The Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 is facelifted for the 2024 model year giving the flagship luxury SUV a more refined appearance and a little extra oomph.

Grilles are where the German automaker always puts a lot of effort when introducing a refreshed or redesigned vehicle, and the same is true here. The outgoing twin-blade example is retired in lieu of a four-louvre unit finished in Silver Shadow. The rest of the front fascia is much sportier as well with body colour air intake bezels and gloss black trim. At the rear, three LED blocks inside the taillamps complement the signature daytime running lights.

At 5,215 millimetres long and 2,030 wide, the boxy shape is perfect for fitting up to seven passengers (six if captain’s chairs are fitted) and/or recreational gear. On a recent spring trip into the mountains, the cavernous cargo area was nearly able to accommodate two snowboards oriented vertically.

Refreshingly, the interior is rather subdued. Gorgeous open poor wood lines the dashboard and door cards, the ambient lighting isn’t too over-the-top, and most of the controls are handled via the infotainment display. The air vent slats are also given the Silver Shadow treatment to match the grille. The equipped $7,000 Premium Rear on our press tester includes heated, ventilated and massaging second row seats and entertainment screens behind the forward extra-cushioned headrests.

Under the hood is still the 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission, which engineers have massaged to now produce 510 horsepower and 538 lb-ft of torque — an improvement of 27 and 22, respectively. Delivery is buttery smooth, but as you’re actually manoeuvring the SUV around town its girth is definitely felt. AIRMATIC air suspension is standard and automatically chooses the correct damping level depending on the driving environment to offer maximum comfort and performance.

Most buyers probably aren’t taking the GLS off-roading, but there are features like Transparent Hood that uses onboard cameras to visualize the steering angle of the wheels, potential obstacles underneath the vehicle and more. An available Off-Road Engineering package adds underbody protection and provides higher ground clearance.

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS 580 is built at the company’s Tuscaloosa factory in Alabama.