hello. im in the market for a gls 450. I had a x166 2018 gls 450 which I loved. only issue was the gas cap when I had the car for 3 years 45k miles. was a loaded demo.

I know the 2020 model years first gen, new body, new engine, electronics etc and I heard if I was buying used that I should stay away from the 2020,

but my main question is what are the differences between 2020, 2021, and 2022. was looking at a 2020 that was a leased vehicle 57k 1 accident in the rear had alot of options besides driver assistance which was important to me 30k miles but it was at the dealer at least 7 times and seller said nothing was major until I pulled a car report and saw things that said they check the electrical system and etc.

then I looked at a 2022 lunar blue (last year with this option) love this color even on the last gens with the driver assistance, upgrade leather, amg style but doesn't have things from the 2020 one like vented seats, heated rear seats, etc.6k miles for 84k.

trying to find a website or a forum post for the differences. seems like they fixed most of the issues from the 2020 and 2021. msrp of course is higher and seems like options that was in 2020 seem like standard on the 2022-2023? so mainly is it worth the 27k difference. I would most likely buy the extended warranty for the 2020 but not have the leather seats, color option or driver assistance but has the heated rear seats, ventilated seats and accoustic comfort package.

please also correct me if some of my info is wrong.

I am doing my own research and one site kind of shows
https://cars.usnews.com/cars-trucks/...2_14151-408046.

using jdpower invoice tool as well to see what options and etc was offer during the 3 years. would love some input from people that maybe had a 2020 and got a 2022.

 

Likley reliability got better in later model years. Otherwise, here's what I remember off the top of my head for GLS450. Most changes were from 2020 to 2021 model year
For 2021:
New standard features: ventillated seats, 4 zone climate, 20 inch wheels
No longer available: e-abc, high end audio, heated third row (maybe atill available for 2021), suede headliner (maybe atill available for 2021), nappa leather dashboard, energizing comfort, executive rear seat packages
Change in restrictions: power rear window shades now standalone, drivers assist package no longer requires massage seats, leather, rapid heat seats, etc. etc.
Change in trim: Plastic surrounding touchpad instead of metal and gloss black, nappa leather option now black not gray

For 2022:
New option: AMG Line exterior, night package, new wheels 21 22 and 23 inches
No longer available: heated third row and suede headliner if they were still available for 2022, first aid kit no longer standard and now VPC option
Changes in trim: Plastic trunk opening button instead of metal on front door, No luggage net in passanger footwell, no sunglasses holder (would have been removed anyway if car had interior assist or high end audio)
Shortages: Most cars built with no wireless charging and no AR Nav, some without passanger memory and less asjustable seat

They released the car for 2020 with tons of options and customizability and began taking away rare options and cost cutting trim pieces since 2021. But problems are more likely on a 2020 car, especially an earlier build, and the AMG line wasn't yet available. So tough choice.

 

Mine is a 2020 and it's been great, 52k on the clock now. But yeah, it's first model year run, which is always a risk for any car regardless of brand. My old 2015 GTI was early build first model year from the Mexico plant and it was great as well, no real problems.

That being said - I would not buy a previously damaged car in general, but especially one of these cars with all of the electronics running around it and the AWD system. We're talking about a computer with wheels connected to a gas engine with a turbo and an electric motor running through the engine, matched to a 9 speed AWD transmission with air suspension. We're a long way from the good ole' never die Toyota Highlanders! I would skip the 2020 you're looking at because of it. Plus, no matter how good of a deal you get on it, you'll take it on the chin when it comes time to replace it because of it. Who wants to be the 3rd owner of a Mercedes with a damage report on it. If you decide you don't like it after a year or so and sell it, folks will think you're selling it because of that damage item.

I know I am probably alone with the following, I understand - but in my own personal opinion, I stay away from the AMG stuff, especially the wheels and brakes. I think MB' are fantastic cars, but I am not sold on the AMG contribution ownership enjoyment. My old 212 (2014) is the "sport" model, which includes some cosmetic AMG aspects. I've had to replace the brakes with no-amg parts due to warping within 20k miles (twice), just replaced the rims last week because of one too many attempts to fix bent rims, even the little trunk lip spoiler keeps coming off due to poor tape adhesion. I'm just not a fan, except for the front bumper looks for AMG. Now, THAT, me likes!

 

What's the problem with the 2020 GLS being serviced many times at the dealership?

Yeah first model year, but things got fixed.

 

Having recently purchased a 2020 GLS 450, the first year issues can be mitigated by buying a vehicle built later in the model year as well as a CPO, which I did and added another two years via the extended warranty. As a result, I’m covered until February 2027.

As to other years, I have monitored this forum since shortly after buying my 2015 S550 in 2019. The chip shortage limited some options on 2021-2022 vehicles, so you may not be able to find all the options you want.

Get what you want, just do your due diligence on the vehicle.

 

Yep, if I remembered correctly the 2020 model year began production in April 2019... So anything after fall 2019 should be fine.

 

I have a 2020 that has a Half Model Year code on it. Ordered in Sep 2019 and delivered in July 2020.

