Depreciation is king when it comes to luxury vehicles, including big brown diesels. Our Spotlight is on this 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL 350 BlueTec 4matic SUV.
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This vehicle was provided to us by Excellence Auto Acton here in Acton Vale, Québec. Big thanks to them for letting us spend the morning with this full-size luxury SUV. If you're interested in buying this specific GL 350 you can visit their website here: https://www.excellenceauto.com/vehicule-usagee/200770/mercedes-benz-gl-class-2014/3164839
The X166 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class has been in production from the 2013 model year until 2019, and received a facelift and name-change for 2016 to the GLS-Class to create a more uniform naming convention within the Mercedes-Benz vehicle lineup. This GL 350 BlueTec is powered by a 3.0L DOHC turbo diesel V6 engine. While it only produces 240 horsepower, it has tonnes of low-end torque at 455 lb-ft. The European-spec GL 350 BlueTec had slightly more power, but we received a de-tuned version in North America.
Our full tour and review of this 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL 350 BlueTec 4matic SUV goes over all the features found on this full-size luxury SUV, and some of the optional extras you might be lucky to find on some models. The GL was designed to be the S-Class of SUVs, with class-leading technology for the time, this vehicle comes with a modest suite of features to keep up with other ~$30,000 new vehicles on the market today. Bi-Xenon headlights with adaptive functionality, AirMatic with Adaptive Damping System, crosswind assist, PRE-SAFE®, soft-close doors, foot-activated rear liftgate, 3-panel panoramic sunroof, heated & ventilated front seats, heated second row seats, tri-zone THERMOTRONIC automatic climate control, easy-entry to the third row, Comand APS Navigation, and much more.
After we discuss the exterior features and design of this GL-Class we take it on a road test to see how the turbo diesel engine works, the 7G-Tronic automatic transmission, 4matic all-wheel-drive, and the adaptive AirMatic suspension. While we can't accurately test the fuel economy on this vehicle we do discuss how the diesel's fuel efficiency could play into your overall buying decision. We go over the interior space and comfort while driving around, and think back on the interior design and how it has some modern elements we find on 2020 model year Mercedes models, as well as some of the older ones we've driven.
We wrap up our classic car episode of TestDrive Spotlight by going over a fast buyer's guide on this vehicle, discussing some of the common problems with the X166 GL-Class Mercedes-Benz, how the AdBlue and AirMatic suspension systems can get costly if they break down, and what you should look out for if you're in the market for one of these vehicles. Ultimately we make the argument that buying a car like this might be a better option over a fully-loaded 2020 compact sedan, as most of the features are found on this GL, but you get a whole lot more with it.
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