Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class vs Genesis GV80

What's the difference?

The GLS450d impresses as an entry-level grade, as it’s a more family-friendly allrounder than the specialised AMG and Maybach variants. Its combination of a torque-rich diesel 48V hybrid drivetrain, air-cushioned suspension and plush interior are as well suited to luxury urban travel as they are to grand touring, where its heavy towing and generous load-carrying capabilities can shine. Whether it’s worth around $200K drive-away, only those who shop at the top end of town can decide.

I rarely drive luxury vehicles so it doesn’t take much to impress me. However, it’s clear to anyone with half a brain (even me) that the GV80 is a premium ride and in Black guise it’s even better, albeit by increments only and those perceived improvements largely hinge on styling tweaks to the Signature platform on which it’s based.

Does it tick all of the boxes that someone considering this type of vehicle would want ticked? Sure it does and then some. But there’s plenty of stiff competition in the form of other premium AWDs on the market nowadays and even some 4WD wagons that offer similar levels of prestige.

This is an imposing vehicle in extravagant S-Class tradition, riding on an expansive 3135mm wheelbase and stretching more than 5.2 metres (5215mm) long and more than 2.0 metres (2030mm) wide with a turning circle that's nudging 13 metres.

However, it’s just under 1.8 metres (1798mm) tall, so there’s no clearance issues when accessing multi-storey carparks. And with its side-steps (or ‘running boards’ in nostalgic Benz speak) most adults can step rather than climb aboard, although passengers of shorter stature during our test noted that assist handles on the A and B pillars would be handy.

Central to its sophisticated chassis design is adaptive air suspension, which uses a pneumatic or ‘airbag’ form of springing with adaptive damping to continuously optimise ride comfort and handling response according to road conditions and driving dynamics (see Driving).

The GLS’s styling is clean and uncluttered with tasteful restraint evident in its chrome and satin-chrome highlights, yet it projects a majestic quality with its prominent four-louvre grille and elegantly spoked alloy wheels.

The spacious and sumptuous seven-seat interior is visually pleasing and practical, with a subtle blend of surface treatments, contrasting tones, lots of soft-touch surfaces and exposed stitching. This is combined (thankfully) with physical dials, switches and ‘piano key’ buttons to control numerous interior functions, in preference to distracting touchscreen prompts.

I most frequently test and review vehicles that are tall, bulky and have plenty of ground clearance – usually 4WDs – so the GV80 is, in my experience, a mild revelation.

Firstly, it’s low and sleek and practically oozes – yes, oozes – prestige. Word of warning here. If you don’t like black as a colour on your car you’re in the wrong place because the GV80 Black and GV80 Coupe Black are only offered with – you guessed it – a black exterior and interior.

Secondly, this G80’s interior is a plush mix of quilted Nappa leather upholstery with black suede inserts, black ash wood trim, an abundance of soft-touch surfaces and very impressive all-around fit and finish. The interior of the cabin makes a strong style statement but it’s not over the top.

Genesis Motors Australia also says it has used a range of eco-friendly materials, including leather upholstery and door trims dyed using recycled carbon-black extracted from waste tyres. So, there’s that.

The cabin more than matches its rivals, such as Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, in terms of pure styling and as for practicality? Well, keep reading…

Although it has a hefty 2655kg kerb weight, our test vehicle’s 3420kg GVM rating provides a useful 765kg of load capacity, which should comfortably absorb the combined weight of up to seven occupants and light luggage. Or with the third row of seating folded, five occupants and heavier luggage.

It’s also rated to tow up to 3500kg of braked trailer and with its sizeable 6920kg GCM (or how much weight it can legally carry and tow at the same time) it can carry its maximum load while towing its maximum trailer weight.

So, that’s commendable practicality, given it would be well suited to owners that need to tow large caravans, boat trailers, horse floats etc in style without having to compromise much (if at all) on either passenger numbers or luggage capacity.

Driver and front passenger space and comfort is exceptional, as you’d expect. Storage includes a large glovebox plus a bottle holder and bin in each door. The front of the centre console has two USB-C ports, wireless phone charging and heated cupholders, while the rear of the console has a large storage box with a third USB-C port and padded lid that doubles as a comfy elbow rest.

Even tall passengers in the second row of seating enjoy spacious comfort, given I’m 186cm and with the driver’s seat set in my position I have ample knee clearance, foot room and head space.

However, the central passenger must contend with a transmission tunnel in the floor and shoulder room would be squeezy for three large adults, which is okay for short trips but a maximum of two would be ideal for longer journeys.

The rear of the centre console also treats second-row passengers to a pair of USB-C ports, adjustable air-vents and a control panel that allows independent climate adjustment.

There’s also a large bin/bottle holder in each door plus storage nets on each front seat backrest. The centre seat backrest folds flat to allow long items (skis etc) to slot between the outer backrests. And it also serves as a fold-down armrest, containing two cupholders and a lidded slimline compartment that’s ideal for hidden phone storage.

