Seating & Cargo
The GL550's front seats have a litany of power adjustments, including adjustable stiffness for the side bolsters. Even with the bolsters and lumbar support dialed all the way back, the seats are too stiff. That's typical in German cars, but in a large SUV I prefer cushier seats. These hold you in place during spirited driving; expert road manners notwithstanding, I'm not sure many GL-Class drivers are going to carve corners.
I compared seating in a GL-Class, QX56, Escalade and Lexus LX 570 at an auto show, and the front seats of all three competitors suited me better. Second-row space in the GL550 seems on par with the competition — I'm about 6 feet tall, and I had no complaints — but it's the third row that shines. Legroom and headroom are leagues better than the others', and the GL's seats sit high enough that passengers aren't watching their knees. The Lincoln Navigator is perhaps the only competitor that has as much third-row roominess. As craftsmanship goes, there is no competition: The GL550's third row boasts reading lights, overhead A/C vents, a fixed skylight and leather-wrapped armrests. It puts third-row décor in the other SUVs to shame.
All trim levels have a power-folding 50/50-split third row. It folds more or less flat, as does the second row, and the resulting load floor is free of any major gaps. Maximum cargo volume is 83.3 cubic feet, which considerably trails some of the GL's boxiest competitors.
See also:
High-Tech Features
Optional high-end gadgets include Night View Assist, which can "see" almost
500 feet ahead of the car and display the view in the instrument panel. Equally
interesting is the available D ...
Map information in the display
Showing text information
During route guidance, you can have map
information displayed at the bottom edge of
the display.
To show the menu: press
the COMAND
controller.
Select Navi in ...
Important safety notes
WARNING
Do not adjust the steering wheel while driving.
Adjusting the steering wheel while driving, or
driving without the steering wheel adjustment
feature locked could cause the driver to los ...