We made the most of the May holiday
season and the practical GL with frequent family weekend trips to Mahabaleshwar
during this massive SUV’s final stint with us
Range Anxiety. The big worry that you’ll
run out of juice before you reach home is always a sticky point with electric
cars. But here in Mahabaleshwar, in the month of May, the peak holiday season
when everyone runs to the hills to escape the heat, car owners are facing Range
Anxiety too. And it’s not because everyone is zipping around in E20s...
Regular Mahabaleshwar goers will know that
trying to tank up your car during peak season can be a nightmare. Not only do
you have to queue up for ages at one of the two crowded pumps that service the
hill station, but often enough, they’ve completely run out of fuel. Chances are
that the neighbouring Panchgani has run dry too.
The
Mercedes GL 350 CDI is a visual standout from every angle, inside and out
Often enough, I’ve had to light-foot it
with one eye on the fuel gauge ‘Empty’ light glowing bright, in search of the
nearest pump, praying it has fuel. Anxious moments like this make you wish you
had a car with the range of an Airbus. Our long-term GL350 CDI comes close —
its massive tank of 100 litres, which safely equates to around 850km between
fill-ups, means that I can drive to Mahabaleshwar, roam around for a good 300km
and come back home, all on one tankful of diesel. I have to admit it’s a great
feeling to drive past long lines of cars waiting to be filled, smug with the
assurance that I won’t have to join that queue.
But it’s not just for skipping visits to
the pump that I took the GL to Mahabaleshwar almost every weekend during its
time with us; this hulking-big SUV is just so comfortable and practical for the
550km round trip. Unlike most seven seaters, the last row of seats is genuinely
useable and you don’t feel you’re losing circulation to your legs even after
our routine three-hour long stints between coffee breaks. Also, you don’t have
to choose between a third row and luggage space, another typical seven-seater
trade-off. In the GL, there’s enough luggage space for all seven people for the
weekend. Quite frankly, if it weren’t for this Merc — during the weekend I had
a full house — I’d have needed two cars to pack in the family, in-laws and
friends.
The
Mercedes features an arrow-straight driving position and well-spaced pedals
With the GL, it’s the regular ‘via Pune’
route we take. It’s more comfortable for everyone thanks to the multi-lane
expressway followed by NH4, which lets you cruise without a fuss. Even with a
full load, this SUV always feels like it has a surplus of power. The creamy
smooth V6 belts out enough torque to make overtaking simply effortless. You
don’t mind the lethargy of the 7-speed gearbox, which takes its time swapping
cogs, because performance is seamless, unhurried and lowers your pulse rate —
just the way Mrs. Sorabjee likes it.
The high seating position is simply
fantastic because you get a great view of the road ahead. The lofty perch adds
to the feeling of invincibility this solid SUV exudes. It’s the elders who
don’t like the elevated proportions, though — it’s quite a hike to get into the
cabin. For the driver, the climb inside isn’t eased by the heavily contoured
seats that come with this launch edition. That the side bolsters were badly
scuffed after just 27,000km on the clock tells you that many backsides have
struggled to plonk themselves here.
Things
are equally capacious in the second row
The launch edition also comes with 21-inch
wheels which, though good-looking, badly corrupt the ride. The truth is, this
version of the GL is one of the poorest riding Mercedes’ (after the R-class)
that I have experienced. There’s just too much body movement, the chassis
doesn’t feel taut and the low-pro tyres crash through sharp edges, spoiling the
ambience of the cabin. There’s just too much roll in Comfort mode and it’s best
to use the softest setting strictly in the city. At highway speeds, you need
Sport mode to tie up this 2.5-tonne SUV effectively.
Mention must be made of the GPS system
which, if you’re driving from Pune to Mahab, is not to be trusted. I’m not sure
of other routes, but this one I know in my sleep, and I was shocked when the
pretty voice coaxed me to cross over to NH17 via Bhor instead of sticking to
NH4! That’s like asking me to drive to Delhi via Kanyakumari.
Enough
luggage space for the family’s weekend out
Back in Mumbai, the GL’s massive length was
an issue in our tight office parking lot. But it’s amazing how quickly you get
used to this vehicle’s size. The fantastic all-round visibility, reverse
cameras and generous mirrors take the pain out of piloting this behemoth in
crowded areas.
Merc’s biggest SUV may not be its finest,
but for sheer practicality and as a family car, it’s a luxury that’s hard to
beat.
