2011 Mercedes-Benz G-Class Review
Price Estimate: $12,926 - $18,862





+70
Edmunds' Expert Review
by the Edmunds Experts
Pros
- Strong V8 engines
- go-anywhere capability
- unmatched presence
- luxuriously appointed cabin.
Cons
- Unwieldy handling
- limited front legroom
- very tall roof line
- abysmal fuel economy
- finicky telematics interface.
What’s new
For 2011, the Mercedes-Benz G-Class sees no changes apart from a few new wheel styles.
Edmunds says
Buying a 2011 Mercedes-Benz G-Class makes little rational sense. But its massive power, luxurious cabin and tanklike presence make it strangely desirable if you've got a few bucks to burn.
For sale near Columbus, OH
11 listings
- 85,599 miles
- No accidents, 1 owner, personal use only
- 5 Seats, 11 City / 15 Hwy MPG
- Brothers Auto Group (135 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
Close
Located in Youngstown, OH
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: Yes
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
13 Combined MPG (11 City/15 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: WDCYC3HF2BX191946
Stock: 11185
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 05-13-2024- $41,000fair price$1,675 above market
- 114,153 miles
- No accidents, 7 owners, corporate fleet vehicle
- 5 Seats, 11 City / 13 Hwy MPG
- EHE Recycling (186 mi away)
- AWD/4WD
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Navigation
- Leather Seats
Close
Located in Marine City, MI
G-class AMG, Black on black, clean title with no accident on Carfax, Runs and drives good, SUV from Florida, drove it back to Michigan in 25 may/2025 ...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
12 Combined MPG (11 City/13 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: WDCYC7BF4BX191804
Stock: 191804
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 06-02-2025
Vehicle overview
Suppose you're the generalissimo of a military junta, or a prominent rap mogul. Maybe you own a remote cabin tucked away in the Rocky Mountains. Under any of these circumstances, you'll likely want an unapologetically brash, monumentally powerful, impenetrably built, endlessly capable and opulently luxurious vehicle that is like nothing else on the road. In other words, you'll want a 2011 Mercedes-Benz G-Class.
Debuting back in 1979, the Gelaendewagen ("tough terrain vehicle"), or "G-wagen" for short, quickly found favor with various military outfits as well as safari enthusiasts. As the decades passed, the G-Class morphed from a serious, stripped-down, go-anywhere rig to a serious, loaded-up, go-anywhere rig. Yet despite its current S-Class-style interior furnishings, the underlying utilitarian nature is still a large part of this 5,600-pound truck's charm.
The oft-used cliché of Mercedes-Benz vehicles being built like a bank vault is no more apt than it is here, and for reasons other than the fact that the G-Class resembles a bank vault. The doors shut with such a solid, reassuring "clack"that we're surprised there isn't a combination lock affixed to the rear cargo portal. If the G-Class strikes you as being over-engineered and virtually indestructible, that's only because it is.
All romantic notions of saving Third World countries and/or running with the wildebeests on the Serengeti plains aside, the reality is that the very tall and very heavy G-wagen handles poorly in urban environments. Corners are best not rushed, the steering and throttle have a slow, leaden feel and some of the cabin's controls are down low and hard to reach. Other real-world demerits include the high step-in height, the voracious fuel consumption and the question of whether the towering G will fit in parking garages (including your own). On the upside, the ride is surprisingly compliant and the interior is certainly luxurious, if not as space-efficient as the boxy body promises.
Looking at the big picture, the 2011 Mercedes G550 and its supercharged G55 AMG stablemate make little sense as practical vehicle choices. As such, the G-Class is a quintessential third (or 13th) vehicle -- incredibly impractical but incredibly capable, with eye-catching styling to boot. If you like what the G has to offer and it won't be serving daily-driver duty, it could be a worthy addition to your fleet. But for regular transportation, a 2011 Lexus LX 570, 2011 Porsche Cayenne, 2011 Land Rover Range Rover or even a 2011 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class would make a lot more sense -- even for a retired generalissimo.
