Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year per car on the road, against this model's usual year.
2011GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.4× usual, mostly air bags and suspension
93 serious complaints of 97, the most about air bags (56) and suspension (11); per car on the road, 1.4× this model's usual year.
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2011 mercedes-benz gl350. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v081000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the air bags, Mar 2017
“My 2011 gl450 mercedes suv is driving sideways one front and one back suspension airbags are not working I feel like my care is going to flip over when I turn. This is a hazardous problem. Can cause accidents a deaths not only on the driver but other people on the road”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the suspension, Sep 2018
97 owner complaints · 0 recalls · EPA combined: 14–15 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2011 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. Cars on the road from New York State registrations. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 4.7L 8-cyl; 5.5L 8-cyl · Drive: 4WD
2011 GL trims
| GL350 BLUETEC 4-MATIC | GL450 4-MATIC | GL550 4-MATIC |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Mercedes-Benz reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Mercedes-Benz aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo, 250–362 hp 4.7L 8-cyl turbo, 429 hp 5.5L 8-cyl turbo | 4WD | 14–19 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 20 | Unknown or other (5) | — |
| 2015 | 3.0L 6-cyl turbo 4.7L 8-cyl turbo 5.5L 8-cyl turbo | 4WD | 14–19 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 35 | Engine (14) | — |
| 2014 | 4.7L 8-cyl turbo 5.5L 8-cyl turbo | 4WD | 14–16 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 39 | Engine (11) | — |
| 2013 | 4.7L 8-cyl turbo 5.5L 8-cyl turbo | 4WD | 14–16 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 52 | Engine (15) | — |
| 2012 | 4.7L 8-cyl 5.5L 8-cyl | 4WD | 14–15 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 77 | Air bags (40) | — |
| 2011 | 4.7L 8-cyl 5.5L 8-cyl | 4WD | 14–15 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 97 | Air bags (56) | — |
| 2010 | 4.7L 8-cyl 5.5L 8-cyl | 4WD | 14 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 66 | Air bags (30) | — |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV 4WD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 7 | 20 |
| 2015 | Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV 4WD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 3 | 35 |
| 2014 | Mercedes-Benz GL-CLASS SUV 4WD | Not Rated | Standard | No | 3 | 39 |
| 2013 | Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV 4WD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 3 | 52 |
| 2012 | Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 77 |
| 2012 | Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV RWD | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 77 |
| 2011 | Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 5 | 97 |
| 2011 | Mercedes-Benz GL-Class SUV RWD | Not Rated | No | No | 5 | 97 |
| 2010 | Mercedes-Benz GL-Class 4-DR w/SAB | Not Rated | No | No | 3 | 66 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | AMG GL63 | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 5.5 L, Turbo | 14 |
| 2016 | GL450 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo | 19 |
| 2016 | GL550 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 4.7 L, Turbo | 15 |
| 2015 | GL450 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.0 L, Turbo | 19 |
| 2015 | GL550 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 4.7 L, Turbo | 15 |
| 2015 | GL63 AMG | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 5.5 L, Turbo | 14 |
| 2014 | GL450 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 4.7 L, Turbo | 16 |
| 2014 | GL550 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 4.7 L, Turbo | 15 |
| 2014 | GL63 AMG | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 5.5 L, Turbo | 14 |
| 2013 | GL450 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 4.7 L, Turbo | 16 |
| 2013 | GL550 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 4.7 L, Turbo | 15 |
| 2013 | GL63 AMG | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 5.5 L, Turbo | 14 |
| 2012 | GL450 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 4.7 L | 15 |
| 2012 | GL550 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 5.5 L | 14 |
| 2011 | GL450 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 4.7 L | 15 |
| 2011 | GL550 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 5.5 L | 14 |
| 2010 | GL450 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 4.7 L | 14 |
| 2010 | GL550 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 8 cyl, 5.5 L | 14 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.