Though its name is tough to distinguish among Mercedes-Benz's alphabet soup of car and SUV monikers, the G-Class is perhaps the most identifiable — you'll instantly recognize it as "the boxy one that goes off-road." The G-Class has laughed in the face of time, sporting a similar, squared-off shape since its launch in 1979. The interior, however, is about to change in a big way, with a redesign taking inspiration from the ultra-luxurious S-Class; plus, Mercedes says, the interior is now larger than before.
Related: 2016 Mercedes-Benz G-Class Expert Review
The G-Class's interior will finally feel like it's from this century with a dramatic redesign borrowing the innards of an S-Class, including the sedan's signature dual 12.3-inch displays stretching from the center console to the gauge cluster. The screen is controllable by a capacitive button pad on the steering wheel with swiping motions much like a smartphone.
We'll need seat time to confirm, but the interior quality and styling looks to have skyrocketed with an all-new design clad in open-pore wood trim, carbon-fiber and metal trim, plus an optional 16-speaker Burmester stereo with 590 watts of amplification. Seats can be covered in premium Lugano leather in black, Nut Brown or Macchiato Meige, while two interior packages will step up the new G-Class's uniqueness. An Exclusive Interior package adds seven possible cabin-color configurations and a microfiber-lined roof liner, while an Exclusive Interior Plus package covers sections of the interior in Nappa leather, such as the door trim, center console and instrument panel.
Beyond mere niceties, Mercedes says there's more room, too, especially for backseat passengers. The G-Class boasts 5.9 more inches of rear legroom, 1.1 more inches of rear shoulder width and 2.2 more inches of rear elbow room.
We'll know more about the redesigned G-Class when it makes its full debut at January's 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The G-Class goes on sale in late 2018.
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