Exterior & Styling

Particularly from the rear, the GL's appearance looks a bit like Mercedes' original M-Class. The 21-inch wheels, oversized grille and chrome running boards on my test car gave it a look similar to that of Mercedes' AMG performance cars — perhaps that was the intention, given that there is no AMG GL-Class — and should secure the car a front-row spot at most valet stands.

Less-expensive GLs have 18- or 19-inch wheels. An optional offroad package on the GL450 raises the air suspension to yield 12 inches of ground clearance — some 2 inches higher than a Hummer H2's. The package also has a two-speed transfer case and locking center and rear differentials.

    See also:

    Not Crossing Over
    From Honda to BMW, the handbook on wagon styling evidently calls for anything but a wagon — which leads to sleek, quasi-crossover profiles that lead to minimal cargo room and even worse blind spot ...

    General notes
    The Active Driving Assistance package consists of DISTRONIC PLUS (Y page 169), Active Blind Spot Assist (Y page 202) and Active Lane Keeping Assist (Y page 205). ...

    Folding the rear bench seat forwards
    If the driver's or front-passenger seat is set for a larger person, it may not be possible to fold the rear bench seat forwards. In this case, move the front seats as far forward as p ...