Acceleration

G500	Class Average
6	5.1

Test G500 clocked a respectable 7.9 sec 0-60 mph, helped by smooth, quick-shifting transmission. Midrange pickup is only adequate, reflecting hefty weight and poor aerodynamics. No opportunity to test G55 AMG, but Mercedes lists it at 5.5 sec 0-60.

Fuel Economy

G500	Class Average
2	2.1

Requires premium fuel--and lots of it. Test G500s averaged 13.0 mpg in mixed city/highway use, 12.8 including gas-eating performance tests.

Ride Quality

G500	Class Average
3	5.8

Surprisingly stable, given off-road-oriented suspension. Some chop due to short wheelbase, but never punishing. Still, more pitching and rocking than most every other luxury SUV.

Steering/Handling/Braking

G500	Class Average
3	3.4

No match for a car-based SUV, but not as bad as tall, narrow build might suggest. Fast turns trigger tippy cornering feel, and most crosswinds cause highway wander. Steering very firm, and wheel is slow to return to center after turns. Brakes deliver sure, reasonably short simulated panic stops with little nosedive.

Quietness

G500	Class Average
3	6.1

Wind, tire noise rise markedly over 45 mph. Much full-throttle engine roar.

Controls

G500	Class Average
3	5.8

Clear gauge cluster. Complex Mercedes COMAND video system governs navigation/audio/cell phone. Most other switches are handy and mostly self-explanatory except for low-mounted, undersized climate controls. Weak dashboard night lighting. Old-fashioned, square-cut interior shapes, but materials are high quality, include wood trim. Creaks, groans over rail tracks at odds with otherwise-solid bearing.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

G500	Class Average
5	8.1

Head room and leg room beyond generous, but cabin feels narrow in this decades-old design. Seats needlessly hard to some testers. Smallish footwells and lofty step-in complicate entry/exit; standard side steps help little. Drivers can easily see both front fenders, but elevated stance, headrest clutter, and dark-tint glass block much vision astern and over-the-shoulder.

Room/Comfort (rear)

G500	Class Average
6	7.2

Hard, flat bench seat high off floor, though head room still very good. But that also means steep step-in. And only fair leg room unless front seats are well forward.

Cargo Room

G500	Class Average
8	8

Split 70/30 rear bench double-folds for cargo, but stiff latches on test G500s required undue muscle. Rear wheel arches steal some cargo space, but there's plenty of volume for big, tall boxes. Side-opening cargo door is clumsy--partly because it carries heavy, bulky outside spare tire. Small-items storage nothing special.

Value within Class

G500	Class Average
2	4.9

The G-Class has some celebrity cachet, but this old soldier suffers too many lapses for what it costs. Other premium SUVs furnish better everyday comfort and performance, usually for far less money.

Total Score

G500	Class Average
41	56.5

Scores for all Premium Large Sport-utility Vehicles

Low Score		41
Average Score		56
High Score		66