Starts at $148,250
Rank
Pros
Cons
What's New for 2025?
The G is significantly revised this year, highlighted (or lowlighted, arguably) by the G550's loss of two cylinders under the hood. The new turbocharged inline-6 makes more power and of course gets better fuel economy, but it lacks the V8's trademark rumble and delivers marginally less torque. Be that as it may, there are other changes of note, including improved sound insulation and the latest MBUX infotainment system with twin 12.3-inch displays. Squint and you'll see some exterior styling tweaks, too, such as a new grille with four horizontal louvers, a rear roof-edge lip spoiler and redesigned front and rear bumpers.
FAST FACTS
"The G-Wagen's transition from German military vehicle to global fashion icon has been quite something to behold, and today's G-Class offers more luxury than ever. However, the 2025 G550 also reverts to inline-6 power under the hood, which was normal many moons ago, when the G was more of a bare-bones off-roader, but is unprecedented for the premium G-Wagens familiar to American shoppers. We doubt that'll halt this rig's momentum, but it's worth noting that you're paying more than ever and getting fewer cylinders in return. In any case, it makes the AMG G63 variant much more appealing, as ponying up for the AMG is now the only way to get a V8."—Ranked #2 out of 3 Midsize Ultra Luxury SUVs
MotorDonkey's proprietary vehicle data identifies every significant version of each model so that you can compare and decide. Ordered by price from low to high, here are the versions of the 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class that you need to be aware of, along with our expert analysis and recommendations.
Scroll to:
The G550's turbocharged inline-6 engine gets significantly better fuel economy than the V8 it replaces, but that's a low bar — despite boosting the EPA's combined-mpg figure by 29 percent, the turbo six is still rated at just 18 mpg. And while power is up, torque is down, so we're guessing that owners of V8 G-Wagens won't be rushing to trade theirs in. To be fair, the G's long history shows that inline-6 power came first, supplanted by V8s only when this former military rig became a bona fide luxury good. Luxury is now part of the G's identity, though, as is that V8 rumble, so we'll see if the new six can hold up its end of the bargain going forward.
Although the advent of six-cylinder power in the regular G550 is arguably a downgrade for that model, it only helps the AMG G63, which previously had to make the difficult argument that its turbo V8 engine was worth a massive price premium over the regular G's very similar turbo V8. Now that the 550 has suffered a two-cylinder reduction, the G63 stands alone as the G-Wagen with that classic burble and roar, which is part of the G's appeal for so many fans.
Publisher and Donkey-in-Chief
Josh has been reviewing cars professionally since joining Edmunds.com fresh out of grad school in 2008, personally driving most new cars on the market every year since. He also served as the project manager for Edmunds' expert vehicle rankings from their inception in 2018, building the product out from the back end to the front end. Josh is a card-carrying member of the Motor Press Guild and a lifelong car nut who has tested, compared and critiqued a ridiculous number of cars in his career.
Latest Reviews
Let's make it official!Be a good donkey and we'll deliver delicious car news straight to your inbox, spam-free forever.
