Mercedes GL-Class 2017 Interior: Perfect Luxury
The 2017 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class interior excels in delivering a perfect luxury experience, blending ample space, premium materials, advanced technology, and sophisticated comfort features. It offers a refined and user-friendly cabin designed for discerning drivers and passengers seeking an elevated journey in a full-size luxury SUV.
There’s something truly special about the interior of a Mercedes-Benz, and the 2017 GL-Class is a prime example. For many, the cabin experience is as important as the drive itself. You might be wondering what makes the 2017 GL-Class interior stand out, or perhaps you’re curious about the specific comfort and tech features it offers. This guide is here to walk you through every aspect of its luxurious interior, making it easy to understand why it’s considered a benchmark. Get ready to explore a world of comfort, technology, and exquisite craftsmanship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main seating features in the 2017 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class interior?
The 2017 GL-Class typically comes with a power-adjustable driver and front passenger seat with memory functions. Second and third-row seats are also present, offering flexible seating configurations. Many models feature premium leather upholstery, heated front seats, and an optional panoramic sunroof that enhances the sense of spaciousness.
How advanced is the infotainment system in the 2017 GL-Class?
It features the COMAND® infotainment system, which includes a central display screen controlled via a rotary dial and buttons on the console. Standard features often include Bluetooth connectivity, HD Radio, and USB ports. Optional upgrades might add navigation, a premium sound system, and smartphone integration like Apple CarPlay™ and Android Auto™ (though availability can vary by trim and package).
Is the 2017 GL-Class interior spacious enough for a large family?
Absolutely. The GL-Class is a full-size luxury SUV designed with three rows of seating. It offers generous legroom and headroom, especially in the first two rows, and the third row is suitable for children or smaller adults for shorter trips. The overall cabin volume is a key selling point for families or those who frequently carry multiple passengers.
What kind of materials are used inside the 2017 GL-Class?
Mercedes-Benz is renowned for its use of high-quality materials. The 2017 GL-Class interior commonly features genuine leather upholstery, real wood trim accents (such as walnut or black poplar), brushed aluminum details, and soft-touch surfaces throughout the dashboard, door panels, and center console. These elements contribute significantly to its upscale feel.
Are there advanced climate control features?
Yes, the 2017 GL-Class typically includes a multi-zone automatic climate control system. This allows the driver and front passenger, and sometimes those in the second row, to set their preferred temperatures independently. Advanced air filtration systems are also often standard or available to improve cabin air quality.
What safety and convenience features are integrated into the interior?
The interior houses numerous safety and convenience features. These include standard airbags for all occupants, a rearview camera, and available driver-assistance systems like adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Convenience features often include a power liftgate, keyless ignition, and ambient interior lighting.
A Sanctuary of Sophistication: The 2017 GL-Class Interior
When you step into the 2017 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, you’re not just entering a vehicle; you’re entering a meticulously crafted environment designed for comfort, control, and connectivity. This full-size luxury SUV was engineered to impress, offering a spacious and opulent cabin that caters to both the driver and passengers. It’s a space where cutting-edge technology meets unparalleled craftsmanship, creating an experience that feels both exclusive and intuitively functional. Let’s delve into what makes this interior a true testament to Mercedes-Benz’s commitment to luxury.
Design and Materials: Crafted for Excellence
The exterior of the GL-Class might command attention, but its interior is where the true magic of Mercedes-Benz luxury unfolds. The designers have masterfully balanced robust utility with refined aesthetics, ensuring every touchpoint feels premium. From the moment you open the door, you’re greeted by an atmosphere of understated elegance that promises a comfortable and indulgent journey.
Premium Upholstery and Finishes
At the heart of the luxurious cabin is the choice of materials. Standard on most 2017 GL-Class models is high-quality ARTICO® man-made leather (or genuine leather on higher trims), offering a soft touch and sophisticated appearance. This durable and comfortable material envelops the spacious seating, providing an inviting feel for all occupants.
Complementing the upholstery are exquisite trim options. You’ll typically find meticulously finished real wood inlays, such as glistening walnut or sleek black poplar, seamlessly integrated into the dashboard, center console, and door panels. These natural elements add warmth and a classic touch, distinguishing the GL-Class from less upscale competitors. Brushed aluminum accents often provide a modern contrast, adding a clean, refined highlight to the cabin’s overall design.
