Mercedes-Benz AMG GLS 63 Review & Prices

The Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 is like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Massive, massively powerful, and while it has Germanic origins, it sure seems to be American.

Basically, the GLS 63 is the answer to the question of ‘can we take a massive American-style SUV, turn it into a German luxury car, and then fit the engine from a dragster?’ The answer being; ‘yes, you actually can.’

The GLS is simply enormous. It weighs 2.8-tonnes at the kerb, is taller than a six-foot human being, and will overwhelm all but the most generous of car parking spaces with its 5.2-metre length. Those alloy wheels, which look normal-size on the GLS 63? Those are 23-inch rims…

Inside, the hugeness pays off. You can argue that the dashboard, with its widescreen MBUX digital layout, has a bit too much in common with the more affordable Mercedes GLE, but there’s no questioning the build quality nor the space on offer. You can have the GLS in six or seven-seat layouts and in the six-seat version, the middle row uses two luxurious individual ‘captain’ seats. Even in the fold-away third row, there’s space enough for adults, and when you do fold those seats, there’s an enormous 890-litre boot. Oh, and it can tow 3.3-tonnes. 

None of which is going to be truly important to anyone buying the AMG 63 version, as they’ll only be interested in what the GLS has up front. And it has something very special, a proper 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine (no plug-in hybrid trickery here) with a mighty 612hp. That incredible engine can overcome the GLS’ bulk to shove it to 62mph in just 4.2secs, and on to a top speed of 155mph (or 174mph if you tick the options box to remove the engine’s limiter). 

To keep all of that weight and performance under control in the corners, the GLS 63 deploys some serious tech, including active engine mounts — which stop that big V8 moving around under acceleration or braking — and active anti-roll suspension, which uses big hydraulic rams to keep that massive body level through a bend. 

Leave the driving modes switch in Comfort, and the GLS 63 will waft along like a high-rise limo. Switch it to Sport or Sport + modes, and while the weight and the laws of physics mean that it is limited in what it can do compared to lower-slung AMG models, the fact is that the big GLS is actually hugely capable, and massively (in every sense) good fun. You can’t help but giggle when you feel how this thing gets along a twisty road, as long as it’s not a narrow twisty road. 

We've yet to comprehensively test this behemoth of a performance SUV for our in-depth review, but if you're already sold on the Mercedes-AMG GLS 63, be sure to check out our latest Mercedes deals and used Mercedes cars for sale. If you need to make room for your new AMG GLS, you can sell your current car through Carwow, too.

One thing is for certain — the AMG GLS 63 is no bargain, although if you think about it very hard, you might start to reckon that the fact that it’s the same price as the new AMG GT Coupe kind of makes it quite well priced. Well, you’re certainly getting more car at any rate. There are also very few other seven-seat vehicles which can perform at these kinds of velocities. Land Rover’s new Range Rover SV — all 626hp of it — is as fast and ferocious as the Mercedes, but doesn’t come in long-wheelbase seven-seat form. 

Porsche’s Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid is faster and far more affordable, but much smaller and again, lacks the seven seat option. BMW’s massive X7 just doesn’t come with an engine option to allow it to compete with the GLS 63, and while there is the X5M, again that’s a smaller car. There is, of course, the Aston Martin DBX, which uses the same engine but comes with even more power in 707 form (707hp, funnily enough) but once again there’s no seven-seat option there. 

Standard specification includes quilted Nappa leather seats, those massive 23-inch alloys, a sports exhaust, a limited-slip differential for the rear wheels, the active anti-roll system, an AMG sports steering wheel, and even temperature-controlled cup holders.