Off-Roading - Drill and Driver

Whether you are looking for something to look cool while driving or going off-road, you may possibly consider a G-wagon: Mercedes-Benz Geländewagen (transliterated: "cross-country vehicle"). The unique DNA of the G-Class was first developed over 40 years ago and continues to define its iconic appearance to this day. However, not so fast. Have you seen the prices of new and used G-wagons? They are not cheap vehicles. A person who has not used one before might not be sure why they are so expensive. G-wagons (a.k.a., the G-Class) are mostly expensive because of the big brand name. It is a Mercedes; you should expect it to be costlier than its competitors. Also, the G-wagon has unwavering reliability and performance, especially for offroading. You would be happy to own one and take it through its paces. G-wagons did not start being expensive recently. We have seen a rise in demand that has made them even collectibles. For this reason, they can fetch a high price generally. Research also shows it is a safe vehicle that even celebrities love. We give you a detailed look into why owning a G-wagon might not be so cheap, but getting it will make you love every bit of using it. We see how much it will cost to maintain one and where you can get one. How Much Is The Price Of The New G-Wagon? The Mercedes Benz G-Wagon is loved for its performance and class. For all that, you have to part with $131,750 as the starting price. This can quickly increase depending on the model that you pick. The G 550 SUV starts at $131K, while the top trim, which is the G63 SUV, will cost you $156,450. So, if you want more power and performance, expect to part with a lot more money to get it. So, what do you get for spending this much on a vehicle? 2022 Mercedes G550 G Wagon: Should You Buy The G550 Over The G63 AMG? The G-wagon G550 SUV comes with features such as: A 4.0L V8 Biturbo Engine producing 416 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque Sunroof with a heat-rejecting glass Mercedes me connect Takes 5.6 seconds to get from 0 to 60mph Acoustic glass 3-zone climate control Mercedes-AMG G63 4X4² (2023) The Most G-Class Ever! – Full Details As for the top trim AMG G63 model, you get features such as: A handcrafted 4.0L V8 Biturbo engine producing 577 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque AMG Dynamic select Takes 4.5 seconds to get from 0 to 60mph Twin 12.3-inch screens digital instruments AMG performance steering wheel AMG exclusive designs, including chrome grille bars and a low-profile brush guard By now, you should see why people spend so much money buying G-wagons. There is still the option of customizing your G-Class, and Mercedes will make it for you. Mercedes Benz G-Wagon History The Mercedes Benz G-Wagon is a four-wheel SUV that was introduced in 1979. It was originally developed as a military off-roader: rugged, capable, user-friendly, and readily transportable all-wheel-drive vehicle. But, through a combination of savvy marketing, outrageous pricing, limited production, and butch, rectilinear good looks, the G-Wagon has evolved into a luxurious SUV over the years. It became a status symbol—the vehicle of choice for urbane celebrities, socialite moms, and weekend surfers. Celebrity G wagon owners But, It is not just about luxury; performance has improved greatly since its introduction. The G-wagon is loved for its boxy styling and body-on-frame construction. When other SUVs get softer angles and curves, the G-wagon seems to hold the boxy shape until the latest model in 2023. Being in production for over 43 years right now make is among the longest production length that Mercedes has run on a vehicle. The good thing about Mercedes is it managed to keep the G-wagon in character with only a few minor design changes over the years. As of December 2020, Mercedes rolled out the 400,000th unit, which was quite a milestone. Mercedes-Benz G-Class Evolution 1979-2019 | New Vs Old What Makes G-Wagons Expensive? When you decide to get a G-wagon, you hope to see why it sells so expensively. That is why we are here to help you see it. Here are a couple of reasons a G-Class is expensive. 1. Impressive all-terrain capabilities The G-wagon has been in production for over 40 years and has a military history. This is enough to see that it has the right capabilities for handling different terrains. The best part is how you can customize the G-wagon to be trail-ready, so you can take it on different terrains without a problem. 2. Best reliability No one is going to spend money on a vehicle if it cannot prove to be reliable. Most people who own the G-wagon have nothing to complain about the reliability. During the first 100K miles, you may not have to do much. Regular service and tire rotation can keep the G-wagon in good condition. 3. Powerful AMG trims To ensure you can get the best vehicles for your money, you can choose the AMG trim. This one comes with more power and torque figures. It also has some major design changes that make it look aggressive. We cannot forget to mention the several driving modes that make it good for driving over different terrains. 