The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLS SUV. Photo: Mercedes-Benz USA.

2026 Mercedes-Benz GLS: Brooklyn Buyers Guide

The Mercedes that swallows a whole family, and their luggage

Where the GLE splits the difference between size and city practicality, the GLS doesn't split anything. It's 205 inches of SUV with a 123.4-inch wheelbase, three genuine rows, and up to 84.7 cubic feet of cargo room with the back seats folded flat. Every trim tows 7,700 pounds, which in this borough usually means a boat trailer headed to City Island rather than anything more rugged. The GLS 450 alone carries a 23.8-gallon tank and a curb weight north of 5,500 pounds — numbers that explain why it rides the way it does over the Belt Parkway's rougher stretches, composed rather than jittery.

Selling something this large in a borough this dense takes real infrastructure, and Mercedes-Benz of Brooklyn has it: over 500 vehicles in stock, a loaner fleet exceeding 100 cars, and a showroom that sits directly off Belt Parkway Exit 5, a few minutes from the Verrazzano Bridge. The store is part of the Kollective Automotive Group, and its sales floor is staffed heavily by people who grew up in the neighborhoods they now sell to.

Three engines, one philosophy: bigger means more choices, not fewer

Unlike some Mercedes SUV lines that offer a rear-drive entry point, every 2026 GLS comes standard with 4MATIC (or, on the AMG, 4MATIC+) all-wheel drive and standard AIRMATIC air suspension — there's no steel-sprung base model to skip. All three trims share dual 12.3-inch MBUX displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 13-speaker Burmester surround system with Dolby Atmos, a standard panoramic roof, and 64-color ambient lighting. What separates them is entirely under the hood and beneath the body: an inline-six mild hybrid, a biturbo V8 mild hybrid, or AMG's handcrafted biturbo V8 with its own hybrid assist and a firmer chassis built for a different kind of Sunday.

Owners on Google, unfiltered

The dealership's own photography, shot near home. Photo: Mercedes-Benz of Brooklyn.

The store carries a 4.4-star rating across more than 2,100 Google reviews, and the GLS shows up in them across nearly a decade of ownership. Vitalii T. bought a certified pre-owned GLS 450 and hit a snag on day one, dashboard warnings for lane-keeping and brake assist. His account of what happened next reads like a service department doing everything right: "Gary managed to take care of everything on a very high level. He was keeping me updated... All the services were completed with $0 on the invoice." That's Gary Marajh, a service advisor who still appears on the dealership's current team roster. On the sales side, Stacey H. described her first Mercedes purchase simply: "We left the dealership with our first Mercedes-Benz GLS 450. We are very happy." Multiply that sentiment across the model's near-decade run at this store and a pattern emerges: people who buy a GLS here tend to come back for another one.

Buying and living with a GLS in the five boroughs

Two companion guides handle the rest of the decision. The GLS service and repair guide covers the Service A/B rhythm this SUV shares with the rest of the lineup, what Belt Parkway expansion joints do to 21- and 22-inch wheels, and how the dealership's loaner fleet keeps a three-row family from being stranded mid-week. The pricing and leasing guide walks the money end: every MSRP, New York City's 8.875% combined sales tax, and why leasing tends to win out at this price point in this borough.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2026 GLS getting redesigned?

No clean-sheet redesign for 2026, but it's more than a paint refresh: restyled front and rear fascias bring the GLS in line with the facelifted S-Class, including a larger illuminated grille and reshaped LED headlamps, plus updated air-suspension damper software and the latest driver-assistance suite. Anyone who held off for a ground-up GLS is really just getting the current, well-sorted platform with a new face.

How much does a 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLS cost?

MSRPs run $90,250 for the GLS 450 to $151,050 for the AMG GLS 63, each plus the $1,250 destination charge before New York taxes and fees. Full pricing detail, including the New York City tax math, lives in the pricing guide.

Is the GLS as luxurious as the S-Class?

They're close cousins in cabin quality and technology, but they're different missions: the S-Class is Mercedes' flagship sedan, tuned around rear-seat serenity for two, while the GLS delivers similar materials and tech in a body built to carry seven people and their luggage, tow a boat, and clear a Brooklyn curb cut without drama. Buyers cross-shopping the two usually decide on seating and cargo, not on which one feels nicer inside.

GLS or GLE — which one is actually bigger?

The GLS is Mercedes' full-size three-row SUV; the GLE is the mid-size line one notch down, with an optional rather than standard third row on most versions. Families who need a genuinely usable third row and more cargo room step up to the GLS; buyers who mostly carry four people and occasionally need a fifth or sixth seat often find the GLE sufficient and easier to park on a typical Brooklyn block.

Does the GLS come with rear-wheel drive to save money?

No. Every 2026 GLS trim ships with 4MATIC (AMG GLS 63: 4MATIC+) all-wheel drive standard; there's no steel-sprung, rear-drive base model the way some other Mercedes SUV lines offer. AIRMATIC air suspension is likewise standard across the range.

Where can I see the 2026 GLS lineup in Brooklyn?

At Mercedes-Benz of Brooklyn, 1800 Shore Parkway, just off Belt Parkway Exit 5 near the Verrazzano Bridge. Sales hours run Monday through Saturday, 9am to 6pm, and the 500-plus-vehicle inventory typically spans the full GLS range.

Three rows, one address

The GLS rewards buyers who already know they need the space and simply have to pick the engine underneath it. Start with whichever trim guide matches your instinct, then let a same-day test drive off Belt Parkway Exit 5 settle the rest.