Is It Worth the Price? Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 and Its Most Exclusive Features

Damn, get your checkbooks ready (if those still exist) because the concept of a luxury SUV has just been redefined! The 2025 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC arrives to prove that size and opulence can absolutely go hand in hand. Forget what you thought comfort and exclusivity were; this car raises the bar to stratospheric levels.

Combining the imposing stature already known from Mercedes-Benz’s GLS platform with the refined craftsmanship signature of the Maybach sub-brand, this road giant isn’t for just anyone. It was created for those who not only can pay millions for a car but also insist on having the absolute best in comfort, technology, and a smooth yet brutally powerful performance when needed.

What Makes the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 4MATIC So Exclusive?

Starting with the look, the Maybach GLS 600 shouts “I’m insanely expensive” from afar. The chrome grille with those distinct vertical slats and the Mercedes star on the hood (not in the middle of the grille—notice the difference?) immediately tell you this isn’t your average GLS. There’s chrome everywhere, including the side steps that electronically lower like a motorized red carpet. And if you want to flaunt even more, the two-tone paint is the cherry on top, a true show of exclusivity.

But the exterior is just the appetizer, my friend. The real magic happens when you open the door and step into this sanctuary on wheels. The interior is not only luxurious; it’s a first-class environment that makes any private jet feel cramped. The materials are absurdly high quality: Nappa leather that feels like butter, open-pore exotic woods, and genuine metal details throughout. It’s the kind of place where you feel like a king—or a billionaire—which for many, is pretty much the same.

The pièce de résistance, or rather, the throne of this luxury cake, are the rear executive seats. Two individual armchairs that look more like thrones, with generous recline, leg rests, massage, heating, and ventilation. Seriously, you sit there and think, “Why would I ever get out?” And for the true connoisseurs of life, the rear center console can come with fold-out tables, climate-controlled cup holders, and even a champagne cooler with silver glass holders. Come on, who really needs a car like this? Only those who can afford it, damn it!

The Sanctuary on Wheels: First-Class Interior

• Individual executive seats with massage and climate control.
• Top-tier materials: Nappa leather, wood, metal.
• Rear console with optional tables and refrigeration.
• MBUX system with dual 12.3-inch screens and rear tablet.
• Burmester® High-End 3D Surround sound system.
• Flawless sound insulation.
• Panoramic sunroof.
• Customizable ambient lighting.

The onboard technology is what you’d expect from a vehicle of this caliber. The MBUX system with its two massive 12.3-inch screens dominates the dashboard, but the real genius move is the removable tablet in the rear console. With it, rear passengers control a ton of vehicle functions without having to ask the driver for a thing. It’s the independence of luxury.

Powertrain: Raw Power Meets Hybrid Smoothness?

Beneath all this luxury beats a powerful heart. The engine is a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8, the famous M177, but here it comes with a modern touch: the 48V mild-hybrid EQ Boost system. It doesn’t turn this beast into an electric vehicle—far from it. EQ Boost steps in to give an extra boost in power and torque at low revs, plus it slightly improves efficiency and smoothness during start-stop transitions. It’s technology working to enhance comfort and performance that, although discreet by the car’s nature, commands respect.

With 557 horsepower from the combustion engine plus an additional 22 from the EQ Boost, total combined power hits 579 horsepower. Torque is a monster too: 549 lb-ft (74.4 kgfm) from the V8 plus 188 lb-ft (25.5 kgfm) from EQ Boost. All this power is managed by a silky-smooth 9-speed 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission and sent to all four wheels via the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system. The result? A respectable 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, impressive for a nearly 6,200-pound (2.8-ton) vehicle. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph (250 km/h), because, honestly, who’s going to want to go faster than that in a palace on wheels?

Compared to other high-performance SUVs, like the 2026 BMW XM, which bets on monstrous power, the Maybach GLS 600 focuses more on smooth and luxurious delivery without sacrificing brute strength when needed.

Quick Specs: Engine & Performance

• Engine: 4.0L twin-turbo V8 + EQ Boost (48V)
• Combined Power: Approx. 579 hp
• Combined Torque: Approx. 738 lb-ft (99.9 kgfm)
• Transmission: 9-speed automatic 9G-TRONIC
• Drivetrain: 4MATIC all-wheel drive
• 0-60 mph: ~4.9 seconds
• Top Speed: 155 mph (electronically limited)

Comfort and Dynamics: Floating Over Asphalt… Or Something Like It?

This is where the Maybach GLS 600 really stands out. The standard AIRMATIC air suspension ensures a smooth and controlled ride. But the real ace is the optional E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL system. Using a 48V system, it controls the springs and shock absorbers on each wheel individually. This allows the car to lean into corners to reduce body roll and even “read” the road ahead to prepare for bumps. The coolest part: there’s a special “Maybach” mode that optimizes everything for maximum comfort of the rear passengers. It’s like riding a magic carpet, only with 6,200 pounds and a quietly growling V8.

