When Mercedes-Benz announced the GL-Class several years back, many – this writer included – expected that it would take the place of the evergreen Geländewagen in the automaker’s lineup. Yet the GL that the Germans eventually introduced is tailored for a decidedly mainstream, on-road-oriented audience, nothing like its older brother almost-namesake.

Though the two share a blocky profile and a big three-pointed star on the center of the grille, they couldn’t be more different, as we discovered during a week-long test of a 2009 GL320 BlueTEC.

What is it?
Like the G-Wagen and even the M-Class, the GL takes a slightly different approach to the mainstream SUV market. Looking and feeling a bit like an upscale carpool hauler, it’s based on a stretched M-Class and thus offers far more commodious accommodations.

Introduced for the 2007 model year alongside the redesigned M-Class, the GL sees the introduction of a 50-state BlueTEC diesel powerplant for 2009. Shortly after the M-Class’ 1998 model year introduction, it gained an optional pair of third-row jump seats. Though the take-rate for that option was high, owners complained of subpar space and comfort. Rather than significantly stretching the ML to comfortably accommodate the third row, Mercedes decided to launch a larger, more expensive three-row-standard model based on the same architecture. Thus was born the GL.

Stickering a Hyundai Accent above an equivalent (about $11,000), the GL skips the ML’s base V6 gas engine and instead starts with the diesel BlueTEC V6 before moving up to a pair of optional V8s.

What’s it up against?
Deceivingly narrower and shorter than the big domestics, Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator, comparatively diminutive GL counts the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX56, Land Rover LR3 (which will soon become the LR4) and Lexus LX 570 as its chief rivals.

All offer three rows of seating, but only the Q7 offers a diesel under its hood in North America.

Any breakthroughs?
We’ve seen BlueTEC before on the E-Class and M-Class, but this is its first application on the big GL. Delivering prodigious torque – its 398 lb-ft. is 7 lb-ft. greater than you’ll find in the top V8 GL550 – the GL320 BlueTEC still manages a decent 17 mpg around town and 23 mpg on the highway, according to the EPA.

How does it look?
The GL gets a vaguely butch look – at least compared to the positively feminine M-Class. Eschewing the swoopy C- and D-pillars of its little brother, the GL samples some of the boxy DNA from the G-Wagen.

Looking taller and narrower than it is, the GL speaks a slightly bland design language – especially when compared to its tiny GLK brother (Mercedes-Benz’s alphabet soup might require us to publish a model chart in the future: GL, G, ML, GLK). Only its large standard 20-inch wheels (curiously larger than the standard wheels on the more expensive GL450) work to give it some road presence.

Its length – about 200 inches and most visible in its mid-section – led some onlookers to liken it to a hearse, especially with the tall greenhouse and wide D-pillars.

A generally conservative approach, the GL won’t keep buyers away from showrooms, but it lacks a certain visual pizazz you’ll find in the Audi Q7 and Cadillac Escalade or even the Land Rover LR3.

And on the inside?
The design and execution is, for the most part, standard Mercedes-Benz affair – and that’s hardly damning the GL with faint praise. Generally logical control placement, attractive finishes and few surprises should make most Mercedes drivers feel at home. Those new to the brand might struggle a bit with the complex COMAND system, the separate cruise control stalk and, for those not used to the S-Class or M-Class, the gear lever that pokes out from the steering column.

Though that gear lever does clear up some center console space – for Popeye’s take-out bags, we think – it, like BMW’s turn signal design, strikes us as the answer to a question nobody was asking. At least the gear lever’s departure left a pair of artsy, if useless, grab handles in its wake.

Our tester’s optional leather covering for the dashboard went a long way towards creating a luxurious cocoon for the cabin. Overall, however, no material beyond the glossy wood trim really stood out, especially compared to the ritzier Lexus and Audi. Not bad, by any means, just nothing you wouldn’t find in the cheaper M-Class.

Seat comfort varied by location; up front, there was plenty of room on chair-like seats; the middle row could have used a little more leg room, but at least the trick individual monitors with the optional DVD system give a first class feel (even though there’s no place to park the remote control) and the rear seat was positively spacious, all things considered.

But does it go?
The 210-horsepower rating doesn’t seem impressive until you look at the 398 lb-ft. torque figure. Our wish for more torque – not because it was lacking, but because 400 lb-ft. seems like good bragging rights – was answered for 2010; along with a modest facelift, the GL320 sees an extra 2 lb-ft. squeezed from its V6.

The turbocharged unit was a little slow to deliver power just off idle, but as engine speed rose, the nearly flat torque curve provided seemless, effortless acceleration. Compared to the $20,000 more expensive GL550, the GL320 BlueTEC needed a little more planning for highway passing, but we’d hardly call it underpowered. This is a big SUV, after all, and adequate performance is more than acceptable.

The seven-speed automatic provided silky smooth shifts that helped get the most out of the GL’s turbodiesel. Like nearly every modern diesel, the idle proved almost imperceptibly rougher and louder than a gas V6 and, if anything, the refined growl under acceleration was a refined, welcome change from the silence so many modern engines offer.

Like the M-Class, the GL’s steering returns too slowly to center and feels a little numb on the whole, even though it responded quickly to our orders and tracked straight and true on the highway. Though it carves corners better than most truck-based rivals, the unibody GL seemed happiest with cruise control engaged at highway speeds, where it returned about 24 silent miles per gallon over a 150-mile trip.

Its 20-inch wheels give it a firm ride made even more firm by the optional Adaptive Damping System, which offers three suspension modes from “Comfort” to “Sport.” We couldn’t detect a huge difference between the three, though turn-in was a little sharper with Sport, which helped to control body lean. For $750, the package also includes adjustable ride height to push the GL up about 3.1 inches for clearing obstacles, but that’s about as off-road oriented as it gets.

The GL doesn’t make much effort to be an off-road warrior, unlike the G-Wagen namesake or even the first-generation M-Class (which even offered an optional low-range transfer case), but the standard four-wheel traction control system kept us from whipping out our High-Lift Jack to extricate the big SUV from a brief off road adventure. For most users, the GL will suffice just fine across fields and up gravel driveways.

Why you would buy it:
You’re looking for an upscale, torquey, slightly thriftier people-and-cargo hauler. And you love the smell of diesel in the morning.

Why you wouldn’t:
Your ‘88 Trooper isn’t bringing enough in trade to step up to the whopping MSRP.

Leftlane’s bottom line
Not cheap by any means, the Alabama-built GL320 BlueTEC is nonetheless a great choice for those who want some extra space and hauling ability but don’t want the fuel consumption, proportions or handling characteristics of a Chevy Tahoe.

We’ve spent enough time in the GL450 and GL550 to say that they’re simply not worth the price of admission; with diesel hovering around midgrade levels for the moment, we can’t think of a single reason why a GL shopper wouldn’t “settle” for the entry-level GL320 BlueTEC.

And, even though there’s limited demand, we’re glad to see the G-Wagen soldier on as a testament to overengineering.

2009 Mercedes-Benz GL320 BlueTEC base price, $58,200. As tested, $71,125.
Pewter metallic paint, $720; Adaptive Damping System, $750; Premium 1 Package, $6,600; Rear seat entertainment/DVD, 1,850; Full leather package, $2,130; Destination, $875.

Words and photos by Andrew Ganz.

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