2019 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Reviews

Australia’s new car market rose very slightly in volume in 2024 compared to 2023 - but it wasn’t good news across the board.

If you’ve seen a lot of BMWs on the road lately, there is a reason for it.The Bavarian giant is officially Australia’s favourite premium automotive brand.According to 2024 sales figures, BMW capped the year with 26,341 sales. That represents a modest 0.6 per cent bump over its 2023 results, or in actual figures, BMW sold 157 more cars last year than the year before.For years BMW was the number two marque in Australia behind archrival Mercedes-Benz. But that shifted a few years ago and now BMW is the dominant force in the premium segment.Mercedes splits its sales between two business units — Mercedes-Benz Cars and Mercedes-Benz Vans. Given none of its premium rivals offer commercial vans or utes, we will focus on cars.BMW was the 14th best-selling brand overall in 2024, wedged between Volkswagen in 13th and Suzuki in 15th.But how did it do so well last year? A couple of factors — SUVs and EVs.Sixty two per cent of BMW sales were for its ‘X’ SUV range. And the leader of that pack was the X1 small SUV with 4536 sales. Despite these solid numbers, it was beaten by the Audi Q3 for sales in the small SUV segment.The X3 was BMW’s next best seller, capturing high sales in runout ahead of the new-gen model arriving, and X5 was third best, while the X7 and 7 Series saloon had their best sales results ever.BMW’s EV sales were also a strong point, with just under 30 per cent of its total sales coming from electric cars. The iX1, i4, iX2 and iX3 made up the bulk of deliveries.Mercedes-Benz recorded 19,989 units in 2024, which was down by 17.8 per cent compared with 2023. Despite having a broader model range, the Stuttgart-based manufacturer saw double-digit sales declines for some of its most popular models including the C-Class (-26%), CLA (-32.7%), A-Class (-16.5%), GLC (-19.3%) and GLE (-41.4%).Benz fared better with some of its EV range, with the EQE medium SUV up by more than 200 per cent to 759 sales and the EQS large SUV also in positive territory (+126.7%). The GLA small SUV was the brand’s best seller, recording 3103 sales, up a healthy 65 per cent year on year.Coming third in the premium car sales race was Audi with 15,333, which represented a 19.5 per cent drop on its 2023 result.The decline can in part be put down to the delayed launch of the Q4 e-tron electric SUV, which now arrives in February, as well as some ageing model lines like the A4 and Q5 mid sizers. Both will be replaced in 2025 with new-gen models.The end of sales for the A1 hatch and TT sports car have also likely had an impact.Like Mercedes, Audi’s sales were a mixed bag. The Q3 was the brand’s star performer, capturing 5497 sales (+23.3%) to top the premium small SUV segment.The only other Audi model in positive sales territory was, interestingly, the A6 (+12%). Large sedans aren’t super popular these days so it’s a great result for a solid offering.On the flipside, the Q7 and A3 went backwards, but the SUV is about to get a big refresh in February, and the A3 has just been updated, too, so they should pick up in 2025.Aside from BMW, Porsche was the only premium brand to achieve sales growth in 2024, with 7029 units up 16.1 per cent. Every model line except the Panamera (-5.7%) and Taycan (-47.3%) saw double or triple-digit growth.Other premium contenders Lexus (13,642, -10.2%), Genesis (1400, -26.9%) and Volvo (8898, -20%) all had sales drops in 2024.

