Mercedes-Benz Gls600 vs Mazda CX-70

What's the difference?

You could argue that no brand is more synonymous with luxury than Mercedes-Benz, but what happens with a standard GLS SUV just isn’t exclusive enough for your tastes?

Enter the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600, which builds on the brand’s large SUV offering with extra helpings of opulence and lavishness.

This thing screams money like Louis Vuitton or Cartier, only it has four wheels and will transport passengers in nearly unrivalled levels of refinement and comfort.

But is it more than just a showpiece? And can it handle the rigours of day-to-day life without losing its shiny, jewel-like lustre? Let’s go for a drive and find out.

Mazda calls the new CX-70 its "flagship" five-seat SUV, which also makes it yet another flag-bearer for the brands relentless push up market as part of its 'Mazda Premium' strategy.

It might have a different badge, but it's really a five-seat version of the brand's biggest and most expensive offering, the seven-seat CX-90.

And, for reasons that will become clear in a moment, it's something of a bargain, at least in the context of Mazda's plush large SUV range.

How so, you ask? Read on.