Performance & mpg
The 2011 Mercedes-Benz G550 is powered by a 5.5-liter V8 that produces 382 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. It has a full-time four-wheel-drive system with lockable front, center and rear differentials. A seven-speed automatic transmission is standard. In Edmunds performance testing, the G550 went from zero to 60 in 6.6 seconds. EPA estimated fuel economy is 11 mpg city/15 mpg highway and 13 mpg combined.
The G55 AMG gets a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 that pumps out 500 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque. It gets the same four-wheel-drive system, but has a five-speed automatic. Mercedes estimates a 0-60 time of 5.4 seconds. Fuel economy is estimated to be 11/15/12 mpg.
Safety
The G-Class comes standard with antilock brakes, traction and stability control and side curtain airbags. Side torso airbags are not available. In Edmunds brake testing, the G550 posted a 127-foot stop from 60 mph, an exceptional performance for such a heavy vehicle.
Driving
With either V8, acceleration in the 2011 Mercedes-Benz G-Class is always a laugh-inducing experience -- something this huge simply should not be moving so quickly. Thankfully, it does, and it's a riot. The ride is comfortable on the highway, and only the nastiest potholes will send unpleasant impacts into the cabin. In terms of handling, the tall and narrow G doesn't inspire confidence through turns, and it enjoys the dubious distinction of being the slowest vehicle on record in the Edmunds slalom test, thanks in part to a highly intrusive stability control system. Moreover, the steering is slow and doesn't return to center easily or quickly since this vehicle is set up for off-roading.
The slow steering is a benefit in the dirt, though, as the G-Class can be guided through just about anything nature throws at it and the steering wheel rarely registers the impacts. With its full-time four-wheel-drive system with front, center and rear locking differentials, the G goes about its trail bashing (if one is so inclined in a $100,000 vehicle) with a more back-to-basics approach than what you'll get from a high-tech Land Rover or Lexus.
Interior
Although modern Benz electronics and climate controls are fitted to the G550, there's no getting around the utilitarian truck architecture. The navigation system and its fussy COMAND interface (which mostly relies on a four-button directional pad) are located at knee level; the simple climate controls are at your shins. Some features can be operated with steering-wheel controls, but in general, all other high-end luxury SUVs are more ergonomically friendly. In front, there is a single cupholder that clumsily plugs into the center armrest and another located in the passenger footwell that resembles a mesh athletic supporter.
Interior quality is excellent, but space is a different matter. Front-seat legroom is insufficient for taller drivers, and the backseat could use some more legroom. A center armrest in the back would be nice, too. On the upside (literally), there is no shortage of headroom, and the range of height adjustment for the power front seats is astounding. Flipping the rear seats forward provides 79.5 cubic feet of cargo space, but large humps on each side of the trunk (which resemble rear benches for seating troops) make fitting wider items like golf clubs difficult.
2011 Mercedes-Benz G-Class models
The 2011 Mercedes-Benz G-Class is a five-passenger SUV available in G550 and G55 AMG trim levels. The G550 comes standard with 18-inch wheels, automatic bi-xenon headlamps, automatic wipers, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, auto-dimming driver and interior mirrors, a sunroof, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, eight-way power front seats with power lumbar and driver memory functions, leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel.
Also standard are the COMAND electronics interface, Bluetooth, a hard-drive-based navigation system with real-time traffic updates, voice controls, and a Harman Kardon surround-sound stereo with a six-CD/DVD changer, satellite radio and an iPod interface. The G55 AMG adds a supercharged V8, 19-inch wheels, upgraded paint and interior wood trim, additional chrome body guards, an AMG instrument cluster and a faux suede headliner. There are no options on either model.

