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.
2014GOOD BUYSerious complaints 0.7× usual
26 serious complaints of 39, the most about engine (11) and power train (4); per car on the road, 0.7× this model's usual year.
What owners report
“There were numerous Engine Oil Leak Recalls by Mercedes-Benz. There was a recent recalls announced in 2023, however, my vehicle 2014 GL450 with now about 50K miles, was not included in the list. Since there have been engine oil leaks problem reported and recalls, I'd like to report my car engine oil leaks problem too.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the engine, Apr 2025
“Vehicle was parked on the driveway, brake sign came on upon start and system malfunction error showed on screen, vehicle started lowering automatically and Air compressor stopped working.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the power train, Aug 2026
39 owner complaints · 0 recalls · EPA combined: 14–16 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2014 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 turbo; 5.5L 8-cyl turbo · Drive: 4WD
2014 GL trims
| GL 350 BLUETEC 4MATIC | GL 550 4MATIC | GL450 4MATIC | GL63 AMG 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.