At the beginning of each year we dissect the top-10 best-selling automotive brands of the previous year, digging into what went right for some brands and what went wrong for others.What about the brands that just missed out on the glory of a top-10 placing?Based on full-year 2024 data, we’ve pulled together another list. For all the details of the top 10, read about it here. But now we are detailing the brands that landed in positions 11 to 20 on the best-selling car brands list.There are some big names that were once fixtures in the top 10, but a combination of factors have kept them out of the top rankings this time around.Competition from newer brands has had an impact, as has shifting consumer preference and cost-of-living concerns.Check out our table below for the full figures.Subaru was the unlucky brand to just miss out on a top 10 spot last year, after being shut out by growing Chinese manufacturer GWM by 2178 sales.Subaru had been a mainstay in the top 10 for years, but last year it captured 40,604 sales, which was a near 12 per cent dip compared with 2023. All of Subaru’s models, excluding the newer Crosstrek small SUV, experienced double-digit percentage declines last year.Another more recent top-10 entrant, Tesla, also slipped out of the main list last year. Declining interest in its only two models — the related Tesla Model 3 and Model Y — ensured a 17 per cent drop. This was part of a wider trend of stagnating EV sales in Australia. Battery EVs were only up by 4.7 per cent in 2024, a dramatic change from the 160 per cent increase in 2023 over 2022.Another long-standing brand, and former top-10 player, Volkswagen, saw a further slide in 2024. Its tally of 36,480 was about 17 per cent off the previous year.The Amarok ute was in positive territory, but sales of some other key models dropped as the wait for replacements of some of its biggest models like the Tiguan drag on.Fellow German maker BMW landed in 14th place and remained steady, shifting just 157 more cars in 2024 compared with 2023.The next two brands had a big year. Suzuki clawed back lost ground by increasing its sales by 24.6 per cent to 21,278 units. The Jimny continues to be Suzuki’s best seller, with the tiny off-roader nabbing nearly half its total sales at 9697 units - up a whopping 94 per cent year on year.The other big mover was BYD, with the Chinese giant adding 20,458 sales to its name last year.Challenging Australia’s SUV obsession, BYD’s top seller was the Seal sedan on 6393 sales, but the Sealion 6 plug-in hybrid SUV was just behind on 6198. The latter only had six full months on sale, however.Expect this to change in 2025 with the Shark 6 PHEV ute likely to take over of the brand’s most popular offering.Mercedes-Benz Cars took a dive in 2024, dropping by nearly 18 per cent for 19,989 units. If you add Mercedes-Benz Vans to its tally (they are reported separately in VFACTS) it would have recorded 24,831 sales which was enough to beat Suzuki.LDV was one of few Chinese manufacturers to go backwards in 2024 (-24.8%). The commercial vehicle specialist was hampered by ageing models like the D90 SUV and the T60 ute, but both of those are being replaced early this year.In 19th place was Audi which dropped by 19.5 per cent last year, with very few bright spots in its line-up except for the ever-popular Q3 small SUV. That model was ahead by 23.3 per cent last year and led the premium small SUV segment for sales, edging out the BMW X1 and Volvo’s XC40.Rounding out our top 20 is Honda with 14,092 sales. The Japanese brand was another regular visitor to the top 10 in the not-too-distant past, but a drastic change in sales strategy in Australia - including downsizing its model range, dealer network and shifting to an agency dealer model - meant sales dropped, ensuring what the company says is a more sustainable business model.While the excellent CR-V went backwards last year, its two other SUVS, the HR-V and ZR-V, gained ground, increasing by 53.3 and 79.3 per cent respectively.Just missing out on a top-20 placing were Lexus (13,642) and Chery (12,603).

The 2025 Mercedes-AMG EQE53 SUV is a high-performance fully-electric vehicle (EV) from Affalterbach and that means expectations on speed and power delivery are high. Is this the answer for the AMG lovers who want to go green or something else entirely?

A new year brings a fresh array of vehicles for Australia — but some get us more excited than others.

