Urabus

I'm attracted to the GL because of the positive reviews about interior space. I know it's comfortable in the 3rd row even for adults.

However, I think many reviewers write from the perspective of only occasional 3rd row use. They talk about how much storage space there is because you can fold down the seats when you need to. When they talk about vehicles being capable people carriers, they probably don't mean someone in my situation....

I will need to use all three rows full-time (4 young kids plus 1 more on the way). For those of you who have lived with your GL for awhile, how practical do you think the space behind the 3rd row would be for large families?

MKW

Unfortunately ,if you must keep all three rows up all the time , then you may need an Escalade ESV. The luggage space behind the GL's third row barely holds two duffle bags or three bags of groceries .
Only other possibilty is to mount a big box on the roof for trips , but you can't put too much heavy stuff up there for roll-over reasons .

Fifth Ring

We use our third row for seating and it is very roomy. I can sit there (I'm 6'1" 215 lbs).

There is a relatively small space behind the rear seat, so you can't carry all the kids plus sports equipment / luggage. It's bigger than what you get behind an Acura MDX or Honda Pilot third row, but probably no more than 10 cubic feet.

We only have 3 kids, but when we have an extra rider, and we really need the luggage space, we put three across the middle row, one in the back, and drop down one of the two rear seats.

If you need more room than that, you're a candidate for a Chevy Barge or big minivan. (Maybe the MB R-class? They're giving great incentives on that thing.)

Brocktoon

Well, I dooubt 3 car seats would fit across the 2nd seat, and you would have to take one in and out all the time to access the 3rd row. I don't ebven think even an Acadia would be enough room, given the baby seat issue. I'd get a Sprinter, dude.

oknish

My immediate family, in US, is only 4 but I regularly haul 6 or7 around town in my GL. With both seats of 3rd row up, you don't have a lot of room like Chevy Barges (LOL, Fifth Ring) but there is enough room for us to put a stroller, camp chairs, beach garb, etc. You have to pile it on vertically. For longer trips, I would be using a roof box. So, in my experience, space behind 3rd row is more than enough for me.

Now with 5 kids inside, and all their accompanying gear, it could be done but will be a tight fit and I don't think it will be something you would want to do all the time.

Comfy_Couch

The GL's third row is perfectly usable on a full-time basis, but as others have noted it doesn't leave a whole heck of a lot of cargo room behind it. And while general storage space in the GL is adequate, it's not nearly as abundant as in our Sienna. For a family of 6+, with car seats and equipment, I think it's going to feel tight in the GL. IMO you're probably better off with a minivan or Suburban as your daily driver (although the GL would make a great second vehicle).

gollard

we have 4 kids and have gone thru some extensive shopping for large SUVs in the past week. We are about to say goodbye to an 2002 Escalade that certainly was not perfect. In terms of getting in and out of the 3rd row seat - I'd say any car with middle captain chairs will make you life a lot easier - trucks like the Escalade ESV, GMC yukon XL etc. have a lot to offer in that respect.

We looked at the Audi Q7, GL, Toyota Highlander Hybrid, GMC Yukon Hyrid, Escalade ESV

The easiest car to get to the third row seat in my point of view is the Audi Q7; very simple to just slide the 2row seat forward to grant access.

Next the Toyota Highlander which has a similar mechanism like the Q7.

The GL is not perfect; in order to move the 2row seat forward you have to make sure that the headrest is in the lowest position before you can move it. The headrest being in the lowest position will not be comfortable for any passenger that is above 10 years old ( at least in my tall family), and you would have to then again put the headrest back up to a higher position.
Our MB salesperson recommended to have our youngest sit there, but our oldest would be able to help everyone in and out, which would make the parents life easier - def. not a perfect scenario for constant use of the third row.

BUT the 3rd row is very comfortable.

The GMC Hybrid has a totally useless 3rd row - the back of the 2nd row is very high - kids sitting all the way in the back will feel very boxed in - the mechansim is terrible, and the seat is basically sitting on the floor - no legroom

GLDriver

I am not sure but you may want to look at Toyota Sequioa (how they spell it %^&* ) Looks larger. I had my folks visit me from India and I did an 800 Mile journey with Kids and a luggage carrier on roof. No one complained. On top of that I had the move running the whole time.

At times we felt that kids were left home

Urabus

Great info, everyone. I really appreciate it.

GLDriver, I'm considering the Sequoia, too but I'm worried that it will drive like a typical Toyota/Lexus: detached/insulated from the road. I used to have an '03 Seq and it drove like an appliance, reliable but without character. I'd hope the redesign would change things, but I guess only a test drive will tell for sure.

I was really hoping to stay away from the barges because I really like the reports of how the GL handles on the road. It also has the internal room without the exterior bulk, which is another plus.

gollum, how does the interior space of the Q7 and Highlander compare to the GL? Through my readings, I thought they were a lot smaller?

My oldest is almost 10 so won't require a child seat, but I guess the key issue will be whether I can fit both rear- and forward-facing seats side-by-side in the GL.

