You don’t buy a G-Wagen to blend in. It’s a billboard for every era it’s survived: the 70s military truck, the 90s Wall Street icon, the 2020s social media flex. Now, for 2025, it finally drives like it looks - commanding, calm, a little ridiculous, and extremely, intentionally cool. There’s a V8 with more tech inside than some laptops. There’s chassis wizardry that erases its worst habits. The price is high, the attitude is higher. If you want a quiet luxury SUV, shop elsewhere. If you want a machine that turns every Starbucks run into a photo op, start counting options.

Mercedes Remixed Its Icon (But Didn’t Dare Change the Shape)

Under the hood, the old-school hand-built V8 is now paired with a 48-volt starter-generator - a mild-hybrid system, but don’t call it eco. It’s here for instant response, not planet-saving. AMG Active Ride Control means the anti-roll bars are out, and a hydraulic network is in. The G-Wagen doesn’t tip and sway anymore. It leans into corners with a kind of dignity it never had. MBUX gets smarter, the Transparent Hood camera now makes off-roading (or curb-hopping) easier, and there are subtle tweaks to the A-pillars and roof for less wind noise. All the DNA, with a few evolutionary tricks.

Matte Paint, Gold Wheels, and the Art of Standing Out

You recognize the silhouette from a block away. It’s a geometry lesson - vertical glass, ruler-flat doors, exposed hinges, the iconic rear spare. But this one is a statement. MANUFAKTUR Monza Grey Magno, a matte finish that eats light instead of reflecting it, with MANUFAKTUR Techgold forged wheels for maximum contrast. It’s not just a color, it’s a warning: don’t touch unless you know what you’re doing. That paint is high-maintenance - special soap, no polish, full-body PPF if you want to keep the flex permanent. On 22s, the G-Wagen looks less like a luxury SUV, more like something from a Marvel storyboard. And yes, it’s still a brick. Drag coefficient is laughable, efficiency is an afterthought, but road presence? Off the charts.

Climbing In Feels Like Entering a Movie Set

You grab the leather-wrapped bar, haul yourself up, and land in a seat that could double as a gaming throne. Everything you touch feels expensive. Bengal Red/Black leather, carbon fiber trim, real metal where it matters. The seating position is high and squared-off, the view is “I own this block.” Up front, heated, ventilated, and massage seats do their best to spoil you. The rear bench isn’t an afterthought—adults fit. Cargo space is massive and squared off, the side-hinged rear door is a party trick until you have to parallel park in Manhattan. Every drive is a spectacle, but it’s less tiring than before: noise is down, ride quality is up, and the new chassis finally delivers the calm that Instagram can’t capture.

Old-School Switches, New-School Screens

The tech is everywhere but never shouts for attention. Two 12.3-inch displays split the difference between cockpit and control room. Mercedes’s MBUX system is here in full force: touchscreen, steering wheel touchpads, but always a real button when you need it. Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto work flawlessly. The Burmester 3D sound system with Dolby Atmos is theater-grade, and wireless charging is where it should be. The Off-Road Cockpit gives you nerd-level control over locks and drive modes. This is the G-Wagen, updated for the TikTok era, but never overwhelmed by screens.

V8 Thunder, But Now With Less Drama

You expect power. You get 577 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, with a mild-hybrid edge that fills in every millisecond before the turbos wake up. The nine-speed shifts with intent, manual paddles make every gear change feel earned. The difference this year: AMG Active Ride Control. No more slow-motion leaning. Now, the G-Wagen turns in with intent, shrugs off bumps, and never feels like it’s negotiating with its own weight. It’s quick—0-60 in the low fours, and independent tests say you’ll go even faster if you’re brave. The steering is light but purposeful. Brakes don’t get mushy. The mass is always there, but now you’re managing it, not apologizing for it.

Yes, It Still Goes Where Other SUVs Won’t

Three locking diffs. Two-speed transfer case. Select Sand, Trail, or Rock, and you’ll hear the systems reconfiguring in real time. Ground clearance and fording depth are numbers you’ll never use in Beverly Hills but will save you in the wild. The camera system is more than a gimmick - see through the hood, check your tire angle, flex on the Range Rover next to you at Whole Foods. Just don’t spec those ultra-low-profile tires if you plan to leave pavement. More sidewall, more fun.

Safety and the Realities of Super-SUV Life

Driver assistance tech is all here: adaptive cruise, lane keeping, blind-spot monitoring with cyclist warning, clear surround-view cameras. Headlights could guide a plane to a runway. The G-Wagen feels like a fortress, because it is one. If you’re towing, the trailer stability control is smart enough to keep your boat in line, and the ten airbags stand ready for the unlikely event you need them.

Bring Your Own Gas Station

The EPA says 15 mpg combined. Drive it hard and you’ll see less. This isn’t a surprise and shouldn’t be a complaint. The tank is big, the appetite is bigger. The upside? You get a machine built to last. The cabin materials take a beating. Service is predictable. And you get that “handmade in Austria” sense every time you close the door.

The Price of Fame (and the Art of the Spec)

The G-Wagen is expensive. The model I tested here is $221,800 all-in - matte paint, Techgold wheels, carbon everything, every AMG and MANUFAKTUR package you could want. The options list is long and only some of it matters. If you drive hard, get the chassis tech. If you care about sound, get Burmester with Atmos. Wheels? Choose with your back, not just your eyes. The 22s look amazing, but smaller wheels ride better and survive potholes. Want off-road cred? Take the tire with actual sidewall. For everything else, it’s just taste.

Every Day Is a Little Movie

The doors shut with a sound you want to record. The hood is always in your sightline, a horizontal anchor in traffic. Steering is light enough for one-handed parking, but there’s always feedback. The rear door makes groceries a show. You pay for the power, every time you hit the pump. But every errand, every highway merge, every night parked under a streetlight - this is a car that makes you feel like you’re the main character, every single day.

If You Want Subtlety, Look Away

The 2025 G-Wagen is proof that the icon can evolve without losing itself. All the old-school attitude, now with real comfort and poise. Still thirsty, still flashy, still an object of envy—but now more liveable than ever. Buy it for the vibe, keep it for the experience. This is one of the few cars that actually delivers on its own legend.