Mercedes-Benz has revealed pricing for its A45 S 4Matic+ Limited Edition.Priced at $128,400, before on-road costs, the Limited Edition attracts a premium of $7400 over the standard A45 S4MATIC thanks to unique exterior paintwork, interior design upgrades and standardised AMG packaging.That makes it even more expensive than the Audi RS3 ($95,715) and the BMW M240i ($99,900, both before on-road costs).The AMG A45 S's hand-built 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine delivers 310kW/500Nm to all four wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic.That compares to 285kW/500Nm on the M240i and 294/500Nm on the RS3. As such, the A45 S has both models beat decisively with a top speed of 270km/h over its rivals’ 250km/h.The RS3 just edges the A45 S in the 0-100km/h sprint at 3.8 seconds compared to the Mercedes’ 3.9, while the M240i is well behind at 4.5 seconds.The BMW M2, at $123,900, is still handily the most powerful fastest with 353kW and 600Nm getting it from 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds.Unique to the Limited Edition is AMG Green Light Magno exterior matte paint, which comes with the AMG Affalterbach logo embossed on the bonnet and a ‘45 S’ graphic on the doors.The AMG Night Package and Night Package II add a smattering of black and gloss black exterior design highlights, while the AMG Aerodynamics package adds a fixed AMG rear wing and blade canards.Additionally, there are black racing stripes and a suite of yellow highlights across the vehicle’s body, including on the front bumper, diffuser, spoiler, air intakes and wheels.Speaking of wheels, it gets edition-exclusive 19-inch AMG cross-spoke forged wheels in matte black with contrasting yellow rim spokes. Its high-performance brakes are finished in gloss black, while the fuel cap is finished in silver-chrome. Both are treated with the AMG logo, which also projects onto the road or pavement when entering and exiting the vehicle.The yellow and black contrasting theme continues on the inside with yellow decorative stitching on the leather and microfibre AMG performance seats and steering wheel. The former has ‘45 S’ emblems embroidered into the headrests in yellow.Yellow highlights also extend to the door panels, instrument panels and aluminium trims, while the door sills illuminate the AMG logo in yellow and the floor mats also include ‘45 S’ stitching in yellow.The A45 S 4Matic+ Limited Edition is available to order from Mercedes-AMG dealers today.2025 Mercedes-AMG A-Class pricingAll prices are before on-road costs

Is Mercedes-Benz edging closer to delivering its Tesla Model Y rival?According to the latest round of spy shots circulating online, yes, it is.It’s called the GLC EV and it's been spotted in prototype guise undergoing testing in Germany before its confirmed launch in 2026.It is a replacement for the Mercedes-Benz EQC, that was discontinued in 2023, after launching to much fanfare in 2019.That meant Mercedes-Benz has been missing an EV model in the all important mid-size SUV segment for more than a year now.We do know it will ride on the brand’s new MB.EA platform that is designed to suit is larger electric vehicles.Mercedes-Benz's CEO, Ola Källenius, confirmed the news – along with the car's arrival date – earlier this year.The MB.EA platform is likely to share – and potentially advance – the technology of Mercedes’ new MMA (Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture) platform which will debut on the next-generation CLA sedan next year.That suggests 800-volt architecture and 320kW fast-charging capacity, which could see the GLC EV add 400km of range in as little as 15 minutes.Mercedes is projecting the CLA could deliver up to 750km of range, which also suggests a similar figure is likely for the GLC EV.We may also see the electric motors from the CLA carry over to the MB.EA platform. At the moment, the CLA is poised to be offered in single or dual-motor setups. The former is likely to carry a 200kW rear-mounted motor while the latter will add an 80kW front-axle motor.Battery sizes for the CLA are rumoured to be a 58kWh lithium-ion-phosphate pack, or a flagship 85kWh lithium-ion-nickel-manganese-cobalt unit.Mercedes recently set a record for the longest driving distance covered by an EV over a 24-hour period on a pre-production CLA.The CLA covered a distance of 3717km – averaging a speed of 155km/h – at the Nardò test track in Southern Italy, obliterating the previous record set by the Porsche Taycan in 2019 of 3425km at 143km/h.For now, further details on the GLC EV will have to wait, but as usual, we can expect more information over the coming months.