The third row is uncommonly spacious, even for tall people, with padded armrests on each side containing cup holders and twin USB-C ports.

The carpeted rear luggage area has four load-anchorage points, a first aid kit and 12v socket. With the third-row seats upright it offers 355 litres of load volume, which increases to 1350 litres with the third row folded and 2400 litres (or 2.4 cubic metres) with both the second and third rows folded.

The GV80 Black is the same size as the standard GV80 – 4940mm long (with a 2955mm wheelbase), 1975mm wide and 1715mm high – so nothing has changed there.

And because the Black treatment is all about the looks, inside and out, the interior remains the same as standard for roominess and practicality. So, let’s dive into it.

First up, the 27.0-inch multimedia touchscreen dominates upfront, which is handy because it’s from here you operate most of the GV80’s controls. Thankfully, though, there are some physical dials and buttons, as well.

That screen is big, the colours are clear and crisp and the on-screen controls are easy to use, even for a true luddite like me.

Same goes for the driver display and the 12-inch head-up display. Clear to read and versatile enough in configuration choices to set them up as you want.

Then, everything flows on from that well-appointed dash.

The steering wheel is heated and power adjustable. By the way, I still don’t see why a heated steering wheel is a thing in Australia. Nowhere on this continent is cold enough to warrant it.

All seats are soft but supportive and very comfortable as you’d expect in a prestige vehicle with an interior that’s replete with “rich textures and bespoke materials”, according to Genesis.

There’s adequate seating room all-around, but the third row is squeezy and best suited to children or other height-challenged people that you despise.

The front seats are 18-way power-adjustable, heated and ventilated. They even have a massage function – if that’s your particular cup of tea.

The second row has heated and ventilated outboard seats (with power-base tilt and backrest recline), and there’s a climate-control panel each for the second and third rows.

Charge points abound with USB and 12V options available in the front and second row.

There are plenty of storage options throughout the cabin including a glove box, sunglasses case, cupholders etc. But the door pockets are narrow and awkward to get anything in and out of. A minor annoyance, but an annoyance, nonetheless.

In terms of cargo area capacity, with all three rows up and in use there is a claimed 327 litres of space available, 727L with the power-folding third row stowed away, and 2147L with the second and third rows folded down and out of the way.

Worth noting for anyone who drives beyond city limits is the fact this vehicle does not have a spare wheel, it only has a tyre mobility kit attached by Velcro to the rear cargo area floor.

The GV80 also has a power-operated tailgate.

The top-spec GV80 Black variants are based on the GV80 Signature 3.5T-GDi AWD and are only offered with that powertrain.

Our test vehicle, the seven-seat GV80 3.5T Black all-wheel drive SUV, has a Manufacturer’s List Price (MLP) of $136,250, while the five-seat GV80 Coupe 3.5T Black AWD has a MLP of $141,750. Both prices exclude on-road costs but include Luxury Car Tax where applicable.

Standard features onboard this test vehicle include:

• 27.0-inch OLED integrated multi-media touchscreen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Built-in satellite navigation
• 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio
• 12.0-inch head-up display
• 18-way power-adjustable heated/ventilated/massage front seats
• Heated centre console
• Heated and ventilated second-row outboard seats (with power-base tilt and backrest recline)
• Second-row climate control panel
• Separate second- and third-row temperature control
• Power-operated tailgate
• Mood Curator (which is incidentally what I call the axe handle I keep by my bed for household protection)

Other features that set this Black variant apart from its stablemates include interior highlights such as a dark-tinted Genesis steering wheel logo, quilted Nappa leather upholstery (with black suede accents), welcome and goodbye animations, black ash real wood trim, black garnishes, bezels and switchgear and black aluminium speaker grilles.

Exterior highlights include black 22-inch wheels and brake calipers, black G-Matrix grille, dark-tinted Genesis front emblem and tailgate lettering and black body cladding.

All 2026 GV80s also get what Genesis calls a “Digital Key 2.0”, which enables users to lock and unlock front and rear doors and start the engine using a smart-phone or -watch. It can be stored on one device and shared with up to 15 devices.

Black is the exterior paint colour. Matt paint is optional and costs $2000.

The GLS450d comes standard with a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder diesel producing 270kW of power at 4000rpm and 750Nm of torque between 1350-2800rpm.

This is paired with a 48V mild-hybrid system comprising a 48-volt battery (charged by regenerative braking) and an integrated starter-generator which provides both seamless engine stop-start and up to 15kW/200Nm of extra power and torque during acceleration.

A nine-speed torque converter automatic provides the choice of manual shifting using the steering wheel-mounted paddles, along with several selectable drive modes.

The active all-wheel-drive system continuously adjusts the engine’s torque delivery between front and rear axles (and individual wheels as needed) to maintain optimum traction and handling.

