2016 Mercedes GLS: The GL gets a facelift with a sprinkle of S-Class

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The 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLS has been revealed as a facelift for the GL SUV, with a new name, cosmetic updates, more luxury and more efficient engines.

With the reveal of the 2016 Mercedes GLS – a facelift for the outgoing GL SUV – Mercedes completes the re-naming of its SUV range, with the ‘S’ at the end of ‘GL’ denoting this is the SUV take on the S-Class.

But even though the GL gets a new name, the GLS isn’t a new car, but a facelift for the GL with a sprinkle of S-Class fairy dust for the interior, some exterior cosmetic tweaks, more efficient engines and a new nine-speed automatic gearbox.

The most visually striking update is the big Mercedes grill to make a bolder statement, with other tweaks including new bumpers, tweaked lights front and back and some new alloys.

Inside, the GLS gets an upgraded interior that includes a new infotainment screen plonked on top of the dashboard, new steering wheel, titivated instruments and seven seats as standard. Whether the upgrades are enough to allow the GLS to stand toe-to-toe with the interiors of potential rivals like the Range Rover (and maybe the Bentley Bentayga) is debatable, but it seems likely there will be a GLS Maybach at some point to drive things more upmarket.

Under the bonnet it’s the same as the GL, but the addition of the nine-speed auto ‘box improves economy and adds the option of low-range and diff locks for a degree of off-road ability, with a refined version of the Airmatic air suspension and the option of a Dynamic Select System offering six driving programmes.

Although the UK is unlikely to get it, the range kicks off with the 328bhp GLS400, but the UK’s petrol offerings will be the GLS500 with 449bhp and the GLS63 AMG with 577bhp (although the GLS63 has to make do with the AMG seven-speed ‘box).

The only other offering in the UK will be the GLS350d with Mercedes’ 3.0 litre V6 diesel (undoubtedly the best-selling model) offering a modest 187bhp, but there is a chance we’ll see a plug-in hybrid version of the GLS further down the line.

There are no UK prices for the 2016 Mercedes GLS as yet, but there shouldn’t be much of a jump on the GL’s current starting price of £61,655.

The Mercedes GLS goes on sale at Mercedes UK dealers this month, with first UK deliveries expected in March 2016.