All four wheels are powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine through a five-speed automatic transmission. Because of the extra weight, acceleration feels casual if you're accustomed to the relative hot-rod performance of, for example, the much lighter V8-powered Jeep Grand Cherokees. The 5.0-liter V8 is ultra smooth and sounds distant under its flat hood.
(We've seen 5.5-liter AMG-powered G-wagens in Europe, but they are not on the list of U.S.-bound models because Mercedes-Benz USA says the sales volume would be too small to justify importation. Other engines available overseas are a 3.2-liter V-6, as well as two diesel engines, though we suspect Mercedes Benz USA fears these models would be left in the dust of every V6 Suzuki in the SUV-crazed U.S. market.)
The suspension is live axle front and rear, with extra-long longitudinal control arms and thick panhard rods, and coil springs that look twice the size of a Jeep Grand Cherokee's. The G500 feels firm on pavement, which is not what you'd expect for a dedicated off-roader, where long wheel travel and compliance mean better performance on deep ruts and large rocks. Body rolling motions feel less wallowy than they do in a Range Rover (which has a 4-inch shorter wheelbase), but the tradeoff for the firmer G500 is that you feel more bumps. This setup, however, means the G-wagen can go off-road faster than pure rock-crawling off-roaders. The G-wagen feels tuned more for Baja racing than climbing the Rubicon Trail. Regardless of this choice of suspension tuning, the G500 feels as capable as a Land Rover in the rough stuff, while also being as solid as an S-Class sedan on the pavement.
The four-wheel-drive system is permanently engaged. The driver can lock and open each of the differentials front, center, and rear, by pressing three switches on the top of the center instrument panel. It requires some training to use these switches properly. (However, the switches won't work unless you select low range on the transfer gearbox. The differentials allow power to be sent to all wheels all of the time. When all three differentials are locked, however, then all four wheels are locked together, giving maximum traction and enabling the G500 to climb grades steeper than it could without all wheels locked together. Overseas versions of Toyota's Land Cruiser also have this function, but U.S. models of the Toyota forego the feature because a locked front differential alters steering response, which can surprise inexperienced drivers.
The traction control system works in both high range and low range, similar to the system on a Range Rover. Wheelspin is automatically controlled by individual application of the brake on each wheel.
Enormous vented disc brakes front and rear are excellent, bringing the heavy G500 to a stop quickly on normal pavement or in the rough. Because the G500 is stiffly sprung for an off-roader, there isn't the dive you'd expect under hard braking from such a heavy truck. Sophisticated electronics can differentiate between on-road and off-road travel and change the brakes' anti-lock characteristics. In low range, for example, the wheels will lock briefly during braking, which means slightly quicker stops in dirt.
Standard on the G500 is an electronic stability program, which individually applies braking to each wheel depending upon the attitude of the truck when cornering. This system helps correct skids, making it easier to control. With this system you can drive faster into corners without skidding a wheel than you would expect. Next Page