Mercedes-Benz G 450 d Review: The $200K Tonka Truck That’s Old-School Outside, Ultra-Modern Within

If you want to know where Suzuki got the idea for the Jimny . . .

This is the Mercedes-Benz G 450 d and it’s much more than just a scaled-up Jimny-style Tonka truck.

For a start, the price is more than $200,000. And it will run for more than 800 kilometres on a single tank of diesel. And it can make an A-List arrival with the same impact as a Ferrari or Lamborghini.

Yet it can also go deeply into the off-road world, with beef everywhere from the ladder-frame chassis and body design to locking differentials at each end. Not that many people will take it to ‘Beer o’clock hill’ – Google it – for some weekend adventure work.

It’s far more likely to be found at a country club or gastropub, where the owners will be enjoying the visual impact of their chunky family wagon. It can even be ordered with a pop-up tent on top of the optional roof rack, which is accessible through a step ladder on the back door.

Through all the contradictory design and performance of the latest G 450 d one thing stands out. It is old-school on the outside but plush and modern inside, with the best quality of anything in Mercedes-Benz showrooms in 2026. It doesn’t just look and sound good, thanks to a Burmeister package for the infotainment systems, it is good.

Proof? There are two vents at the back of the body, to release cabin over-pressure when you slam the doors shut. It’s an impressive party trick, as air shoots out of the vents, but also proof that the cabin is as secure as an old-school safe in your local bank branch.

The G-Wagon traces its roots to the 1970s, when it was designed as a basic troop transport for the German army. Its full name is Gelanderwagon, which translates as ’terrain vehicle’. At the time it was dreadfully slow, something I remember from miserable highway cruising, but with mountain climbing ability to match or better a Land Rover or LandCruiser.

It has morphed and developed over the generations and in 2026 there is both a fully battery-electric model and the raunchy G 63, with a pop-bang turbocharged exhaust note, in the range.

Despite the chunky price-tag, the G 450 sits in the sweet spot thanks to its diesel hybrid powertrain and a full list of standard luxury stuff.

It has a claimed total of 750 Newton-metres of torque, which means it can actually jack-rabbit to 100km/h in 5.8 seconds, with lots of turbo-boosted power for overtaking. Even though it’s only a 48-volt ‘mild’ hybrid, there is a significant pay-off in economy and driving range.

Benz says it has 241 millimetres of ground clearance, can ford water up to 700 millimetres deep, and sits stable on a side slop up to 35 degrees.
Driving the G-wagon is an interesting contradiction, because it’s swift and hugely secure, also nicely brisk.

It can feel a bit tippy in tight corners, but it’s partly an illusion because it has good grip and a secure balance. You turn the wheel and it follows your directions. It also has powerful brakes.

The driver-assistance systems are what you expect in a Benz, there but not taking control, and the view is clean and clear in all directions.

Having taken G-wagons on a weekend punish run in the past there was no need to anything beyond some gravel road work. It will definitely do what it says on the packet.

What’s not to like, apart from the price? The boot space is pretty miserable for something so big, and there is also restricted legroom in the back seat. Although head clearance is not any sort of a challenge.

Like the Land Rover Defender, the G-wagon is old-school with plenty of modern twists.

Like the Defender, it looks ancient but drives thoroughly modern.

It’s not for everyone, but the people who have them are lucky and happy.

MERCEDES-BENZ G 450d

Price: from $214,900
Position: full-sized family four-wheel drive
Engine: 3-litre inline 6-cylinder diesel, mild hybrid
Output: 270 kW/750 Nm
Gearbox: 8-speed auto, all-wheel drive
Safety: not rated
The tick: you would if you could