2027 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680
The Mercedes-Maybach GLS680 full-size SUV is a rolling study in the art of balancing luxury with swagger. Based on the proven Mercedes-Benz GLS class, it abandons any pretense of utility to focus on providing a cosseting experience for four lucky passengers. The third row is 86’d to make more room for the chosen few, and the nearly limitless choice of textiles, colors, and patterns, and infotainment features ensure no aesthetic desire goes unfulfilled.
The swagger portion is not entirely devoid of nuance—yes, Maybach logos adorn everything from the running boards to the wheels and from the D pillars to the headlamps—the latter blooming with a bumper crop of tiny Maybach logos arranged about the lens. But the application is, as they say, tasteful. The 2027 model also bumps engine output from the turbo-V-8 by 53 ponies to put a total of 603 at your—or your drivers’—disposal.
Expert Tip: We’ve spent time in the plebeian Mercedes-Benz GLS-class SUVs, and in the shadow of the Mercedes-Maybach’s expected $183,000 starting price, the standard Benz SUV’s sub-six-figure starting price looks like a pretty sweet deal.
What’s New for 2027?
The 2027 GLS680 now features subtly illuminated Maybach lettering within its new grille. As an option, buyers can also spec—and we predict most will—an illuminated Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star hood ornament. The headlamps are now accented with rose gold details, and a new tailgate design features even more three-pointed stars framing the taillamps. New 22-and 23-inch Maybach wheel designs are on offer, the latter featuring bearing-mounted center caps that keep the MB logo upright as the wheels rotate. A new Dark Petrol / Verde Silver Metallic two-tone finish joins the palette, but at this level we’re sure any color combo you desire is available if you have the cash.
Crucially, Mercedes has developed a new massage vibration formula for the front seat cushions, and the rear executive seats have a new massage function that now extends to the calves.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
The price of the 2027 Mercedes-Maybach GLS-class starts at $186.350.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
Engine: 603-hp turbocharged 4.0-liter turbocharged V-8
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Drivetrain: all-wheel drive
The twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 is the new flat-plane-crank engine just introduced in the S-class sedan. It belts out 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, increases of 53 ponies and 89 pound-feet of twist compared to the previous Maybach GLS. Some of the credit for the power increase goes to a new, second-generation 48-volt starter/generator unit that contributes 23 horsepower. Refinement benefits from the introduction of a pair of weighted, counter-rotating balance shafts that are said to add another dimension of peacefulness to the V-8’s operation.
The chassis sees a round of improvements with a revised steering setup with a quicker ratio, and the air suspension now has intelligent predictive damper control. The system allows the GLS to upload road condition information to the cloud, then share it with other Mercedes vehicles traveling the same route in its wake. An available E-Active Body Control system alters damper and spring settings in real time and can even recuperate energy from the movement of the system’s four wheel-mounted motor/pump units.
0–60-MPH Times
C/D 60-mph Test: 3.9 seconds (2025 GLS63)
In Comparison: While we anxiously await the arrival of the new, more powerful 2027 GLS680 to test, consider that a Bentley Bentayga S V-8 managed the same feat in a tidy 3.5 seconds. But even the 2025 Maybach GLS’s slightly slower 3.9-second 60-mph sprint is quick enough to dust most other—no doubt pedestrian—vehicles that you’ll encounter. And we think the new 2027 GLS680 has enough added power to shave a couple of tenths from its 2025 time.
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