2027 Mercedes-Benz GLS: A Familiar SUV Gets a Digital Overhaul

The most consequential change to the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLS is one buyers will encounter before the engine starts. The new MBUX Superscreen is standard, bringing a passenger display into a cabin now running Mercedes’ MB.OS software architecture. The V8 gets stronger, too, but the digital overhaul reaches buyers of the six-cylinder GLS 450 as well as the GLS 580.

That gives this update a broader purpose than another round of styling changes. Mercedes is extending the life of an established three-row SUV by replacing some of the technology owners interact with most often. The distinction matters: this is a substantial revision of a familiar vehicle, not a clean-sheet successor.

The V8 changes beneath the headline

For the GLS 580, Mercedes specifies a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 530 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. The engine adopts a flat-plane crankshaft, alongside changes to its intake, injection, exhaust and turbochargers. Mercedes connects the crankshaft change to preparation for future emissions standards; treating it simply as a sports-car transplant misses the engineering brief.

The GLS 450 retains a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six. Its 375 hp is accompanied by 413 lb-ft of torque, with a stronger electric auxiliary compressor among the revisions. Both engines use 48-volt mild-hybrid assistance.

Those acceleration figures are Mercedes-Benz estimates, not AutoGlob measurements. They describe the performance separation on paper; they do not establish how either version feels in traffic or with every seat occupied.

Three screens, with software behind them

The Superscreen places three 12.3-inch displays beneath a continuous glass surface. MB.OS provides the underlying vehicle software platform, while the latest MBUX handles the interface. Mercedes also brings back more tactile steering-wheel controls, including a volume roller.

For an owner, the useful distinction is between the display hardware and the services running on it. Mercedes’ connected-service terms require account activation and a paired vehicle; some functions depend on cellular coverage, and many can require a renewal fee after their initial term. A screen included in the purchase price does not mean every connected feature remains free indefinitely.

This deserves attention in the showroom. Ask which functions are included on the actual vehicle, how long their service terms run and what remains available without a subscription. That is more revealing than the number of apps on a demonstration screen.

The suspension update has a practical ambition

Standard AIRMATIC air suspension gains intelligent damping that can use Car-to-X information from other Mercedes vehicles to prepare for surface irregularities. Mercedes offers E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL on the GLS 580 as a separate, optional system.

These should not be collapsed into one feature. The standard system’s connected road information and the optional suspension hardware are different parts of the specification. Their presence is a reason to compare equipment carefully, rather than assume that every GLS has the same chassis technology.

What the official starting price covers

As checked on October 13, Mercedes-Benz USA lists the 2027 GLS 450 at $93,950 MSRP before destination and delivery. Options, taxes and other applicable charges are additional. The GLS 580’s official model page still displays “Price Coming Soon,” so its price is not included here as a confirmed manufacturer figure.

The six-cylinder version already brings the new dashboard and software platform. Moving to the V8 therefore needs a more specific justification than getting the latest cabin technology. Compare the engines and the equipment you actually want, then compare complete vehicle prices on the same basis.

A longer life for an established GLS

The current GLS generation was introduced in 2019 for the 2020 model year. Calling the 2027 update a new generation would overstate the change. Calling it merely an aging platform, however, overlooks how much of the ownership experience now depends on electronics, controls and software.

The familiar layout still has practical consequences. Mercedes lists 17.4 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats in place for the GLS 450, against 84.9 with the rear rows folded. For a family using all three rows, the smaller figure is the relevant starting point; maximum capacity cannot stand in for room behind occupied seats.

The strongest case for the revised GLS is the breadth of the update across the lineup. Buyers interested in its new digital features do not have to choose the V8 to get them. Whether the larger engine and optional chassis systems justify their additional cost depends on the configuration—not the flagship badge.