Mercedes-Benz has detailed the latest edition of its AMG G 63 ‘G-Wagon’ with new powertrain, off-road and interior features ahead of its arrival at Mercedes-AMG dealers later this month.Starting at $368,400 before on-road costs, the new G 63 now boasts mild-hybrid technology, though Mercedes says it’s for the sake of faster acceleration rather than improved fuel economy.The 4.0-litre bi-turbo petrol V8 boasts 430kW/850Nm, the same output as its predecessor, though the 48-volt electrical system can boost with 15kW and 200Nm when activated in race mode as part of the optional AMG Performance Package.That means it can deliver a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4.3 seconds, 0.2 seconds faster than its predecessor.As standard, the G 63 gets upgraded AMG Ride Control Suspension which includes adaptive adjustable damping at each wheel which the car automatically adjusts to its owner’s driving style, road conditions and the selected suspension level. There are a trio of differential lock options as well as underbody skid plates.Off-road performance can also be improved through the optional AMG Active Ride Control Suspension package, which adds active hydraulic stabilisers to compensate for body roll movements on off-road terrain.Mercedes says it also increases the G 63’s climbing ability and improves general ride comfort and handling.Inside, the G 63 sports a brand-new multimedia system, headlined by a new satellite navigation system with an augmented reality (AR) head-up display. It utilises a front-facing camera to display the road ahead with windscreen graphics to point out directions to the driver.A new transparent bonnet feature similarly uses inbuilt cameras to provide a virtual projection of the ground conditions beneath and in front of the vehicle to help drivers avoid obstacles in off-road and urban environments.There is a 12.0-inch digital driver’s display which can be customised according to a number of themes, such as Supersport, which adds a central tachometer with horizontal displays on the right and left.It sits next to a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen display with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity.There’s a new touchpad for controls in the centre console as well as a haptic controller on G 63’s latest-generation AMG Performance steering wheel, which comes clad in Nappa leather. It also carries a rotary controller, allowing the driver to flick through five on-road and three off-road drive modes.Additional standard interior features include Nappa leather upholstered seats, a premium Burmester 3D surround sound system, a sliding glass sunroof, a microfibre roof liner and black flamed open pore ash wood and piano black lacquer trims.Changes to the G 63’s exterior design are relatively minimal and include revised air intakes on the front bumper, a new badge featuring the AMG crest on the bonnet, new A-pillar cladding, a small spoiler lip on the roof’s rear edge and a chrome fuel cap with the AMG logo.Standard wheel size has been increased to 22 inches, coming in the form of AMG cross-spoked forged alloy rims in a matte black and high-sheen finish.Also standard is the AMG Night Package which adds dark design elements across the vehicle’s body, such as the radiator shell, bumper inserts, mirror housings, underguards, headlight units and exterior trim strips. AMG brake callipers come standard in red but can be painted in black at no additional cost.Standard safety features include a surround-view camera, blind-spot assist, active distance assist and active steering assist. There's also Mercedes' PRE-SAFE accident preparation system which uses the car's sensors to protect drivers in the case of an incident through measures such as automatically tightening the seat belts and adjusting the front head rests.As always there is a myriad of optional packages on the G 63, with Mercedes offering up to 21 different leather upholsteries, four alloy wheel options, five interior trims and three seatbelt colours. There are also 28 external paint colours to choose from.“The G-Class is an automotive icon, and the Mercedes-AMG G 63 has been the most popular model for many years. This is both an obligation and an incentive for us,” said Michael Schiebe, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH and Head of the Mercedes-Benz G-Class business unit.“Our aim was therefore to make the enhanced performance even more tangible – both on and off road. One of the ways we have achieved this is through improvements to the V8 engine and our new AMG suspension, which combines agility, driving dynamics and comfort. We are thus catering even more to our customers’ wishes. The new G 63 is more AMG than ever before.”Pricing for Mercedes-AMG G 63 option packagesPricing is at before on-road costs 

Mercedes-Benz is closing in on the global launch of its all-new CLA sedan (due in early 2025) and in the final stages of pre-production testing has used it to set a new 24-hour distance record for an EV at the epic Nardò test track in southern Italy.

There’s nothing like the heat of competition to sharpen a carmaker’s focus as the run towards the end of the calendar year approaches.