Exterior & Styling

Particularly from the rear, the GL's appearance looks a bit like Mercedes' original M-Class — so much so that a passenger walked up to an older M thinking it was the GL. The GL550's 21-inch wheels, oversized grille and rubber-studded running boards give it a look similar to that of Mercedes' AMG performance cars — perhaps that was the intention, given there is no AMG GL-Class — and should secure the car a front-row spot at most valet stands. Lesser models can be dressed to match, albeit with a smaller grille.

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

    See also:

    Instrument cluster
    Selecting the unit of measurement for distance The Display Unit Speed-/Odometer: function allows you to choose whether certain displays appear in kilometers or miles. The selected unit of meas ...

    Cleaning the sensors
    Clean sensors 1 of the driving systems with water, car shampoo and a soft cloth. When cleaning the sensors with a power washer, maintain a distance between the vehicle and the nozzle of t ...

    Automatic drive program
    Drive program E (drive program C on AMG vehicles) is characterized by the following: • comfort-oriented engine and automatic transmission settings • optimal fuel consumption resulting from the aut ...