Forget the G63 – Mercedes' electric G-Wagon is my pick for a powerful off-roader

I've always had a soft spot for the Mercedes G-Class. That boxy silhouette. The clunk when you shut the door. The feeling you're piloting something carved from a granite block. But after a week with the electric Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ Technology (to give it its full title), I've come to a bold conclusion: this is the G-Wagon I'd actually want to own. Forget the AMG G63 – this one's better.
Let's start with the obvious. From the outside, the G 580 looks almost identical to its combustion-powered siblings. That's no bad thing. The squared-off design is iconic, and Mercedes has wisely chosen to preserve that silhouette rather than reinvent it. Sure, there are a few tell-tale signs – aero wheels, a smart body-coloured panel where the grille slats would usually sit, and a cleverly repurposed rear 'spare wheel' box which now hides the charging cable – but it's subtle and most people wouldn't know this is an EV.
That low-key styling suits me. I've spent time with the G63 before, and while I enjoyed the power and presence, I never really liked the attention it drew. It's loud, it's brash, and (rightly or wrongly) I always felt a twinge of guilt driving it (you know it's drinking fuel faster than you can top it up). The G 580 fixes that. It's quiet, clean and still gets just enough attention from passers-by. Even better, it doesn't make a scene every time you set off, or scream 'look at me' every time your foot goes near the throttle.
In fact, the silence is one of my favourite things about it. Off-roading, especially, just makes sense. No roaring engine, no disturbing the peace – it just glides through the countryside.
Mercedes has added an artificial electric sound in the cabin, and while I usually turn that sort of thing off in EVs, I actually left it on here. It sounds pretty good and gives you a sense of connection without being obnoxious.
Inside, it's the same story as outside. If you've been in a recent G-Class, you'll know what to expect. The interior is brilliantly built, full of satisfying switches and metallic trim. The doors still need a proper slam to shut – one of those small things that makes the G feel like a proper G.
My two-year-old son was obsessed with it. He called it the 'big car' all week and insisted on climbing in himself. That's probably the highest praise any design can get – toddler approval.
Practicality? It held up well. I used it for the usual short trips – shops, pre-school runs, to get a takeaway – but also took it on a longer journey from Bicester to Norfolk and back. That's about 140 miles each way, and it did the outward leg comfortably on a single charge.
Real-world range came out at around 220-230 miles for me, which is perfectly usable. Could it be better? Of course. It's really up to you as to whether that fits into your driving lifestyle or not.
What really impressed me, though, was how easy it is to drive. Despite its size, the G 580 never felt unwieldy. The big windows and boxy design give you great visibility, and it handles bumps and potholes like a much softer SUV. The ride is smooth, the suspension has enough give to keep things comfortable, and the new electric powertrain means acceleration is instantaneous (4.7 seconds to 60 mph). It can be very rapid when you want it to be.
The 'performance handling' seats are a highlight too. They've got inflatable side bolsters that puff up in corners to keep you in place. It sounds gimmicky, but it works surprisingly well. You can hustle this thing through twisty roads and still feel in control.
I also really liked the 'Intelligent Recuperation' mode – a smart regenerative braking setting that constantly adjusts based on traffic, road layout and gradient. I used it the whole time. For example, if you lift off the accelerator on the motorway, the car will coast. But do the same when approaching a roundabout, and it'll apply regenerative braking automatically.
There were annoyances, of course. The upright windscreen, while part of the G's charm, is an absolute bug magnet. Every journey ended with a streaked, splattered view and a silent plea for more washer fluid. If you're a clean freak, be warned: you'll be topping up regularly. But that's really my biggest gripe.
The infotainment – typically Mercedes – is slick, fast and works perfectly. Navigation, media, voice controls, and even the ambient lighting are all very straightforward.
And then there's G-Turn. Yes, it's a gimmick. But it's also absolutely hilarious. Push a few buttons, hold one of the paddles behind the steering wheel, and the car spins on the spot like a tank. It's completely pointless, let's be honest, but you'll want to show everyone.
At the end of the week, I didn't want to give the keys back. That doesn't happen often. Most cars I test go back with a nod of appreciation and a mental note filed away, but the G 580 got under my skin. It has all the things I love about the G-Wagon – the feel, the style, the go-anywhere confidence – but without the bits I didn't: the noise, the guilt, the excess.
Is it cheap? At around $170,000 / £180,000, no. But no G-Class is. The fact that this one manages to be cleaner, quieter and still just as capable is what matters.
So, if you're eyeing up a G-Wagon and think you need the G63's V8 to justify it, I'd say think again. The G 580 is the one I'd choose. Not because it's the electric one. Because it's the better one.
Liked this? The McLaren Artura is the most engaging hybrid I've ever driven