This Genesis GV80 Black has a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine producing 279kW and 530Nm, matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

This SUV has an all-wheel drive system and an electronic limited-slip rear differential.

The GV80’s engine has plenty of punch and the auto is impressively cluey as well.

Mercedes-Benz claims official combined consumption of 7.8L/100km and the dash display was showing 9.0 when we stopped to refuel at the completion of our 368km test, which included the usual mix of suburban, city and highway driving with up to five passengers at times and light luggage.

Our own figure, calculated from fuel bowser and tripmeter readings, was close at 9.5 which is outstanding sub-10L/100km economy for such a substantial vehicle in mostly metropolitan use. Therefore, based on our own consumption figure, you could expect a real-world driving range of around 950km from its 90-litre diesel tank.

Official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption is listed as 11.7L/100km.

On test we were seeing a dash-indicated 9.6-9.8L/100km but recorded an overall average of 12.4L/100km after a mix of city, highway and suburban driving.

The GV80 has a 80-litre fuel tank so, going by our on-test fuel figures, you can reasonably expect a driving range of about 645km from a full-tank.

Worth noting this car requires 95 RON premium fuel.

It’s an enjoyable vehicle to drive, with multiple power adjustments for the seat and steering wheel combined with a large left footrest which provide supreme driver comfort and support.

The powerful and responsive turbocharged six-cylinder diesel and nine-speed auto are well suited to this application. The engine’s ample torque provides spirited acceleration from standing starts, taking only six seconds to reach triple-digit speeds.

This drivetrain would be well suited to heavy towing duties, given the 48V mild-hybrid system can contribute an extra 200Nm (in addition to the engine’s 750Nm), which raises the total theoretical torque output to almost 1000Nm.

The active air suspension provides a wonderfully cushioned ride that floats over bumpy roads, while maintaining excellent handling response and surprising agility. These commendable chassis dynamics, combined with the powerful and responsive drivetrain, makes the vehicle feel smaller and lighter than its dimensions and kerb weight would suggest.

Overall, it’s difficult to fault from a driver’s perspective, with the only exception being the voice activation function. This is often triggered by words or phrases other than ‘Hey Mercedes’ resulting in regular interruption of conversations. This needs some fine tuning.

An excerpt from my initial drive notes on the GV80 Black read "smooth, slick (too slick?), impressive open-road cruising, plush, couch on wheels”. All sound points but there’s even more to this car.

For a big wagon, the circa-2345kg GV80 gets off the mark nicely with a crisp throttle response and it punches along at a fair clip once on the move. There’s little to no noise from the outside world, other than the low-key rumble of the V6 and it’s easy to hit the speed limit without realising.

The power-adjustable steering wheel can be dialled in for a preferred position and while this weighty AWD still exhibits minor body roll through tighter corners that characteristic can be restrained somewhat via the Sport drive mode for better suited suspension behaviour and controlled with sufficiently precise steering.

Ride and handling are well sorted out with the GV80’s all-wheel drive system and an electronic limited-slip rear differential giving the driver welcome levels of confidence in a variety of driving conditions.

Turning circle is listed as 11.98m and this car doesn’t feel unwieldy on busy suburban streets.

A few niggles. Digital rear-view mirrors are not among my favourite features in cars as they offer a headache-inducing fish-eye view of the world not to my liking and such is the case in this GV80.

Speaking of views, because the GV80 is low and sleek, it doesn’t afford the driver the levels of visibility I’m used to getting in the taller, more upright vehicles I most frequently review.

All-around, however, the GV80 is a smooth daily driver, with plenty to like about it and just a few foibles.

The Genesis GV80 3.5T Black does not have an ANCAP safety rating because it has not been tested.

As standard it has 10 airbags (including side curtain airbags) and driver-assist tech includes forward collision-avoidance assist, lane keep assist, highway driving assist, smart cruise control, a surround-view monitor and more.

The second row has ISOFIX child-seat anchors in the two outboard seats, and three top-tether points.

The GLS comes with a five-years/unlimited km warranty (better than BMW and Lexus) and five years of roadside assistance. Scheduled servicing is every 12 months/25,000km whichever occurs first.

Mercedes-Benz offers capped-price pre-paid servicing packages with three, four or five-year terms. For example, the total upfront cost of the minimum three-year term is $4090, or an average of $1363 per service.

Every new 2026 GV80 is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty and five years' roadside assistance. If the car's serviced at an authorised Genesis dealer this coverage increases to 10 years.

Servicing, scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km, is free for the first five years or 75,000 km, whichever occurs soonest. Genesis offers a concierge and courtesy vehicle service for five years with the complimentary service.

There are 11 Genesis dealers in Australia - Five in Sydney (including a CBD 'studio'), two in Melbourne and one each in Brisbane, The Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth.