There are plenty of expensive SUVs out there, but the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680 has always played a slightly different game. It has the presence and space of a big SUV, and the comfort you’d expect from a flagship luxury saloon.
The new GLS 680 doesn’t attempt to mess with that formula. Instead, Mercedes-Maybach has focused on the details, sharpening the exterior identity and making the cabin quieter, more comfortable and more technologically advanced.
Maybach Gets a Fresh Look
You can see the changes from the front. The familiar Maybach grille now has an illuminated surround and illuminated MAYBACH lettering, while the updated DIGITAL LIGHT headlamps have subtle Rose Gold detailing.
The new colors are Dark Petrol Metallic and MANUFAKTUR Patagonia Red metallic. For a more unique look buyers can pick the two-tone finish in Dark Petrol and Verde Silver. Even the wheels get a bit of attention. Optional 23-inch forged wheels have self-leveling Mercedes-Benz center caps that keep the three-pointed star upright as the wheels turn. It’s a minor point but it’s just the sort of thing you expect to find on a Maybach.
The case for GLS 680
It’s inside the GLS 680 that it begins to separate itself from a common luxury SUV.
New interior upholstery choices include Beech Brown and Macchiato Beige Exclusive Nappa leather, along with Natural Grain Brown Walnut wood and other new trim choices. The comfort has also been pushed further. New vibration massage is fitted to the front seats, and the rear Executive Seats passengers can now enjoy calf-rest massage.
Those additions may matter far more than another dramatic styling change for owners who might spend more time in the back seat.
Easy V8 Performance
Under the bonnet is a revised electrified twin-turbocharged V8. The emphasis, however, is not solely on speed. A Maybach should feel powerful without having to constantly tell everyone how much power it has.
The steering has been tweaked too to make this sizeable SUV feel a little more responsive. Ride comfort is still one of its biggest strengths. Standard AIRMATIC air suspension with E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL available constantly adjusts suspension to keep the vehicle level.
The CURVE function can even allow the GLS to lean slightly into corners, helping to reduce the sideways forces passengers will feel.
More Tech Less Hassle
Mercedes-Benz has also updated its MBUX infotainment system with Maybach-specific graphics and a generative AI-based virtual assistant.
Over-the-air updates enable the vehicle’s software to grow after purchase, and new cameras and sensors support its expanding suite of driver-assistance features. The key point is that a lot of this technology works behind the scenes. A car like the GLS 680 should be about using technology to make traveling easier, not giving passengers yet another screen or thing to think about.
Luxury without trying too much
The new Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680 isn’t about dramatic reinvention. It doesn’t have to be.
Instead, Mercedes-Maybach has taken a luxury SUV that already delivers, and paid attention to the things its customers are likely to notice. A quieter cabin. Better seats. A smoother ride. Richer materials and technology that requires less effort to use.
That ease of mind may be the GLS 680’s most appealing trait in a segment where SUVs are becoming ever more extravagant.