For long trips, I already have a roof box and am not against having some kind of hitch carrier or small trailer for extra storage. My concern is for day-to-day, groceries, and the occasional trips to Costco.

MKW

We had it down to GL, Escalade ESV and Q7 . The GL fit in the garage of our 75 year old home , the ESV was too long and the Q7 was too wide .

The Escalade third row seats must be removed from the car ( and stowed on garage floor) to enlarge the luggage area - the salesman threw out his back demonstrating it to us -I'm not joking , as it's an awkward reach in for that 35 pound bulky item.
The Q7 ( and I'm a long time avid Audi owner also ) ,for all it's bulky width , had smaller luggage floor area worsened by sloping rear glass ,tight third row and the cargo cover that you must remove to raise the third row has no place to be stored except dangerously at the ankles of those sitting in the second row -it doesn't fold and it doesn't fit behind third row ( even at an angle ) as it does in the GL ! A big problem if you are asked to give a ride home to a couple extra of your kid's friends after soccer practice . Q7 does drive and sound the best of the three by a good margin , FWIW, but it failed for us for it's intended " beast of burden " use .The one feature of the Q7 that my wife likes is the blind spot warning system. She is always nervous changing lanes to the right esp. at night due to the GL 's puny rear view mirrors , SUV height,and factory standard darkened glass .

Stumblefoot

If it was just groceries, then you'd have no problem.

I'm afraid Costco takes you completely out of the league of the GL, because I know there is no way you're going to be able to haul everything that you'll buy at Costco without putting a seat down. Sorry. The truth always hurts.

Now... if you don't mind the cargo carrier, then go for the GL. You can put up to 200lb. in the carrier I believe.

Lastly, the Highlander and Q7 have no chance of competing with the GL on space, so you can rule those out right now.

Best Wishes!

gollard

just came back from looking at the Q7 and Highlander again.

The Highlander would certainly be too small - it really is more a 2+2+2 seater - and if the 7 of you would drive - for sure too small. The 27mpg city is what is tempting us so much with this car - but the thing is SO UGLY!

Looking at the Q7 again - the legroom in the 3rd row is tight - for sure the GL is much more comfortable.

For our family one of the main concerns is access to the third row. After 3 years of constantly listening to the kids fight on who has to sit in the back row we are paying close attention on the different solutions. The Q7 and highlander are doing very well in that rerspect, the Q7 with an easy mechanism, the Highlander because of the 2nd row "pseudo" captain chair layout - where the kids can just walk thru.

Yesterday we were pretty much set on the GL320 - today we are thinking about the Highlander Hybrid again - 27mpg city is a strong argument. Wish there was a GL320CDI Hybrid ot at this point...

Q7 very nice drive - but the GL felt evenbetter ( only drove the GL550 )

Brocktoon

Why not Acadia? It was pretty close for me, and the 2nd row buckets just about sealed it, but after my wife drove the GL, she was sold.

gollard

haven't seen it yet - but after looking on the acadia homepage - very very nice looking!

Fifth Ring

If my wife wasn't a snob, we'd have the Acadia / Outlook. Amazing value and space.

Q7 did not have a usable rear seat for anything over a toddler.

Brocktoon

Truth is, is wasn't really that great to drive, but you do get a lot for your money.

I kinda understand where your wife is com'n from. Saturn has such a loser image, after all the "I don't have any friends, so I called the service manager to pick me up from the hospital" ad campaigns from the '90s. How can a brand live that down?

I did do a cross-shopping review on this forum somewhere...


Here it is:

https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-x164/239869-cross-shopping-report.html

Comfy_Couch

+1

stonecliff

We've had a GL for a year now with 4 pre-teen and teenage kids (plus two big dogs). It was time for the old Suburban to go, and for us the only real choices were the Yukon XL and the GL.

Couldn't be happier. Invested in a roof rack for family trips, but otherwise only occasionally run out of room. As others noted, we need to drop the third row for trips to Sam's Club, but we never go there with all four kids at once anyway.

Only thing we really gave up was travelling with the two big dogs. We miss it, but it really wasn't that often that we took them both on the road.

The back row is very comfortable for the kids, and they have survived several long trips (even without RSE!). It is soooo nice not to be hauling around in the big Suburban anymore.

Fifth Ring

You highlight a good point. People seem to shop for the car that fits their absolute highest capacity need, and disregard other options. If you need three full rows and LOTS of storage space, but you only need it three or four times a year, then the roof rack is the answer, not another 2 feet worth of vehicle.

ffayad

I find the cargo space behind the third row on the GL somewhat decent and fully suitable for our needs. I have 2 kids both under 3 and we don't find ourselves needing more room. Also, we don't move our house with us everytime we go out. So it depends on how much space you require.

The bigger issue for us is the inabilty to access the 3rd row once having 2 carseats on the second row. I have one in the center and one on the driver's side leaving the passenger side of the second row available to tilt enough to get someone into the third row. not the most comfortable solution but at least it gives access to people that are willing to maneuver their way into the 3rd row.

