MERCEDES-BENZ GL63 AMG Review

Put the powertrain in the Sport mode and the throttle response will be impressive for an SUV. This makes the time spent behind the wheel a rather rich experience.

Of course, cruising is the specialty here and the Gl63 AMG handles the job with superb aplomb. You, and your family will love this car's coziness and sheer muscle.

We have to explain that part of the credit goes to the AMG Speedshift Plus 7G-Tronic automatic tranny. This does a respectable job at keeping the torque tsunami in check when you're looking for sporty sensations. As for the everyday driving, it's the kind of smooth operator.

As an example, we were on manual and had forgotten the transmission in a certain gear due to the vivid conversation. This happened to be fifth, but the engine didn't have any trouble with the treatment.

As for the car around the V8, this has a special kind of making you feel protected. Some will be tipped about that by the stopping confidence of the Gl63 AMG. Once again, the distances themselves are not far off from what some sports cars have to offer. Here's where the GL63 AMG proves superior to the Range Rover Supercharged.

Others will simply appreciate the three-ton mass of the thing. And if we go into the deeper details, things look even brighter. The IIHS crash test results show Good ratings across the board. This includes the small overlap test, which seems many otherwise safe cars fail.

As for what the Euro NCAP had to say, they didn't test the Mercedes GL. Thus, we're relying on the Mercedes ML crash test results and flying colors is what we see.

Not only has the Mercedes ML earned a five-star Euro NCAP rating, but the details place it ahead of the Range Rover, also a five-star vehicle.

The excellent safety ratings are just one of the assets that make the Mercedes-Benz GL a brilliant SUV. While we weren't all that fond of the Mercedes ML, its big brother made quite an impression on us.