The wheels deserve a special mention: 22 inches standard, with an optional 23-inch size, both with exclusive Maybach designs. Huge tires (285/45 R22 front and 325/40 R22 rear) help grip the road but don’t compromise smoothness. The electric steering is variable-assisted, light for maneuvers and firmer at high speeds. Everything is designed so that driving or, especially, being chauffeured, is the most relaxing experience possible.

While more “common” luxury SUVs, like the 2025 Audi Q5, offer a great level of comfort, the Maybach GLS 600 plays in a different league, focusing on extreme isolation and smoothness.

Ride Fit for Royalty

• AIRMATIC air suspension (standard).
• E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL system with Maybach mode (optional).
• Individual spring and damping control.
• Exclusive Maybach 22″ or 23″ wheels.
• High-performance tires.
• Electric power steering with variable assistance.

Safety and Technology: Limitless Protection and Innovation?

Obviously, a car of this level comes loaded with the most advanced safety features out there. Mercedes-Benz’s Driver Assistance Package Plus is seriously comprehensive, with adaptive cruise control (DISTRONIC) that follows the car ahead, steering assist that helps keep you in your lane, emergency braking assist to potentially avoid accidents, lane-keeping and lane-change assist, and blind-spot monitoring. It’s almost like having an invisible co-pilot—only this one doesn’t complain about your music.

The MULTIBEAM LED headlights are another marvel, with 84 individually controlled LEDs. They adapt the beam to avoid dazzling oncoming drivers, illuminate curves, and even highlight pedestrians. It’s surgical lighting. And then there’s PRE-SAFE®, which anticipates collisions and prepares the car and occupants by tightening seat belts, closing windows, etc. With airbags all around (front, side, curtain, and knee), safety is a top priority. See how advanced safety tech is also progressing in luxury electric SUVs like the 2026 Cadillac Optiq-V, showing market trends.

Systems like these are essential in modern vehicles, and the Maybach GLS 600 doesn’t skimp. Mercedes-Benz invests heavily in research and development to keep their cars at the forefront of automotive safety. You can find more details about the technologies on Mercedes-Benz’s official website.

Advanced Technological Shield

• Full Driver Assistance Package Plus.
• Adaptive Cruise Control (DISTRONIC).
• Active steering, braking, and lane assist.
• Blind-spot monitoring.
• Adaptive MULTIBEAM LED headlights.
• PRE-SAFE® collision anticipation system.
• Multiple airbags.

Price: How Much to Join This Billionaire’s Club?

Ah, the price. The question everyone’s dying to ask. Mercedes-Benz hasn’t officially announced the price of the 2025 Maybach GLS 600 yet, but let’s be honest: it won’t be cheap. We’re talking figures probably starting well above €200,000 or $220,000 USD, potentially climbing north of $300,000 to $400,000 depending on options. International sources like Car and Driver also point to a starting price around $200,000.

It’s an insane amount for most people, but for the target audience, it’s the price of exclusivity, extreme comfort, and a status that few cars in the world can offer. It’s the cost of owning an SUV that directly competes with models like the Bentley Bentayga or Rolls-Royce Cullinan. Speaking of Bentayga, the 2026 Bentley Bentayga Speed V8 is a significant competitor in this segment.

This price range puts the Maybach GLS 600 in a category where purchasing decisions aren’t about necessity or cost-effectiveness but about desire, distinction, and the pleasure of owning something so refined and powerful. It’s a market where price is just a detail, not a dealbreaker.

Quick Comparison: Maybach GLS vs. Direct Competitors (Estimated Base Price)

• 2025 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600: Est. > €200,000 / > $220,000 USD
• 2026 Bentley Bentayga Speed V8: Est. > €220,000 / > $240,000 USD
• Rolls-Royce Cullinan: Est. > €280,000 / > $350,000 USD
• Audi RS Q8 (less luxury, more performance): Est. > €130,000 / > $120,000 USD – Although the Audi RS Q8 ABT Legacy Edition is a performance monster, the Maybach has a different focus.

The price gap between these vehicles reflects not only brand but also the level of customization, materials, and of course, exclusivity. The Maybach positions itself as one of the most comfortable luxury SUVs, especially designed with rear passengers in mind.

In my humble opinion, looking at the 2025 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600, it’s clear that German engineering and luxury craftsmanship have reached an almost insane level. This is a car that makes no sense to 99.9% of the world’s population—and that’s exactly why it exists. It wasn’t made to go to the corner bakery; it was made to take you to another continent (metaphorically, of course) without feeling a ripple on the road. It’s excess in every sense, but excess that, for those who have the money, must be one hell of an experience. It’s the definition of luxury on wheels, with zero concern for discretion or traditional “cost-benefit.” It’s a “because I can” in SUV form.

And you, what do you think of this extreme luxury SUV? Share your thoughts in the comments!