Behike

For those of you who owned both. What are your thoughts? Which one do you prefer and why?

I am at my 2nd G55 and I am still in deep love. I love the simplicity of the interior and the bullet proof 5 speed auto and engine.

I am eventually going to buy the 63 (and most likely keep the 55) but the turbo engine, the less G-like features (side mirrors, fancier interior, pointless features like the new cruise control, etc) don't motivate me to pull the trigger.

Thanks ahead of time for your responses!

nyc123

I owned 2 g55 and have only test driven the 63. I much prefer the moor in the 63 and for whatever reason the new 63 feels much more comfortable. I like you think the g55 interior fits the car much better the new interior while modern modern is like every other benz benz very generic not what a G should be. I also think the older wheels are much nicer. New ones again generic and used I think on ml 63 as well.

Behike

Generic is the right word. Interior is way too fancy. Less and less G.

Nav screen - from the A-class. Hideous.
Side mirrors - on all class. The G is square. Keep the mirrors square.
Standard wheels - similar to ML. Optional black wheels are much nicer.

I wonder what's next? Independent suspension?

Amiricanmade

For those who have owned a G55 and now have a G63: how does the ride comfort of the G63 compared to the G55? I drove in the G55 a couple times (road trip from OC to LA) and i hated it. Is the G63 any betteR?

Behike

I never found/don't find the ride in the 55 uncomfortable but I heard and read the ride in the 63 is a lot better.

Extra large cup holders, massaging seats and independent suspensions are next.

absent

G63 is much more comfy then G55,does not beat you up as bad as G55 on longer trips.
Nav screen is maybe not integrated as nicely as the old dinky little thing in 55 but can be useful and practical at least.
Having said that,G63 will still beat you up unlike any other SUV in that price (and lower) range.
My wife loves it though and would not even consider anything else.

drew138

I love the g63 although I've not driven one. The modern convieniences were lacking. That said, I'm enjoying my 2010 g55 immensely. I feel this particular year will sort of be like the 1997 993 Twin Turbo Porsches. Collector items.

jimmyg

I've owned 5 G-wagens and my G63 is the best of the bunch. Refined, powerful, comfortable, and capable. The COMAND screen is better positioned, the seats are supportive but comfortable, the gearbox provides faster shifts when off-road...especially useful in the sand when trying to keep the revs up, brakes provide better feel, suspension is more comfortable, there's less road noise, and on and on.

Those people who think the G-Class should be stuck in some sort of time tunnel and not progress are missing the point of the G-Class to begin with...a capable off-roader that was also a Mercedes-Benz luxury vehicle.

PCH

I'm sure you'll find a lot of true die-hard G enthusiasts that feel the newer models are getting further away from its origins and intended use. Are they really missing the point of the G? Obviously MB has only responded to the 'new' G buyer by adding all the creature comfort features they expect in a 100K + vehicle. IMO, a capable off-roader no doubt. A luxury vehicle, well, it's certainly has grown into that however, I highly doubt MB ever expected it would be marketed as one.

absent

dharrar

Took delivery of my G63 a month ago and turned 1300 miles yesterday. This is my 6th G, starting with a 280GE in '86 up to my '05 G55 just traded. What do I love versus the 55?
1. Love the new interior and Command display
2. Love the better ride
I had G550 shocks on my G55 that vastly improved the ride and have
these available for sale since took them back and only used for 20K miles
3. Love the new seats and my color choice of Mystic Red
4. Miss the turn signal & rear light chrome protectors
5. Don't care much for ECO but getting used to it
6. Don't like gas mileage on the road but managed 14.2 over 470 miles last wk
7. Bought the black wheels but think I would rather have the standard
Anyone feel the oposite and want to make a trade?
8. Hate not having a complete printed manual! The digital manual is a joke
Overall the best G ever!!

sinistersurge

Photos of the mystic red?

Behike

I don't think adding luxuries is progress. Nor is the new engine/transmission. I am sure if the Kompressor engine and 5 speed auto transmission were still made, MB would not have replaced it on the G-class.

They seem to have done something to the suspension. Everyone agrees the 63 is more comfortable.

Other than that, the G-class is the exact same. Less noise, more comfy? Maybe, all newly assembled cars are. Give it a year.

Good point.

I think adding all kinds of luxuries to the G-class makes it more like all the other luxury SUV on the market and thus less unique. It becomes a comparative. Large cup holders and independent suspension are the only two missing features for it to be exactly "another SUV". Hopefully they keep the square shape. Side mirrors are already rounded and MB generic.

That being said, hardcore G-class enthusiast don't/won't even buy the AMG version of the G-class. Which, let's face it, is absolutely unnecessary. Just cool.

