​​Driving and Challenging Every Available G-Class Across Morocco​

It can be easy to give a sideways glance at overtly luxurious off-road vehicles, like the Mercedes-Benz G-Class prowling the most expensive areas of the city. You can scoff that they have never experienced anything more challenging than a drive to the nearest ski resort, and that may well be true. But once you have experienced the vehicles on the terrain for which they were truly engineered, the scoff can turn to respect, and you can understand why someone would want to have one of their own. 

Mercedes-Benz gave automotive writers an experience with a wide variety of G-Class models across Morocco’s diverse terrain. Motor Trend’s International Bureau Chief, Angus McKinzie, was there and wrote that the experience changed some opinions and confirmed others. Mercedes-Benz of Plano presents you with a summary of what he found.  

The journey began in Marrakesh, where guests were introduced to variants of the complete G-Class lineup that would go on the three-day trip, including the G 450 D, G 550, G 580 EV, AMG® G 63, and the AMG® G 63 4×42 pickup truck, which is not sold in the U.S. From that 1000-year-old city, they traveled through mountains and the seemingly endless Merzouga Desert, providing several opportunities for the models to show their comparative strengths and weaknesses.  

McKinzie’s first observation was that off the pavement, he preferred the G 450 D to the G 550. Both models are powered by a 3.0-liter inline-6, but the former is turbo-diesel-powered, providing 34% more torque. McKinzie argues that this makes it much more in sync with the go-anywhere character of the G-Class, even if it is a bit slower from 0 to 60 than the gas-powered model. Of course, being a diesel, it has better fuel economy. He did find the G 550 preferable to the previous V8-powered model of the same name, which was a bit loud for his taste. 

The all-electric G 580 was polarizing.  With a motor for each wheel, it can perform interesting tricks, like having one side turn the wheels forward, and the other side turn them rearward to turn in place like a tank.  And previous experience showed the model very adept “on the steep, shattered limestone hills near Perpignan in southern France”.  But the model lacks a sand mode, and in the Merzouga desert, it needed one. The lack of engine noise, so pleasant on the highway, made it difficult to judge wheel speed as it started to sink into the sand. That, and the fact that it weighs nearly 1,000 pounds more than the G 63, made it the most prone to getting stuck in the sand. Unspoken was how, with a 239-mile range in normal conditions, they kept the G 580 charged in the wild. 

The biggest surprise was the AMG® G 63. With its handcrafted 4.0-liter V8 twin-turbo mild-hybrid producing 577-horsepower and 627-lb-ft of torque, the G 63 could easily be written off as a gilded lily meant to show off the owner’s greater wealth than owners of “ordinary” G-Class models. A “Show Pony” in McKinzie’s words.  But the G 63 proved amazingly adept and agile.   McKinzie credits this in part to the fact that it was riding on 20-inch wheels wrapped with General Grabber AT 275/50 tires, “the smallest rims and the highest-profile rubber available,” and essentially warns against available larger wheel set-ups if you genuinely plan to head off-road.  The other notable feature was the Active Ride Control Suspension, which made its debut in 2024.  McKinzie describes it this way: 

“Active Ride Control uses hydraulically interconnected, two-valve shocks to precisely control wheel and body motions. It can change the effective compression and rebound damping rates of each shock, which eliminates the need for mechanical roll bars. In Sport+ mode, the system effectively doubles the roll stiffness setting of the default Comfort model; in Off-Road mode, it halves it. The result is a G 63 that feels a lot more controlled and comfortable than it used to, regardless of what’s going on under the wheels.” 

He goes on to recommend that you obtain Active Ride Control as part of the $13,450* AMG® Off-Road package PRO rather than the $4,400* AMG® Performance package, which also includes it, as the latter includes 22-inch tires and wheels, which may look great but significantly diminish off-road ability.  Plus, the Off-Road Package includes very effective Trail, Sand, and Rock driving modes.  

Outfitted as such, the G 63 will exceed expectations of its already serious off-road looks and ride just fine on the highway as well. “And,” as McKinzie puts it, “…that’s a G 63 I can love.” 

If you want the vehicle that transports you, your family, and cargo in style, takes you to work and back every day in serene comfort, and then master the off-road park on the weekend, visit Mercedes-Benz of Plano and check out the entire G-Class line. 

 *Base MSRP excludes transportation and handling charges, destination charges, taxes, title, registration, preparation, and documentary fees, tags, labor, and installation charges, insurance, and optional equipment, products, packages, and accessories. Options, model availability, and actual Dealer price may vary. See Dealer for details, costs, and terms.