4. Safety Anyone driving a vehicle wants it to be safe. That is the reality with the G-G-Class. It is able to give you the best safety for you to enjoy driving it more often. It has several airbags around different strategic locations in the vehicle to keep you safe in case of a crash. It also features automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitors, active parking assist, and so much more safety features. Is G-Class a Luxury SUV? We find the G-wagon a good luxury SUV you can get today, and it will be worth the money. One thing that makes it a luxury is because of the seats. It has five seats as opposed to the seven you would find in most SUVs in its class. Two fewer seats mean more legroom for you to enjoy a drive in the G-Class. The seats are all good in terms of being supportive and cushioned. You will find it a good choice even if you want to go on a long drive. We still like the interior quality. It has luxurious materials such as wooden accents, soft leather, and so much more. This is enough to make the vehicle feel high-quality and luxurious still. Mercedes loves loading its vehicles with new technology. That is what you would get with the G-wagon still. This includes upgraded infotainment, better navigation, and so much more. Do G-Wagons Break Down A Lot? Anyone going to spend over $130K on a vehicle will want to know if it is reliable. We largely find the G-wagons reliable because they are built to last well over rough terrains and will not need as many repairs. Still, they come with the best safety ratings than other luxury SUVs in their category. Most of the time, getting luxury and reliability in one vehicle is hard. However, Mercedes has managed to achieve this with the G-Class. According to several reports, the G-wagons made between 1996 to 2002 were the most reliable. At this point, the vehicles are less complicated, meaning fewer parts would break. Reliability became an issue when brands tried to jam every piece of technology just to outsell another. That being said, even the new G-wagons are still reliable, and many people would be happy to get them. The G-wagon is also one vehicle that can last a long time. Some research companies have found that some G-wagons last over 500,000 miles, mostly with proper maintenance. Sometimes you just need to stick to the usual routine, and you should find the vehicle lasting a long time. So, when you decide to spend money on a G-Class, just know it will last a long time. Do G-Wagons Hold Their Value? Commonly, vehicles that are expensive at first might not hold their value quite well over the years. A G-wagon holds its value quite well over the years compared to other SUVs. It is estimated that a G-wagon might lose up to 23% of its value within the first 5 years. That is not the same with some other SUVs, as they might lose over 50% of their value in the same duration. That is why you may notice that G-wagons G-63s might sell for as high as $141K even after 5 years since you bought it. The G-Class is also rare, making them even more expensive. One of the main reasons G-wagons can hold their value is because of their off-road capabilities. You can take it over different terrains, and it will hold quite well. Besides being a good offroad machine, it is also a status symbol. Being a Mercedes is enough to make people want to get it for themselves. It has been seen around with celebrities, in song videos, and in Instagram photos. That is enough to create hype around the G-wagons and make them hold value. As much as there have been a couple of changes to the G-wagon, it remains the same. This kind of design has made people loyal to the brand. This means such people would take good care of the vehicle, thus only selling at a price only enthusiasts are willing to pay. Do G-Wagons Use A Lot Of Gas? Since the vehicle features a V8 engine, there is not much fuel saving you should expect from a G-Class. Also, someone spending over $130K on a vehicle is not too much worried about the fuel economy. The AMG G63 model will have a 13mpg for city use and 16mpg for the highway. You can see that it is quite punishing. As for the G550 model, it has a 17mpg for city use and 19mph for highway use. It is better, but definitely not the cheapest to fuel. World's First Electric G-Wagen: Are G-Wagons Expensive To Maintain? When you decide to get a G-wagon, one thing at the back of your mind is not to keep repairing it all the time. The G-wagon is a relatively reliable vehicle, with most owners spending up to $15,000 in repairs and maintenance in 10 years of ownership and regular vehicle use. For the most part, you would only have to do regular maintenance, and the vehicle should be good to use. By the time you reach 100K miles, you may have to do major service and repairs to the vehicle. Follow up with the dealer to learn more about which service or repair you have to do as you own a G-Class. FAQs What is G-Wagon slang for? The name G-wagon is slang for Gelandewagen. It can be translated as a cross-country vehicle. So, the name Gelandewagen is quite a mouthful to the point people thought it was easier just to call it a G-Wagen or G-Class. Is the G63 bulletproof? No. G-wagons do not come bulletproof from the factory. In case you need bulletproof protection, it can be added by a third party having expertise in doing such a job. If the company does a good job, you will not even notice it has an added protection layer. Can G-Wagon be a tax write-off? A G-wagon can be a tax write-off in certain cases. A good example is using it for business rather than personal use. Make sure to track your miles, as you have to prove to the IRS you use it for business. Also, you can get a tax write-off because a G-Class is over 6,000 pounds and will be used for 100% business purposes. Does the US military use G-Wagons? There are times you may find the G-wagon being used in the military. However, it has to be a military spec to ensure it lives up to military use. It would not be the normal G-wagon you see around. However, it is not a popular vehicle for the military as they opted to use other brands.