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Compare 2011 Mercedes-Benz G-Class trim levels
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
Cost to Drive
Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio
$398/mo for G-Class G550
G-Class G550
vs
$175/mo
Avg. Midsize SUV
See Edmunds pricing data
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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
2.5 out of 5 stars2.5/5Average
#26 out of 29 among Luxury Midsize SUVs
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
$965/yr
vs. $602/yr
for Average Luxury Midsize SUV
for Average Luxury Midsize SUV
Frequency
1.09x/yr
vs. 1.09x/yr
for Average Luxury Midsize SUV
for Average Luxury Midsize SUV
Severity
23.6%
vs. 9.4%
for Average Luxury Midsize SUV
for Average Luxury Midsize SUV
powered by RepairPal
Mercedes-Benz G-Class Owner Reviews
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Don't compare this vehicle to others
5 out of 5 starsCiro, 10/14/2004
2004 Mercedes-Benz G-Class G500 4WD 4dr SUV (5.0L 8cyl 5A)
I read other reviews and laughed. They
expect a square vehicle to be quiet and
get good mpg, not. I bought this
vehicle because of it's actual
ruggedness and the fact that it's a
military vehicle in Germany. In other
words, a German Hummer. I got exactly
what I expected an more. A very tough
vehicle with some luxury appointments.
Interior noise is minimal for a …
square vehicle. It handles like a
truck, as it should, since it weighs as
much a a large pick-up truck. Gas
mileage is actually not that bad if you
don't use the 292hp all the time. I've
averaged 19mpg in the highway @ 55mph
and as high as 17mpg in the city if
your light on the gas. But stomp on the
pedal and it drinks the fuel.
2005 - G500 Grand Edition
5 out of 5 starsDan A., 07/16/2015
2005 Mercedes-Benz G-Class Grand Edition 4WD 4dr SUV (5.4L 8cyl S/C 5A)
Sold it for $20k USD.
This car is bulletproof. Rides like a luxury sedan. Handles like a beast in the snow and bad weather.
Mine is at 190+k miles and going strong and looks great! Wish it had navigation, blue tooth and a usb port. Things starting to go wrong and it's $500- $1,000 each time. All 4 door lock malfunction - one goes the others go at $300 each, Windshield wiper motor, worn … out belts...pitted window is common here in the mountains, etc. Oh, did I tell you that if your headlamp goes out you just don't replace at $10, you have to take apart the front end and that can be $400+. But here's the bottom line...I walk out, jump in and it starts and goes and goes and goes.
A Beautiful Tank on the outside, Harsh on the inside
3.75 out of 5 starsdanielk1974, 04/07/2011
2008 Mercedes-Benz G-Class G500 4dr SUV 4WD (5.0L 8cyl 7A)
My wife got this car as her ultimate SUV dream vehicle.
She had wanted one for 15 years.
We got a good deal and she traded in her Lexus LX 570.
We went from a peaceful cocoon of luxury to a rough and randy tank.
She absolutely loves it.
There is truly nothing else like it on the road.
However, it is not very comfortable to drive.
Steering is heavy.
Acceleration is slow.
The engine is … loud.
The seats are not comfortable.
And yet everytime she looks at it, she loves it a little more.
I don't like driving it at all, but that's why she tells me its her car, not mine.
Update to previous review
3.13 out of 5 starsJulesH, 09/02/2008
2007 Mercedes-Benz G-Class G500 4dr SUV 4WD (5.0L 8cyl 7A)
I've had this vehicle now for 5 months. It has been in the shop several times. It is not reliable and I cannot recommend it. The steering wheel shock absorber was replaced and front end was aligned, the entire headlight bulb assembly had to be reworked to fix an electrical short (this took 3 trips to the dealer) and the passenger side door had to be realigned since it would not close … properly. This was all within the 1st. week of ownership. Then the rear door lock went and now the rear window washer does not work. Car is a time bomb. The dealer is now offering to buy it back after my complaints. It was supposed to be CPO'd, but problems since day 1 have been occurring.
We have a limited number of reviews for the 2011 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, so we've included reviews for other years of the G-Class since its last redesign.
2011 G-Class Highlights
SUV
G550
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $105,750 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 13 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $398/month |
Seating | 5 seats |
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place | 45.2 cu.ft. |
Drivetrain | four wheel drive |
Warranty | 4 years / 50,000 miles |
Safety
Key safety features on the G-Class include:
- Back-up camera
- Alarm
- Tire Pressure Warning
- Stability Control
- Post-collision safety system
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