Dashboard and Controls: Intuitive Elegance
The dashboard layout is a prime example of Mercedes-Benz’s functional design philosophy. It’s elegantly sculpted, with a clean, horizontal sweep that enhances the feeling of width and airiness. The instrument cluster features clear, easy-to-read analog gauges for speed and RPM, nestled within a digital display that can show vital vehicle information.
Dominating the center stack is the COMAND® infotainment system’s high-resolution screen. While it might look like a tablet, its integration is a sophisticated blend of embedded design and modern technology. Below the screen, a driver-focused arrangement of climate controls and other frequently used buttons ensures that essential functions are readily accessible without requiring the driver to divert too much attention from the road. The quality of buttons and switchgear is exceptional, with a solid, satisfying feel that speaks volumes about the vehicle’s build quality.
Seating and Comfort: Space for Every Occasion
The GL-Class is a three-row SUV, and Mercedes-Benz has maximized passenger comfort across all seating positions. Whether you’re embarking on a long road trip or navigating urban commutes, the seating arrangements are designed to accommodate. This versatility makes it an excellent choice for families and individuals who need practicality without compromising on luxury.
First and Second-Row Comfort
The front seats are power-adjustable with multiple settings, typically including lumbar support and memory functions for the driver. This allows for easy customization to find the perfect driving position. Heating is standard, and ventilation or even massaging functions might be available on higher trims or as part of optional packages, elevating the comfort experience significantly.
The second row offers generous legroom and headroom, making it a comfortable space for adults or older children. It can often slide and recline, further enhancing passenger comfort and providing easier access to the third row. The 60/40 split-folding capability allows for flexible cargo and passenger configurations.
Third-Row Access and Usability
As with most vehicles in this class, the third row is best suited for children or for shorter journeys for adults. However, Mercedes-Benz has made accessing this row relatively easy. The second-row seats can be folded and slid forward with a lever, creating a passable walkway. The third-row seats themselves are comfortable enough for their intended use and often include their own cup holders and storage compartments. For maximum utility, the third-row seats can be power-folded flat into the floor, vastly expanding the cargo area when not in use.
Climate Control and Cabin Ambiance
Maintaining an ideal cabin temperature is effortless with the multi-zone automatic climate control system. Drivers and front passengers can set individual temperature preferences, and in many configurations, a separate climate zone is available for the second row. This ensures everyone enjoys a comfortable ride, regardless of external conditions. An advanced air filtration system, sometimes with activated carbon filters, works to keep the cabin air fresh and free from pollutants, contributing to a healthier and more pleasant environment.
Ambient interior lighting is another thoughtful touch. Subtle LED lighting, often in a soft amber or white hue, illuminates key areas of the cabin, such as the footwells, door handles, and along the dashboard. This not only adds to the sophisticated nighttime driving experience but also helps occupants navigate the cabin with ease.
Technology and Infotainment: Seamless Connectivity
The 2017 GL-Class interior seamlessly integrates advanced technology to enhance the driving and passenger experience. Mercedes-Benz’s COMAND® (Cockpit Management and Navigation) system is the command center for entertainment, communication, and vehicle settings, designed with user-friendliness in mind.
The COMAND® System
The COMAND® infotainment system typically features a high-resolution, 7-inch color display screen mounted centrally on the dashboard. It’s controlled primarily via a rotary dial and selection buttons located on the center console, a setup that allows for intuitive operation even without looking directly at the controls. This tactile feedback is often preferred by drivers over purely touchscreen interfaces.
Standard infotainment features usually include:
- AM/FM radio and HD Radioâ„¢
- Bluetooth® connectivity for hands-free calling and audio streaming
- USB and auxiliary audio inputs
- CD/DVD player
The system’s interface is designed to be straightforward, with clear menus that organize audio, phone, and navigation functions logically. Despite its sophistication, the learning curve is manageable, allowing most users to familiarize themselves quickly.
Navigation and Audio Options
An integrated navigation system was often an optional upgrade for the 2017 GL-Class. When equipped, it provides detailed maps with real-time traffic information (often requiring a subscription), lane guidance, and points of interest, making long journeys and unfamiliar routes stress-free. The system’s graphics are clear and easy to follow.
For audiophiles, the GL-Class offered impressive sound systems. A standard high-quality sound system provides excellent audio fidelity. However, for an even more immersive listening experience, an optional Harman Kardon® LOGIC 7® surround sound system was available. This premium audio setup delivers remarkably crisp highs, deep bass, and a rich, enveloping soundstage, transforming the cabin into a private concert hall.
