MERCEDES-BENZ G500 Cabriolet Review

Forgive us for not understanding many of the forms of contemporary art we see. We’re simply not big fans of colored substances randomly splashed on a canvas. This means we have to look back to modern art for pleasure. Here’s where we find the... G-Class Cabriolet.

This is the only way to describe an SUV that looks even better as a Cabriolet than it does with a normal body. For aesthetics’ sake, such a car with a chopped top should be kitschy, but somehow this Gelandewagen is the exact opposite.

Alas, things are different when the top is up, with the car looking less impressive. The usual appearance of height dominating over everything else is amplified in this state. Maybe it’s this or perhaps that having plastic windows like a Renault Twizy simply doesn’t cut it.

Not many things have changed about the Mercedes G-Class Cabriolet’s appearance since the model was launched in 1979. Sure, there a few new details here and there, but that’s about it.

Despite the addition of a power soft top mechanism, you still need to grow a beard in order to operate it. Make sure you’ve put the gearbox in “Park” and pulled the handbrake lever. Then you’ll have to pull the latches hidden behind the sun visors. Now you can push the switch that lowers the roof. The whole process takes about 14-15 seconds.

You can add some 5 extra seconds when you want to bring the roof up, as the top is only automatically raised up to the edge of the windshield. From here you’ll have to latch it in place, but it’s easier than it sounds. Putting the roof back on must’ve been made more difficult so that you stow it and leave it there.

Operating the tailgate also requires a plan. At first, you’ll look strong when detaching the spare wheel thanks to the included struts. Nevertheless, you’ll have to use your own muscles to remove the soft top “screws” and especially to convince the handle to give up and finally open that panel. A man should also be good at unzipping stuff, so if you want full access, you’ll need to do just that with the rear canvas roof section.

All this effort pays out in the end. Even when the top is folded, you still get 8.8 cubic feet (250 liters) of luggage space. If you insist with moving stuff around the car, the capacity can grow to 55 cubic feet (1,580 liters).

Oh and if you want to skip the rear access, you can just place things in the boot over the back seats.