If you're using one car seat, I recommend you install it on the driver's side of the second row. this will make the access to the third row very comfortable. otherwise, you should consider a large SUV with captain chairs on the second row. The Mercedes R-Class has this option but cargo space is pretty small on those cars. I asked the dealer if the GL will ever have the option of captain chairs and the rep said "highly unlikely"

MKW

Captain's seats in R class second row do not allow walk through unless your body is 2 inches wide ! Acadia/Escalade type captain's seats allow adults to easily get through to the third row .

ffayad

The middle console is optional. Though without it, it's still a narrow passage, it's still wide enough to accomodate an adult (sideways)

In general however, i don't like the R-Class. Mercedes Benz finally admitted in an article that the car did not live up to what they hoped for.

Urabus

It's nice to see that other people have been going through a similar decision process. I'm also glad to find that for me, the GL continues to be a top contender.

To summarize, I have four kids (9, 7, 5, 1) with a new one on the way . I am looking for a single vehicle to replace the two that I have, and after reading the feedback here, I realize that I don't need to use 100% capacity that often. However, the vehicle will need to be able to fit a rear- and front-facing in the second row while still allowing access to the third row. I also want a vehicle that will be enjoyable to drive (fun factor), ideally with 4wd/AWD, and one that I can be proud to own (vanity factor ).

I spent some time visiting a few different dealerships, so like Brocktoon (thanks for the link ), I've formed some opinions on the vehicles I looked at:

Toyota Highlander Hybrid - While saving fuel is an attractive, the Highlander is just way too small. On top of that, reviews I've read say that it has no fun factor all. Score: Fail.

Toyota Sequoia - Interior size is good, but outside dimensions seem very bulky. Past ownership of a 2003 Sequoia was reliable and very capable off-road (fun factor +1), but on pavement was without character (fun factor -1). The way that Toyota Canada options vehicles up here is very restrictive. The backup camera/nav system is only available on the Platinum, which in turn is only available with second-row captain seats with no center pass-through (and no access to third row when infant seats installed). I think a vehicle this size requires a backup camera. Score: Fail.

Chevy Tahoe Hybrid/Suburban - The dealer did not have a Suburban on the lot but did have several Tahoes including the Hybrid. Third row access wasn't as easy as the Sequoia. Third Row was uncomfortable because there was no space for your legs. I felt like I was squatting on a flat floor. Storage behind the third row is minimal; Third row seats do not fold flat. The Suburban has more space but when I showed my wife a picture of the side profile, she said something along the lines of, "Whoa... that's big." No offense to Chevy, but my wife also has difficulty with the concept of owning a "domestic" brand. Hybrid looked OK, but I did not like the price premium on it (Sticker price: $73,000+) Score: C-

Ford Expedition/Expedition Max - The dealer did not have a Max on the lot so I looked at the regular Expedition. The problem was in all vehicles, third rows were folded flat (good) but there was no battery power to lift them up and judge 3rd row comfort (bad). Looking at the options list, it looks like it offers a few more convenience features over the Chevy. Overall impression is about the same as the Chevy, but the salesman seemed more hungry. On a side note, the salesman also showed me one of their white 15-passenger vans in the back --yeah, like right, I really want to be seen dropping my kids off in that thing . Score: C

Lexus 570 - Size looks good. Interior space looks adequate. I like the off-road heritage/capability (the Land Cruiser is not available in Canada). I like the technology. Given the experience/reputation of Toyota/Lexus, I'm worried about the drive characteristics and it's fun factor. No HID headlamps (which is a major deficiency in a vehicle of this caliber). Score: C+

GL - Interior space looks good. I like the way that it doesn't look too bulky from the outside. I'm worried if the space behind the 3rd row will be enough. Good reviews about comfort and driving experience. Three-zone climate control should come standard, not be an option. I wish the GL320 had the off-road option. I'm worried about the diesel's power. I love the way the GL550 looks, but the GL450 is probably the overall best for us. We usually buy our vehicles fully-optioned so we're used to certain features. It's hard to like a vehicle if it's missing things we're used to having. The GL is the one vehicle that seems to have everything in one package. Score: B

Based upon the comments here, I'm also going to have a look at the Acadia and see how it compares.

I really appreciate everyone's opinions; it's helped me a lot!

Brocktoon

Too much?

MomsBenz

I have 3 kids 10, 7 and 3. While I only have one car seat on a daily basis I do have family with babies that travel with me at times. The middle seat is hard to fit 2 car seats side by side and still letting the one seat fold for rear entry. The seats fit best next to the windows. A forward facing seat also fits nicely in he third row. As far as cargo area goes, when all rows of seats are in use I can not fit my stroller in the back cargo area. Maybe an umbrella stroller but not a regular stroller. I find that when I do not need the use of my third row seats they are folded down because a trip to the grocery store for a family of 5 requires more room.