Under the skin, this updated G-Class, or affectionally dubbed ‘G-Wagon’, still rides on the same tough ladder-frame architecture that’s defined the model for decades, but Mercedes has been busy refining the details. The grille now wears four horizontal bars instead of three, the bumpers gain subtle reshaping, and there’s discreet new A-pillar cladding along with a slim spoiler lip at the top of the windscreen and small ‘air curtain’ aero tweaks around the rear arches. The result isn’t a dramatic aesthetic shift, but rather a calmer, quieter, more polished G to live with at everyday speeds – all while keeping the silhouette brilliantly boxy.

Inside, the cabin finally steps fully into the modern era. Twin 12.3-inch displays now span the dash under one sleek glass panel, running the latest software with an impressive library of connected services. The new offroad cockpit overlay displays pitch, roll, altitude, and steering angle at a glance, while the clever Transparent Bonnet camera lets you virtually see the terrain beneath the front axle – an off-road cheat code that sounds borderline supernatural. The overall vibe blends upright military geometry with modern S-Class polish.

The engine line-up across Europe is broader than ever, and notably more electrified. At the entry point, the G 500 uses a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six paired with mild-hybrid assistance, delivering around 449 PS with brief electric boosts taking the edge off turbo lag. It’s quick enough to get the big G moving with real authority, but the character is smooth rather than explosive. The G 450d diesel offers a different sort of charm: a 3.0-litre straight-six with a muscular 750 Nm of torque, making it effortlessly long-legged and surprisingly brisk in real-world driving. Sitting at the cutting edge is the electric G 580 with EQ Technology, powered by a quartet of motors, one at each wheel, for a combined 587 PS and well over 1,100 Nm. It launches like a silent sledgehammer and brings wild party tricks such as the ‘G-Turn,’ allowing the car to pivot on its own axis like a tank. And then there’s the one everyone will actually buy: the AMG G 63. The 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 survives, now supported by a mild-hybrid starter-generator, producing 585 PS and 850 Nm with an unmistakable V8 thunder. Every powertrain pairs with a 9-speed automatic and permanent all-wheel drive.

Despite the tech upgrades, the G-Class remains old-school where it matters most. A ladder-frame chassis sits beneath you, with independent suspension up front and a rigid axle out back. Three fully lockable differentials, a low-range transfer case, and Mercedes’ ever-smarter drive modes give it genuine go-anywhere ability. On the AMG model, the trick AMG Active Ride Control system replaces conventional anti-roll bars with hydraulically linked dampers, allowing the G 63 to corner flatter on the road while digging its wheels deeper into rough terrain off it. Braking comes from huge, ventilated discs with multi-piston calipers, engineered to control more than two and a half tonnes of high-roofed real estate.

Visually, the 2026 model remains unmistakably a G-Wagon. The flat glazing, upright windscreen, exposed hinges, and rear-mounted spare stay exactly where they belong. The new four-bar grille, re-profiled bumpers, and aero detailing are subtle, but they tighten the suit without altering the personality. Wheel options continue to scale into the ‘surely that’s too big for off-road’ category, especially on the AMG, while Mercedes’ Manufaktur programme unlocks a vault of custom finishes – matte paints, satin metallics, heritage shades, contrast roofs, and endless black packs – making it perfectly normal to see a G-Class finished in stealth-bomber chic.

Inside, the design walks a line between tradition and indulgence. The upright dash architecture remains, but it’s dressed in quilted leathers, open-pore woods, glossy carbon fibre, and solid-feeling metal switchgear. The turbine-style vents add a theatrical flourish, and the seats range from understated Nappa to wild two-tone hides with contrasting piping. Heating, cooling, massage functions, and even heated armrests are available. The rear cabin is spacious, refined, and blessed with the same bank-vault door thud that gives every G-Class its unique sense of engineering weight.

Pricing in Europe begins around €130.000 for the six-cylinder models, rising to roughly €142.000 for the electric variant. At the top sits the AMG G 63, which starts just shy of €190.000 but routinely leaves showrooms closer to €230.000 – €300.000 once wheels, paint, and Manufaktur indulgences are added.

What’s clear is that Mercedes hasn’t diluted the G’s essence. Instead, they’ve layered on more capability, more refinement, and vastly more technology. The 2026 G-Wagon still feels like something designed to cross continents, shrug off mountains, and glide through Puerto Banús with equal confidence. The G-Wagon firmly remains one of the most charismatic ways to tower above the traffic — a luxury bunker on wheels, and still utterly irresistible.

Power: 585 bhp
Torque: 585 bhp
0-100km/h: 585 bhp
Top Speed: 210 km/h (240 km/h with AMG Driver’s Pack)
Market Alternatives: Land Rover Defender V8, Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, Bentley Bentayga, Aston Martin DBX 707
Price: From €190.000 plus local taxes