2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS

Mercedes-Benz GLS

You’d be hard-pressed to find a thinner slice of the luxury SUV market than the one the Mercedes-Benz GLS occupies in South Africa. It’s a seven-seat, air-suspended barge that lines up against the Range Rover, BMW X7, and Lexus LX—though if you’re shopping local listings, pickings are slim. Only two used examples pop up: the 400d diesel at R1,099,800 and the Maybach GLS 600 mild hybrid petrol at a wallet-melting R3,869,950. That’s a R2.7 million gulf, and it says everything about the spread of this model. Both run automatics, because Mercedes doesn’t bother with anything else here. If you want new, forget it—right now, it’s a used-only affair, and stock is sparse. Those two listings don’t just bookend the price range, they define the entire conversation. The 400d is the sensible choice, giving you diesel torque, lower running costs, and a way into GLS ownership without paying for the Maybach badge. On paper at least, the Maybach GLS 600 sits in another universe, and its R3.87 million tag tells you exactly who it’s aimed at. Used examples cover 2020–2024, averaging 58,500 km—about right for cars in this league. What matters most for South African buyers is long-haul comfort and quiet, and the GLS has a softer, better-damped ride than the X7 over patchy Gauteng tar. The fact that new cars don’t exist on the market right now just highlights the current grey-import and ex-demo churn that’s shaping buyer options.