If the Mercedes-Benz name doesn’t carry enough cachet and luxury for you, the German luxury brand ups the ante with its line of Mercedes-Maybach models. The most comfortable for the most people among them is the new 2027 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680, a full-size SUV meant to coddle occupants as they head to the country club.
2027 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680 Pricing, Specs, and Release Date
- What’s New for the 2027 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680
- Design
- Powertrain
- Interior
- Technology
- Safety
- Pricing and Release Date
- Further Research
What’s New for the 2027 Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680
Like the rest of the Mercedes-Benz GLS lineup, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS gets a refresh for 2027, changing its name from GLS 600 to GLS 680 in the process. The update includes design changes, more power, more sound deadening, updated connected technology, revised steering, a new trick for handling, and new driver-assistance and autonomous driving systems (ADAS).
Design
The Mercedes-Maybach GLS shares its basic design with the standard GLS but has several unique features. Up front, the grille features vertical ribs, sports the Maybach name along its top, and is illuminated at night. A Mercedes-Benz star logo hood ornament is a blast from the past. A black panel connects the grille to the headlights, which feature rose-gold accents, integrated Mercedes star lighting elements, and Mercedes’ Digital Light technology that uses more than a million facets and can dim light for oncoming drivers. A chrome surround frames the lower air intake. Along the sides, the GLS 680 has automatic retracting running boards with LED light strips. At the rear, Mercedes stars are integrated into the taillights to play off the front end, as does a chrome lower valance. Mercedes offers the GLS 680 with two-tone paint schemes.
The GLS 680 comes standard with 22-inch wheels with a 20-hole design, and optional 23-inch forged wheels in the Mercedes monobloc design have the Mercedes-Benz star in their center mounted on a ball-bearing assembly that always keeps them upright.
An optional Maybach Night Series Design package adds dark chrome trim to the exterior and comes with black and Black Pearl nappa leather or Crystal White nappa leather and Black Pearl accents. Also available are Beech Brown and Macchiato Beige Maybach Exclusive nappa leather and Grain Brown Walnut Wood and High-Gloss Silver Metallic Mixed Fabric trims.
Inside, the GLS 680 features Mercedes’ Superscreen with three screens, including one for the front passenger. The driver display has Rose Gold dials. The air vents on the dash have a gondola design and are illuminated.
Powertrain
The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680 comes with a single powertrain. It is a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 aided by a 48-volt mild hybrid system. Total output is 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque, increases of 53 hp and 89 lb-ft. The electric motor can add 23 hp to aid acceleration.
Mercedes hasn’t said what the transmission is, but it’s likely the same nine-speed automatic as last year. Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel-drive (AWD) system comes standard, and the standard air suspension can raise and lower the ground clearance to clear obstacles or pull itself out of the mud in an Off-Road mode, but anyone who takes this ultra-luxury SUV off-roading will likely best be served by having their head examined. Fuel economy figures are not yet available, but the 2026 GLS 600 is EPA-rated at 13 mpg city, 18 highway, and 15 combined. Expect the same for the GLS 680.
Interior
If you can’t get comfortable in the GLS 680, you can’t get comfortable in any vehicle. Up front, it features the brand’s Multicontour seats with numerous power adjustments. The seats have a massage function, heating and ventilation.
The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680 seats only four, because it has the Executive Seats that recline and have calf rests. A massage function extends to those calf rests. A rear center console is standard, and it’s offered with an optional refrigerated compartment.
Mercedes hasn’t shared cargo space figures, but they will certainly be compromised by the rear Executive Seats. The 2026 GLS 600 has just 18.4 cubic feet of space behind the second row.
Technology
The Mercedes-Maybach GLS 680 comes standard with the Mercedes-Benz Superscreen that includes 12.3-inch displays for the digital instrument cluster, center touchscreen, and a front passenger screen. The operating system uses artificial intelligence, is connected to the Mercedes-Benz Intelligent Cloud, and can keep current with over-the-air (OTA) updates. It has the MBUX Virtual Assistant that integrates ChapGPT, MicroSoft Bing search, and Google Gemini.
The standard audio system is a 15-speaker Burmester unit with 710 watts of power, and an optional rear entertainment system adds a pair of rear 11.6-inch screens. All of the displays have Maybach-exclusive interfaces.
