- HIGHSWay quicker than you’d think a giant shoebox should be, impressive off-road capability, iconic exterior design.
- LOWSBoxy shape causes wind noise on the highway, feels tippy in high-speed cornering maneuvers, hard-to-swallow price tag.
- VERDICTAMG’s high-performance version of Mercedes’s legendary G-wagen is a hot-rod off-roader that’s as charming as it is crazy.
Mercedes-Benz’s iconic G-wagen SUV has roots as a military vehicle, but the high-performance 2022 Mercedes-AMG G63 model serves an entirely different driver than the 1970s original. A 577-hp twin-turbocharged V-8 engine gives the G63 incredible performance, and its posh cabin offers all the modern amenities we’ve come to expect from a top-spec Mercedes A host of infotainment and other tech features that would have seemed like science fiction to the designers of the original truck are standard. Want to go off road? The G63 can tackle those tasks too, although we’d be nervous about nicking its sporty-looking 20-inch wheels. No matter how you intend to use it, though, the G63 is built to impress—and its price tag reflects both its skillset and status.
Where This Vehicle Ranks
What’s New for 2022?
Mercedes-AMG has made no notable changes to the G-class for 2022. It remains one of the craziest offerings in Mercedes’s lineup thanks to its combination of bread-box styling and 577 horsepower.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
All G63s come with a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 engine that makes 577 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. A nine-speed automatic gearbox with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters sends all that power to the all-wheel-drive system (4Matic, in Mercedes marketing lingo). Low-range gearing (2.93:1 reduction) is standard as are three locking differentials, allowing the G63 to scale steep dirt grades with ridiculous ease. At our test track, the nearly 5800-pound G63 rocketed from zero to 60 mph in just 3.9 seconds. Along with its extra power, the G63 has AMG-specific suspension tuning. Ride comfort is vastly improved versus older G-wagens, but given this SUV’s towering height and off-road mission, you shouldn’t expect much in the way of handling ability. And there’s still quite a bit of wind noise at highway speeds. Properly equipped, the G63 can tow up to 6500 pounds.