Mercedes-Benz just revealed its refreshed 2027 GLS with a flat-plane crank V8, a hood-mounted illuminated star, and not a single battery-electric option in sight. For a company that spent the last five years promising an all-electric future, Stuttgart is now doubling down on internal combustion with an enthusiasm that borders on defiant.
The numbers tell the story. The GLS 580 4MATIC’s 4.0-liter V8 now makes 530 horsepower, up from 510, with 553 lb-ft of torque spread across a usable 2,500-to-4,500 rpm band. Mercedes swapped the cross-plane crankshaft for a flat-plane unit — a move typically associated with high-revving sports cars, not three-row family haulers — and added twin Lanchester balance shafts to keep the thing civilized. Both the V8 and the 375-hp inline-six get a second-generation integrated starter-generator running on 48 volts, enabling coasting with the engine off and seamless restart. These are mild hybrids, not plug-ins. Mercedes says the engines are “designed to meet future emissions standards,” which is corporate for “we’re keeping gas engines alive as long as regulators let us.
The suspension story is arguably more interesting than the powertrain. Standard AIRMATIC air suspension now includes cloud-based damper control, meaning the car reads the road ahead and pre-adjusts before hitting a bump. That data comes from the cloud, shared across the Mercedes fleet — a genuinely clever use of connected-car infrastructure. For the GLS 580, optional E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL takes it further with five multi-core processors, over 20 sensors, and 48-volt motor-pump units on all four wheels analyzing the driving situation 1,000 times per second. It can rock the vehicle free from sand dunes and adjust individual wheel height via the touchscreen. Mercedes has been developing active suspension since the 1980s. This is the payoff.
Inside, the new MBUX Superscreen stretches across the dashboard as standard — three 12.3-inch displays under a single pane of glass. An optional rear-seat entertainment package adds dual 11.6-inch screens and dedicated MBUX remote controls for second-row passengers. Mercedes is calling it a “first-class experience,” and the Executive Rear Seat Package Plus is clearly aimed at chauffeured buyers in China and the Middle East who treat their GLS like a rolling office.
The exterior gets the S-Class treatment. A standing three-pointed star on the hood — optionally illuminated — is the clearest signal yet that Mercedes views the GLS not as a utility vehicle but as a flagship. A new chrome-heavy grille with contour lighting, redesigned headlamps with partial high-beam capability (a first for the GLS in the U.S.), and integrated star-shaped taillights complete the look. Subtlety was never the point.
What’s conspicuously absent is any mention of the EQS SUV, Mercedes’ battery-electric full-size offering that was supposed to represent the future of this segment. The EQS SUV has struggled with tepid demand and an interior that confused luxury buyers accustomed to traditional Mercedes opulence. The 2027 GLS reads like Stuttgart’s insurance policy — proof that the company isn’t willing to abandon what actually sells while it figures out electrification.
The sensor suite is worth noting: ten cameras, up to five radar units, and twelve ultrasonic sensors feeding a water-cooled supercomputer running MB.OS. Over-the-air updates cover the entire vehicle, not just infotainment. Mercedes calls its latest driver-assistance package MB.DRIVE, and the hardware suggests the GLS is ready for capabilities that haven’t been unlocked yet.
Three rows of power-adjustable seats come standard, accommodating passengers up to 6-foot-4 even in the third row. A new “Beech Brown” interior colorway aims for warmth over clinical minimalism.
Mercedes hasn’t announced pricing or a precise on-sale date, but the 2027 designation and March 2026 reveal suggest showroom availability by late next year. The GLS has always been Mercedes’ answer to the Range Rover and BMW X7. This refresh makes clear the company isn’t ceding that ground to anyone — electric or otherwise.
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