I've never had any major issues other than I once got the 48v error message which seems to be inevitable on every MB vehicle. Was able to take it in and get it fixed without any problems.

The only outward changes between model years is adding and removing options. This is true of all cars in general. The GLS facelift is due for MY2024 and that will be the first real change.

 

I think the most notable differences are cosmetic: Front bumper update, AMG package w the body colored fender flares and a taller ride height. I have a ‘20 GLS450 and my brother in law, just purchased a ‘22 GLS450. Recently, he came to visit and had our cars parked next to each other.

The ‘22 model, seemed to have the wheel arches/fender flares that were on the 580/63 models, and the ride height seems to be noticeably taller. I even have taller tires installed (about 1” taller than stock @ 275/55/20), yet the ‘22 model sat higher.

I was parked near a similar model GLS (thinking it was from ‘20) and sat at about the same ride height as mine. Has anyone noticed this on the newer models?

 

thank you for everyone input. I think I am going to go with the 2022 that I found. love the color, has the driver assistance package and has the leather seats no MB-tex.

 

that's not an issue to me it was mainly the seller of the vehicle ask him if it had any accidents or any problems with the car that he had and said no. I go pull a carfax and one accident that was recent in 2022 which he explained someone hit him but that still consider an accident so just knowing that I was eh about buying the car from him and maybe didn't get that common 48v fixed. then in the carfax a few other things were check or fixed

 

yeah I am doing that for sure. How much was the additional 2 years. I was planning to go that route as well when I was thinking about purchasing the 2020 model.

 

thank you so much for your knowledge so after doing much research I think im going for the 2022. car market seems to be dropping so one thing to be happy about as a buyer at least

 

Is leather better than MBtex?

I prefer MBtex...

 

Good call! Don’t worry about not having the vented front seats or rear heated seats, in reality you would probably barely use them. Ours has them, and i don’t think anyone has ever used the rear heated seats, and the venting on the front is only cool for about 60 seconds (basically just pulls the air up from underneath the seat).

Ours is the same lunar blue, and we love it. We get lots of compliments on it, and no mistaking us when you see it. Pretty rare color. We wrestled between it and the forrest green, but couldn't find on east of Kansas City back when we bought ours in September 2020.

When you get it, spend a weekend and claybar the paint, then detail how you’d like. The claybar will get all containments off of it (especially from shipping from factory) and it will sparkle for years!

What keeps me engaged with MB is that they’re classy and relaxing, which never goes out of style. Not gimmicky and overtly aggressive, that ages quickly.

 

I bought a CPO. With a CPO you have 30 days to buy the extended warranty. There are a couple of dealers named in the warranty threads that sell warranties online. I paid $2,920 to my local dealer. This was $150 more than one of the online dealers offered, but I felt it was worth the difference since I would be dealing with the local dealer on any warranty issues.

 

Did you just buy? I just paid 4000 for the warranty. Was I ripped off? Can I cancel this and buy another one?

I saw some 3900 in other threads

 

Don't know about cancelling and buying another.
I bought my GLS450 at the end of November. Dealer's finance guy first priced at $4,500. When I told him I could buy online 40% cheaper, he said he could only go as low as $2,920, which I accepted.

 

Wow... I would cancel mine for now

 

Wow... Are you sure that the AMG exterior package and night package for 450 was not available until model year 2022. I wonder if that's the reason that mostly only 2022 model years were showing up when I was searching 450s with AMG (I thought it was because I was searching CPO only..)

 

Yes, i am 100% sure. AMG exterior was also never avaiable on the X164 or X166 GL/GLS450, only (standard) on the 550. MBUSA finally got their act togteher for the '22 model year, likely partially because of the temparary discontinuation of the GLS580.

 

It seems strange that there's a difference in the GLS and GLE for 21 and 22.
I like the night package on my 21 AMG 53.

 

Very interesting. No wonder then why most of not all GLS 450s (with the AMG pck as a must have) that I was searching for were all 2022s mostly. Although I thought I at least saw some with AMG package that were 2021 or so (probably S580s then).
Update: I checked the ordering guide for 2022, and you all are correct. AMG styling was made available for the first time with the 450 in 2022... almost mid of production around January 2022 (exactly around when mine was built).

 

I don't think I could do a GLE/GLS without the AMG Line package. The dark plastic outline they put around the edges of the vehicle make it look like a Jeep. Nevermind the funny looking nose they put on it.

 

To each their own. I prefer the black trim on the arches and the more open front grill slats my self. After my E350 with the "AMG package", I prefer to stay away from the AMG stuff. By the time I sold that car earlier this year, I had to replace every single "AMG" thing on it, some twice before I realized the problem. Brake rotors that warp in less than 15k miles. Rims that bent if you looked at them wrong. Trunk lip spoiler that constantly pulled away from the car. Crashy suspension that bottomed out all the time. When it came time to dump $90k on a new GLS for the wife, I made damn sure there was nothing "AMG" about it. No bent rims, no warped rotors, no peeling trim pieces, no bottoming out. Aside from a few first-gen / covid build minor quality issues in the cabin, it's been pretty much perfect.