3-ROW LUXURY SUV COMPARISON
Cadillac really hopes the screens
in the Escalade’s first two rows will
distract you from the hard, flat seats
and questionable button placement.There’s an
unmistakable
grace in the way
the Mercedes
GLS moves down
the road.Despite its lack of the premium leathers,
woods, and headliners of the rest of the
field, the GLS’ as-tested price was a group-
high $108,135. You can only imagine the
decontenting that would have to occur to
hit the BMW’s $11,000-lower price tag.
Opened up on a good road, the GLS 580
is almost entertaining enough to make
you forget the AMG model exists. Steering
is quick, responsive, and accurate, the
powertrain delivers wave after wave of
torque, and the firmly tuned suspension
keeps the Mercedes feeling planted as you
surprise slower drivers on a good canyon
road. That’s good fun, but it’s also kind
of beside the point—most owners aren’t
searching for their three-row SUVs’ limits
on a two-lane. They’re motoring down the
highway or shuffling through traffic.
At that, the GLS 580 is a bit less
successful. At city speeds the engine and
transmission could use more polish; the
former is somewhat lazy at low rpm,
whereas the latter was slower to downshift
than the other entrants, and it was clunky
at times.
Compared to the BMW, Cadillac, and
Lincoln, the Mercedes had the least
impressive interior of the lot. Ignoring the
aging design—an issue the BMW suffers
from, as well—materials on our suppos-
edly luxurious GLS 580 left us wanting for
more. Yes, the leather feels like it origi-
nates from real dead cows, the wood from
some piece of felled oak, and the metal
from wherever automakers mine silvery
metal trim, but it’s the only SUV of the
four that makes you feel like you should
have spent more money on nicer leathers,
woods, and other feel-good luxe options.
Like the X7, space is a problem for
the GLS. It’s not quite as cramped as the
Bimmer, but the Mercedes also isn’t as
spacious as the Cadillac or Lincoln; itsCadillac Escalade
narrow cabin leads to pinched shoulder
room in the rear seats. “I appreciate that
the second-row seats are powered, but
I wish it didn’t feel like I was sitting in a
bucket,” Evans said. “My hips are low and
knees rather high. I also miss the flat floor
of the Americans, which makes it easier to
move around and into the third row.”
And once back there, associate editor
Eleonor Segura reported that adults, teens,
and tweens might not feel welcome. “The
third row is not a comfortable place to sit,
given the limited legroom,” she said. “It’s
more suitable for small children.”
Overall, we like a lot about the GLS, but
at this price two others do it better.48 MOTORTREND.COM APRIL 2021