PCH

Won't happen. In fact we'll all be lucky if the G is still in production after 2015.

G55K

If adding luxury is not progress why did you buy a G55? You should have bought one of the older models. The G had a very modern interior when the 2002's showed up in the States. The 63 is simply an update. You make it sound like the 55 is some spartan, hard core, minimalist truck.

I've owned a 2002 G500, 2003 G55, and a 2009 G55. I've enjoyed all of them. The 2003 G55 was my least favorite. The suspension was brutal. The 2009 was still rough but much better.

Today I purchased a G63. When they first arrived I wasn't really interested. Figured it would be too similar to to the G55. Boy was I wrong. The G63 is so much nicer than the 55. Everything about it. The engine, interior, command center, etc. It rides nice and is very comfortable. The command screen is in the perfect position as it allows you to keep your eyes on the road. And, it's still just as CAPABLE as the 55 off road. Well done Mercedes!

absent

Took the words out of my mouth....

Ted Baldwin

........I like both. I like fast cars so I like the biturbo engine better and I am glad AMG did not put the low torque na 63 engine in the g class. They wisely waited for the biturbo engine before creating a G63. I like the look of the G63 interior but I don't like the position of the bag screen. I know it is closer to eye level, but it just looks so out of place, like it was an after thought. Either way, I like the G63 a lot but have modified my G55 too much to ditch it and go for a G63. My2 cents.


Ted

Behike

Did I say the G-class should not be luxurious or have luxury? No. I said adding more luxury is not progress. Progress is fixing, changing and updating known past problems with the car. The windows regulators is one of them. MB seems to have progressed with the comfort part of the car - well done.

If adding quilted seats as an option or taking the TomTom look alike screen from the A-class and slamming it on the G-class vs redesigning the entire dash board (because it would cost MB too much for nothing - and by nothing I mean people will buy it anyway) is progress to you then good.

As far as being capable off-road, what do you mean? Soccer field? You don't buy a G55, G63 or G65 to go off-road. How many do? Let's get real. Dune sands, snows and city bumps are not what I call "off-road". An Audi R8 could do all of those just as well.

I love the G55, have a G63 in order and will soon take delivery of a G500 cab. I love the G-class and what I say is just a personal opinion.

G55K

You're argument comparing the G55 interior to the G63 interior is the same argument the "die-hardship" used when the 2002 G became available. It wasn't "G-like".

I said nothing about the percentage of G's that are taken off road all I said is that they are "equally as capable". The fact is 95%+ of G's, whether they're G500's, G550's, G55's, or G63's, are never taken off road. Does that mean they aren't capable of doing so?

I like the nav screen. Helps me keep my eyes on the road. It's huge step up when compared to the old command screen.

Quilted seats in a G! Blasphemy! I'm assuming you have the hard core Designo interior in your G55?

The 2002 was a nice evolution of the G as is the 2013. Every model year upgrade has its haters no matter the car. There's nothing wrong with it. Remember, you asked for opinions from G63 owners who have also owned G55's. I'm sharing my experience. My first G was a 2002 G500. My next was a 2003 G55. I was blown away by the interior in both of these models when they came out. At the time, it was very modern and luxurious for a SUV.

I have also owned a 2009 G55 which I loved. It was a huge improvement over the 2003 G55. The G63 is an even bigger, across the board, improvement. But, I love them all and wouldn't own another truck.

Behike

Valid points. You owned a lot more models than I did so you have more experience - I only had/have the G55.

What's "hardcore" anyway. I am sure the guys who drive Gs from the 80s-90s and the diesel version are laughing at us. Like I said, the AMG version is unnecessary, just cool. I guess if I wanted a hardcore version, I'd get one that's 20 years old - and end up hating it.

Generally speaking, progress is progress if overall the car is better than the previous generation. In the case of the 2013 G63, I was/am a hater of some of the new luxuries - simply because I would hate to see it become another SUV. Otherwise, it's top class.

G55K

Bottom line is they're great trucks. All of them. Did you find a G500 cab? I'd love to find a nice one but they're hard to come by.

Behike

Agreed, they are. I ordered the G500 cab in Germany, still in production - delivery this summer.

nyc123

I have a g500 cab arriving in 3 weeks.. a 2005 model 25k miles.. cant wait...

G55K

Are you located in the U.S.? If so, how do you bring them in?

Amnaggar

All respect to those who owned the G for long periods and have the experience to compare and judge the cars, but I'd say the G63 is the first time a G gets too much electronics? Ones that have bogged the GL or other Mercs and made them quite a bit less reliable than the G? On the G63, I'd wait a few months to a year to see how new owners would compare them then.