2018 Mercedes-Benz G-Class Interior

The 2018 Mercedes-Benz G-Class certainly delivers on the luxury front. The cabin is replete with premium materials, giving it a handsome, inviting look. Both rows of seats have plenty of headroom, though you may want more legroom. There are many standard features (though less than many rivals), but cargo space is below average for the class.

• "Talk about a dichotomy. While the 2018 G-Class has an exterior that's all-brute, the 2-row/5-passenger interior is another story. This is still a Mercedes, after all. Its cabin is almost entirely handcrafted, featuring premium leather on the seats and dash. Polished wood and chrome accents abound." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "Build quality on the G63 is quite good, but you'd expect that from something this expensive. Panel gaps are big but even. The doors shut with a pleasing thunk." -- Edmunds (2017)
• "What I love about the G-Class is the juxtaposition between the hardcore, off-road dynamics, old-world chassis tuning, and the completely modern and luxurious interior. Inside, it's absolutely a Mercedes, with rich leathers and nice materials." -- Autoblog (2016)

Seating

The Mercedes-Benz G550 seats up to five people in two rows and comes standard with 10-way power-adjustable, heated and ventilated front seats; heated rear seats; Nappa leather upholstery; and a power tilting-and-telescoping steering wheel. Upgraded leather, a heated steering wheel, and sport seats with additional side bolstering are optional.

The driver has a commanding view of the road in this Mercedes. Though the front seats are comfortable and supportive, they don’t live up to the standards set by some other luxury large SUVs. The tall cabin provides plenty of headroom, but taller riders may not have enough legroom. The rear seats also feature two full sets of LATCH connectors for installing car seats.

• "When the G-Class was designed for the world's armies in the 1970s, comfort wasn't a priority, and it still isn't. Nevertheless, the G63 is a remarkably quiet place to spend time, and the front seats are well built and well contoured." -- Edmunds (2017)
• "The G's squared shape means headroom is practically unlimited, but taller occupants may wish for more legroom." -- Kelley Blue Book (2017)
• "The sky-high seating position affords a view of the tops of most other cars, aided by an upright windshield and spindly A-pillars." -- Cars.com (2013)

Interior Features

Standard features in the G-Class include a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, satellite radio, HD Radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, navigation, Mercedes' COMAND infotainment system, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, a rearview camera, and blind spot monitoring. A rear-seat entertainment system, in-vehicle Wi-Fi, Mercedes’ mbrace Connect, and three additional mbrace packages are available.

The COMAND infotainment system’s screen has sharp graphics, and the interface is intuitive. However, it can take some time to master the system, which is controlled through a central controller instead of a more user-friendly touch screen. The mbrace Connect system is a nice touch, as it lets you control some vehicle functions (starting the vehicle, locking and unlocking doors, and more) from your smartphone or even your desktop computer.

See 2018 Mercedes-Benz G-Class specs »

• "Stalks and switches are well labeled and placed where you expect them to be, the tech interface is easy to use, and the big-dial HVAC switches are great." -- Edmunds (2017)
• "Controls are a fine mix of utilitarian (the three prominent locking-differential buttons displayed front and center) and elegant (a crisp, 8-inch tablet-style command screen)." -- Kelley Blue Book (2017)
• "There's no lack of technology, either. Mercedes' COMAND system controls everything, buttons and knobs for driving controls and HVAC settings are easy to locate and use, and everything feels premium. If you've ever driven a Mercedes, the tech inside the G-Class will feel completely familiar." -- Autoblog (2016)

Cargo

The G-Class has 38.6 cubic feet of cargo room behind its rear seats and 79.5 cubic feet with them folded. Those are both below-average totals for SUVs in this class. The rear seats don’t fold flat, so the cargo floor is uneven. And though there’s plenty of vertical space, the wheel wells reduce the amount of horizontal space. Additionally, there are few useful interior storage compartments.

• "Cargo capacity is generous: nearly 40 cubic feet behind the 2nd-row seats and almost 80 with them folded." -- Kelley Blue Book
• "Surprisingly subpar cargo area and cabin storage. The cargo area is tall, but the backseat leaves a large step when folded and doesn't fold horizontally." -- Edmunds (2017)
• "For such a tall vehicle, the G-Class has a surprisingly low load floor. The rear wheel wells intrude on the cargo area quite a bit, so wider items might need careful packing. Interior storage is pretty poor. The center console is reasonably sized, but the single cupholder and dual door pockets are mounted low. Thus, they are difficult to access." -- Consumer Guide (2013)