Driven: 2024 Mercedes-Maybach GLS Makes $170,000 Seem Like A Bargain

When you picture exotic luxury SUVs, a few brands spring to mind: Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and maybe Land Rover. Even true brand loyalists admit that Mercedes’ cars sit below those ultra-luxury brands – unless they have a Maybach badge on them. As part of the updated GLS lineup, the 2024 Mercedes-Maybach GLS offers supreme rear-seat comfort at a price that seems reasonable when stacked up against the exorbitant stickers of its rivals.

The Maybach GLS starts at $170,000. Let’s be clear, though. The word “affordable” shouldn’t be written anywhere near it. But consider that both a Bentley Bentayga and top-spec Land Rover SV cost around $200,000 to start, and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan begins at $374,000 (getting closer to $500,000 with options). Suddenly, the Maybach sounds like a relatively good deal. After spending a week with the GLS 600, we learned that it’s not at all lacking in luxury compared to those aforementioned ultra-luxury powerhouses, and in many respects, the Maybach is actually more comfortable. This is an astonishingly premium, world-class SUV.