What is the difference between GLS and GL?
2 Answers
GL and GLS mainly have the following differences: 1. The rear of the car will have letters such as G, GL, GLS, which represent the car model. G stands for the basic model (Grand entry-level), GL for the luxury model (Grande, -Lux), and GLS for the top model (Luxury, -and-Super). Since G is rare in China, many dealers directly explain GL as the basic model and GLS as the luxury model. 2. GLS belongs to the mid-term facelift of GL, and the biggest visual difference comes from the front grille, with the oversized three-pointed star emblem and double horizontal bars being highly recognizable.
Actually, the GLS is the successor model to the GL, but Mercedes-Benz changed the naming convention. I used to drive the older GL450 and later switched to the GLS450. The most noticeable differences are that the new model is overall larger and more luxurious. The third-row seats have evolved from emergency seating to genuinely accommodating adults, and the trunk space has significantly increased. In terms of interior, the GLS features a dual-screen design with 64-color adjustable ambient lighting, while the older GL was more traditional. Driving-wise, the GLS's 9AT transmission feels much smoother than the GL's 7AT, especially at low speeds with less jerkiness. Nowadays, Mercedes-Benz has renamed its entire SUV lineup to the 'GL + letter' format, with the GLS being equivalent to the S-Class among SUVs, positioned above the GLC/GLE. However, be cautious as some used car dealers might misrepresent old GL models as GLS—check the production year to differentiate.