Connectivity and Smartphone Integration
While the 2017 model year predates universal standard smartphone integration across all trims, many GL-Class vehicles were equipped with options that allowed for enhanced connectivity. Certain packages might have included Apple CarPlayâ„¢ and Android Autoâ„¢ compatibility, allowing seamless integration of your smartphone’s interface, apps, navigation, and media directly through the COMAND® display. When not equipped with these specific integrations, Bluetooth® still provides essential hands-free calling and audio streaming capabilities.
The availability of these features can depend heavily on the specific trim level and optional packages chosen when the vehicle was new. It’s always recommended to check the specific vehicle’s equipment list or VIN decoder to confirm its exact technology features.
Practicality and Convenience: Designed for Life
Beyond luxury and technology, the 2017 GL-Class is also a highly practical vehicle. Its interior design prioritizes ease of use and convenience, catering to the demands of everyday life and adventurous getaways alike. Mercedes-Benz has infused the cabin with thoughtful features that make managing passengers, cargo, and daily tasks more efficient.
Cargo Space and Versatility
The GL-Class offers substantial cargo capacity, making it ideal for families and those with active lifestyles. With all three rows of seats in their upright positions, there’s still a decent amount of space for groceries or daily essentials. However, the true versatility emerges when you fold down the rear seats.
The standard power-folding third-row seats can be folded flat into the floor with the push of a button, creating a significantly larger cargo area. For maximum utility, the second-row seats also fold forward (typically in a 60/40 split), offering a vast, flat loading floor. This transforms the GL-Class into a highly capable hauler, easily accommodating large items like furniture, sporting equipment, or luggage for extended trips.
Below is a table illustrating typical cargo volumes:
| Seating Configuration | Cargo Volume (approximate) |
|---|---|
| Behind 3rd Row | 29.7 cubic feet |
| Behind 2nd Row (3rd row folded) | 77.2 cubic feet |
| Behind 1st Row (2nd & 3rd rows folded) | 93.8 cubic feet |
The large, flat load floor and wide-opening power liftgate further enhance the practicality, making loading and unloading straightforward. For more information on cargo management and vehicle dimensions, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) provides official safety and dimension data.
Intelligent Storage Solutions
Throughout the cabin, numerous storage solutions are thoughtfully integrated. These include spacious door pockets, a large center console bin with multiple compartments, a glove box, and cup holders conveniently placed for all passengers. The third row even features dedicated cupholders, ensuring that younger passengers have a secure place for their drinks.
Driver Assistance and Safety Features (Integrated into the Cabin)
While many safety features are external, the interior of the 2017 GL-Class is designed to support and enhance driver awareness and comfort. Features like the rearview camera, which displays on the COMAND® screen, make parking and maneuvering in tight spaces much easier. Depending on the specific options, the GL-Class could be equipped with a suite of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) that provide alerts and interventions directly through the driver interface.
These systems can include:
- Active Blind Spot Assist: Provides visual and audible warnings and can intervene with braking if unsafe lane change is detected.
- Active Lane Keeping Assist: Warns the driver with steering wheel vibration and can apply brakes if the vehicle drifts out of its lane unintentionally.
- Distronic Plus® (Adaptive Cruise Control): Maintains a set speed and distance from the vehicle ahead, reducing driver fatigue on highways.
- Parking Assist (PARKTRONIC®): Helps identify suitable parking spaces and can assist with steering into parallel or perpendicular spots.
These technologies, working in conjunction with the comfortable and ergonomic interior layout, help to create a safer and more relaxed driving environment.
The Enduring Appeal of the 2017 GL-Class Interior
The 2017 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class interior stands as a compelling testament to what a full-size luxury SUV can and should be. It masterfully blends spaciousness with an exquisite level of refinement, ensuring that every journey is an experience in comfort and sophistication. From the premium materials like authentic wood and finely stitched leather to the intuitive layout of the COMAND® infotainment system, every element has been carefully considered to enhance the ownership experience.
Whether you prioritize the serene quietness of the cabin, the extensive comfort features for all passengers across three rows, or the seamless integration of advanced technology, the 2017 GL-Class interior delivers. Its surprising practicality, with flexible seating and ample cargo space, ensures it’s not just a luxury statement but also a highly functional vehicle for families and adventurers alike. The engineering and design philosophy behind this interior continue to resonate, making the 2017 GL-Class a desirable choice for those seeking a perfect balance of luxury, performance, and everyday usability.
