Mercedes-Maybach GLS: The SUV That Challenges Bentley and Rolls-Royce

For a long time, the pinnacle of the luxury SUV came down to two names: Bentley and Rolls-Royce. With the Mercedes-Maybach GLS, the star claims its place at this very exclusive table, and it does so with arguments that deserve serious consideration.

This article is not here to sell you a dream: it compares positioning, philosophies and price ranges, to understand what the Maybach GLS genuinely brings to the table against the Bentley Bentayga and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. And above all, to grasp how you can now access this level of refinement in ways other than an outright purchase.

the context: why Maybach steps in at the very top

Maybach is no longer a separate brand, but a signature of elevation within Mercedes-Benz. The GLS serves as its foundation: its platform, its interior space and its already proven mechanical robustness become the starting point for a transformation focused on comfort, silence and presence. The idea is not to build a more expensive GLS, but to offer a different travel experience, designed first and foremost for the rear seat.

This positioning deliberately places it in the wake of two established benchmarks. The Bentley Bentayga embodies muted British sportiness, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan represents absolute luxury and total isolation from the outside world. The Maybach GLS, for its part, arrives with German engineering DNA and a dense technology suite inherited from the S-Class.

what truly defines the Maybach GLS?

The Maybach GLS stands out with rear treatment worthy of an executive sedan. The back seats become the heart of the vehicle: pronounced recline, calf supports, tables, and reinforced soundproofing meant to make you forget the road. This is a clear philosophical choice: the owner is not necessarily behind the wheel.

In terms of finish, Maybach relies on noble materials, careful stitching, a distinctive vertical grille and an optional two-tone body that instantly identifies the vehicle. The strong points that come up most often:

• A rear bench designed as two individual first-class seats.
• A very low interior noise level, achieved through specific glazing and insulation.
• An air suspension chassis oriented towards comfort rather than sporty firmness.
• A complete technology package inherited from the high-end Mercedes-Benz world.
• An exclusive visual identity (grille, monograms, dedicated wheels).

how much does a Maybach GLS cost today?

This is where the verified figures speak. On the American market, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 for the 2024 model year starts at around 159,000 to 163,000 dollars, with prices observed at dealerships ranging from about 147,777 to 214,950 dollars depending on configurations and options. In other words, the real price climbs quickly once you open the personalization catalog.

This range confirms the positioning: the Maybach GLS plays in the ultra-luxury SUV arena, while remaining, on paper, more accessible than the most exclusive British benchmarks. For a European buyer (Luxembourg, Belgium, France, Switzerland), you should anticipate gaps linked to local taxation and options, but the order of magnitude remains that of an exceptional vehicle.

An important point: in this segment, the entry price tells only part of the story. Depreciation, specialized maintenance, insurance and the tying up of capital weigh heavily. This is precisely where the subscription logic changes the game, we will come back to it.

how does it compare to the Bentley Bentayga and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan?

Each model answers a different intention. Here is how to read this trio, keeping in mind that only the Maybach GLS prices are confirmed here by a verified source; for the two rivals, we are talking about market positioning and not precise figures.

Mercedes-Maybach GLS

• Positioning: German technological luxury, priority to the rear seat.
• Confirmed price (US, 2024): from around 159,000 to 163,000 dollars, up to more than 214,000 dollars when configured.
• Strong point: the most favorable refinement/price ratio of the trio.
• Typical profile: demanding traveler, often chauffeured, attached to technology.

Bentley Bentayga

• Positioning: British luxury with a dynamic, engaged-driving orientation.
• Price: higher than the Maybach entry level (indicative, to be verified by model year).
• Strong point: sharper road behavior, recognized Bentley craftsmanship.
• Typical profile: an owner who likes to take the wheel.

Rolls-Royce Cullinan

• Positioning: absolute luxury, maximum isolation, ultimate exclusivity.
• Price: the highest of the trio, clearly above (indicative, to be verified by model year).
• Strong point: unrivaled rolling silence and presence.
• Typical profile: seeking the very top, without budget compromise.

The lineup can therefore be read as a staircase: the Maybach GLS opens the segment with the best confirmed entry ticket, the Bentayga brings the sporty edge, the Cullinan locks up the top of the market. The Maybach does not try to beat Rolls-Royce on pure exclusivity, but to offer a very large share of that experience for a significantly lower amount.

who does the Maybach GLS truly make sense for?

The Maybach GLS is aimed at those who want the comfort of a large rolling lounge without crossing the Cullinan price threshold, and who value the Mercedes-Benz technological ecosystem. It will suit particularly well a use where the rear matters as much as the front: business trips, high-end family journeys, representation.

Conversely, a driver looking above all for emotion behind the wheel will look towards the Bentayga, and those for whom exclusivity takes precedence over everything will turn to the Cullinan. The Maybach GLS occupies that rational space between the two: plenty of luxury, dense technology, a more contained entry price.

should you buy it or subscribe to it?

On a vehicle whose configured price can exceed 214,000 dollars, the question of tying up capital becomes central. To buy is to bear the depreciation, the specialized maintenance, the premium insurance and the administrative management. For many, this is no longer the smartest route.

The all-inclusive premium car subscription answers this equation: a single payment, real flexibility, and the ability to drive an exceptional vehicle without carrying the wealth-related risks. This is exactly the promise of Turismo in Luxembourg, Belgium, France and Switzerland.

If the Maybach GLS appeals to you, the subscription approach deserves to be studied before any purchase commitment: it turns a heavy investment into a controlled monthly service.

verdict

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS is the most rational choice in the ultra-luxury segment. It offers a very high-level rear experience, complete technology and, notably, the most accessible confirmed entry ticket of the trio (from around 159,000 dollars in the United States). The Bentayga remains the benchmark for driving pleasure, the Cullinan for absolute exclusivity.

Our position is clear: if your priority is travel comfort and the best refinement/price ratio, the Maybach GLS stands out. If your priority is emotion or ultimate status, look to the two British models. And in every case, subscription changes the way you access them.

faq

in summary

The Mercedes-Maybach GLS stands out as the most pragmatic rival to the Bentley Bentayga and the Rolls-Royce Cullinan: exceptional rear comfort, dense technology, and the most contained confirmed entry price of the trio (from around 159,000 dollars). It does not replace the exclusivity of a Rolls, but it offers a large share of it for much less.

Torn between buying and subscribing? Discover how Turismo makes the ultra-luxury SUV accessible, with no depreciation or unpleasant surprises.

• Explore the Turismo catalog and select your premium SUV.
• Simulate your all-inclusive subscription in a few minutes.
• Talk to a Turismo advisor for a bespoke exceptional vehicle.