerodynamics. The adaptive suspension system with 3 selectable driving modes (Auto, Comfort, Sport) isn't available on the GL320 CDI, but then again, this type of gadget isn't a must-have feature.
The 4MATIC all-wheel system splits power 50:50 in normal conditions, but can distribute torque to any wheel it wants when slippage is noticed.
The luxurious cockpit of the GL320 CDI is quite a place to spend time in. The seats and the dashboard are covered in synthetic leather, what Mercedes calls Artico. Genuine leather for the seats is a $2,500 option, which seems like a rip-off in a vehicle of this price; environmentalists will approve that a cow won't be slain to cover your seats, though. Real wood and silver trim brighten up the otherwise dark environment.
The controls are generally well-positioned, but even after a week, I still can't get used to the location of the gear selector. Also, the radio buttons were unnecessarily fussy, and the tiny joystick used to change stations and such often slips out of your grasp.
The square shape and generous proportions of the GL-Class means lots of space for occupants. In the second row, passengers will benefit from lots of leg and shoulder room; the third row seat can be used by adults if they are willing to rub their knees on the 2nd-row seatback.
Also, access to the rearmost seat isn't simple, as only the right-side portion of the 2nd-row bench can be flipped forward. Fold down all rear seats, though, and you get a big cargo hold, but not as big as in the GL's rivals.
 |
| The controls are generally well-positioned. |