Overall I have been very satisfied with the performance and reliability of our '07 GL450. But I think my next SUV will be somewhat smaller. While the GL gets very good reviews from the automotive press, the ML's reviews tend to be mediocre at best. The GL feels more car-like to me which is odd given its size vs the ML. IMO, the ML has neither to comfort of the GL nor the handling of an X5 - but the distinctions are small. With so many components in common, I don't quite understand why the GL consistently scores so much better than the ML. Any thoughts?

 

In my opinion, the GL is compared to Tahoes, Expeditions, Escalades, Armadas, Land cruiser etc. the bar for mid to large SUV's (mostly truck chasis based) the bar is set lower (easier to stand out from the crowd). I also think most manufacturers took these vehicles for granted and didnt invest much into improving there product. The GL took advantage of this complacency and it shows.

The ML faces stiff competition from car based SUVs and crossover vehicles from BMW, Porsche, Volvo, Cadilac, Lincoln and several others. The field of Mid to smaller SUVs is far more crowded with good quality all around vehicles. Several manufacturers really focussed on building and improving this class of vehicles. The ML is a great vehicle but on paper only a few percentage points greater than the competition. The GL on paper has a huge Gap percentage wise over the competition.
Just my two cents.

 

if you drive a GL and an ML back to back, you will see that the ML is faster and handles better (same engines of course). Comfort and NVH levels are similar.

Mercedes are tuned to luxury as compared to BMW and will never handle like a BMW.

 

I've owned both now. I bought a new 2003 ML500 that I put about 100,000 miles on before trading it in on my 07 GL which now has 35,000 miles on it.

First let's talk about comfort. I bought the ML500 over the BMW X5. I agree that they are different vehicles. The X5 had a sportier feel with tighter suspension and handling. My wife fell in love with the comfort of the ML500 and combined with an end of month/quarter deal the ML was ours. We had the Inspiron edition so it was well appointed. When the GL came on the market I took a test drive. I was very impressed versus my ML. The drive seemed to be nicer yet than my ML and I really felt like I was in a luxury vehicle. I'm a gadget guy and liked the RSE, corning headlights, bluetooth, etc. So I envied them for awhile and a few months later I was an owner.

Now for my experience on quality. Realize that I'm a case of one, so it's not statistically valid. Like I said I have 35,000 miles on the GL. I have put on new tires recently. I had a wear mark on my steering wheel where the macadamia brown leather outer wore through and started to show black. It was repaired under warranty. I have an issue once in awhile with my rear hatch not closing once in awhile when it's cold. Other than that I haven't had a single thing wrong. For the ML I had quite a few issues. I had a water pump fail, a front bearing go out, and a few other things. Nothing major, but a few issues. I wouldn't call it unreliable at all, but I have had quite a few Dodge's that never make it to the dealership. Like I said, it's not statistically valid but so far the GL seems more reliable. I know the early ML's had some major issues. I have several friends who had those early year models and had major issues. Maybe there's some preconditioning from those early days that gives the ML lower marks.

I hope this was helpful. I would recommend either of them, but to me personally the GL feels like luxury where the ML feels nice, but not as nice. Maybe it's similar to comparing a C class with and E class. There is a definite difference other than just roominess.

 

We traded in an 06 ML500 for an 07 GL450, and I can tell you there is a world of difference. The ML was more fun to drive, but we had nothing but problems with it. The GL450 has been completely trouble free for two years and 24,000 miles. The third seat and extra cargo room is also a plus.

 

My father has the ML320 and I have the GL320...very different feel but i have always attributed it to the weight differential between the two, plus the airmatic. The ML is definitely more nimble, owing to its smaller size, but the GL rides a bit better. Just my $.02.

Oh, and neither of us has had the first problem, with the exception of my turbocharger hoses, both of which were replaced under warranty in the first 7500 miles.

Currently i have 16k miles on my GL while he has 36k on his ML.

 

There was a hose replaced under recall and few folks ever had a problem anyway.

 

I had a 07 ML 320 CDI and put 30K miles with no issues. There were a couple of recall issues such as the trailer hitch issue, but I never had any trouble. I traded for an 08 GL 320 CDI. Overall the ride of the GL is a tad better as it has airmatic and there is more room in the rear for storage and the 3rd seat, but I liked the power much better with the ML. Obviously due to the weight difference. My GL has had a dead battery 3 times due to tailgate not closing properly. They may have fixed it this last time though.
I used the ML for pulling a 22' boat to lakes and to Florida from Kentucky several times per year and it did fine. However, I wanted a bigger SUV for safety issues so I traded to the GL. I just don't have as much punch with the GL.
Good luck deciding.

 

Mine broke down for both hoses, one on the interstate and one a block from home. I love the car, but at the time it was a big problem. Another forum user had his bought back after four (maybe five) instances and went to an Audi. These all occurred before or simultaneous to the recall being issued.