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

18 minutes ago

• Yahoo

Investors Rush to Pour Cash Into $7.4 Trillion US Money-Market Fund Industry

(Bloomberg) -- The rush of cash into the US money-market funds is showing few signs of slowing as it secured a record $7.4 trillion in assets. Bezos Wedding Draws Protests, Soul-Searching Over Tourism in Venice One Architect's Quest to Save Mumbai's Heritage From Disappearing NYC Congestion Toll Cuts Manhattan Gridlock by 25%, RPA Reports Investors have poured more than $320 billion into the funds so far this year, according to Crane Data LLC, making it one of the biggest benefactors of the Federal Reserve's current monetary policy. That's something of a surprise for those on Wall Street who'd gone into 2025 assuming officials would lower interest rates and sap the attractive returns offered by the industry. '$7 trillion can easily be $7.5 trillion in 2025,' said Deborah Cunningham, chief investment officer for global liquidity markets at Federated Hermes. 'Five-percent-plus rates were nirvana, four-percent-plus is still very good — and if we dip down into the high threes, that's quite acceptable as well.' The average simple seven-day yield is now 3.95% for government funds and 4.03% for prime, an 8 basis point spread, according to Bank of America Corp. It's a compelling backdrop as some 600 participants gather at the annual Crane's Money Fund Symposium, which kicks off Monday in Boston. Money funds have seen their coffers swell in recent years, notably in early 2020 for their haven appeal and again as the Fed's rate-hiking cycle boosted yields. Even as the Fed pivoted to cutting rates last year, assets continued to rise, with these funds typically slower to pass along the effects of lower rates when compared to banks. Households have been a key driver of the inflows. Since the Fed started raising rates in March 2022, total assets under management in US money funds have swelled by roughly $2.5 trillion, and retail investors have accounted for about 60% of that, Investment Company Institute data show. Data from ICI exclude firms' own internal money funds, unlike Crane Data, which tracks the money market industry. Inflows have continued even as the industry sees some investors embrace alternatives, such as ultra-short funds in the fixed income or equities, Cunningham said. Overall, though, it's a far cry from the exodus of cash from money-market funds that some on Wall Street had forecast. 'It's not surprising asset levels have held on and grown,' said Michael Bird, senior fund manager at Allspring Global Investments. 'Even if the Fed picks up its easing campaign this year, rates will still be relatively high.' The Fed last week laid out forecasts for two quarter-point rate cuts this year, aligning with market pricing. Although the risk that conflict in the Middle East drives up oil prices and causes a resurgence in inflation remains an uncertatinty, traders see a quarter-point reduction as likely in September and all but guaranteed by October. Given that interest-rate backdrop, money-market funds are trying to extend the weighted-average maturity — known as WAM — of their holdings as long as possible to capture elevated yields. Fund managers have also adjusted holdings to compensate for the effects of debt-ceiling drama. While Wall Street strategists largely expect the government to raise the debt limit as part of the reconciliation process by late of July or early August, some funds have put more cash toward repurchase agreements — loans collateralized by Treasuries or agency debt — as an alternative. Still, 'the expectation is when the debt ceiling gets resolved, there will be a significant increase in bill issuance, which helps yields,' Bird said. 'Uncertainty is helping our product.' Luxury Counterfeiters Keep Outsmarting the Makers of $10,000 Handbags Is Mark Cuban the Loudmouth Billionaire that Democrats Need for 2028? Ken Griffin on Trump, Harvard and Why Novice Investors Won't Beat the Pros The US Has More Copper Than China But No Way to Refine All of It Can 'MAMUWT' Be to Musk What 'TACO' Is to Trump? ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.

South Wales Argus

19 minutes ago

• South Wales Argus

Home Secretary decides to proscribe Palestine Action after ‘disgraceful attack'

Yvette Cooper confirmed the move after Palestine Action vandalised two planes inside RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on Friday. The incident is being investigated by counter-terror police. The ban under terror laws will make it a criminal offence to belong to or support the group, and will be punishable by up to 14 years in prison. A draft order will be laid in Parliament next Monday. Ms Cooper said in a written ministerial statement: 'The disgraceful attack on Brize Norton in the early hours of the morning on Friday 20 June is the latest in a long history of unacceptable criminal damage committed by Palestine Action. 'The UK's defence enterprise is vital to the nation's national security and this Government will not tolerate those that put that security at risk.'

Local Italy

19 minutes ago

• Local Italy

Florence's Uffizi to clamp down on selfies after visitor damages 18th-century artwork

The man had been attempting to strike a pose in the style of the Grand Prince Ferdinando dei Medici, a 1712 painting by Anton Domenico Gabbiani, when he fell backwards into the canvas, Italian media reported. The damage was light and the artwork would be repaired and returned to the exhibition within days, the museum said in a statement. But the broader issue of clumsy tourists vandalising Italy's artistic heritage needed addressing, it added. 'The problem of visitors coming to museums to make memes or take selfies for social media is rampant,' said Uffizi director Simone Verde. 'We will put in place very strict limits, preventing behaviour that is not compatible with the spirit of our institutions and respect for cultural heritage.' As of Monday, Verde hadn't yet specified what kinds of restrictions the museum planned to impose. There have been numerous cases of reckless visitors causing damage to Italy's artworks in recent years. Last week, Verona's Palazzo Maffei launched a manhunt for a couple who broke an art piece by sitting on it and fleeing the scene. In 2023, a spate of incidents of vandalism at Rome's Colosseum prompted the site's director to blast visitors who were 'primarily interested in taking selfies.' 'The will of the tourist-vandal is to leave their own mark, because we are by now a society oriented towards ourselves,' said Alfonsina Russo. The number of people charged with 'defacement of cultural heritage' has seen a steady increase in Italy over the past few years, Il Messaggero newspaper reported at the time.