The beloved G-wagen is set for a seismic shift this year, as Mercedes-Benz prepares to unveil the fully-electric EQG sometime in the coming months. But if a full switch to EV is just a bit too drastic for you, worry not – ahead of the upcoming fully-electric model, the company has now unveiled the new 2024 Mercedes-Benz G-Class with only a mild case of electrification – as in, mild hybrid – to hopefully still satisfy your dinosaur juice needs.
Mercedes-Benz calls this an “all-new” model, but it’s really still just the same car as the one released back in 2018 – it’s still riding on the same ladder frame chassis, and heck, it still looks essentially the same, save for a couple of aerodynamic-related tweaks (which we’ll touch on later).
It’s just a “facelift” update, then, but a pretty major one to be fair. Because underneath the bonnet, all flavours of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz G-Class will now come with a slight tinge of electrons, courtesy of their new 48V mild-hybrid integrated starter-generator (ISG) units.
The line-up (in Europe) kicks off with the base G500, which has now swapped its turbo V8 for an electrified twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six mill. Despite its lower cylinder count, power has actually gone up by a fair margin here – now at 449 hp and 560 Nm, with the 48V ISG contributing an additional 20 hp and 200 Nm in short bursts.
On the oil-burning side, the previous line-up has now been replaced by a single G450d variant, which gets an inline-six turbodiesel with 48V mild hybrid technology to deliver 367 hp and 750 Nm (+20 hp and 200 Nm temporary boost).
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Of course, the one that gets people excited is the AMG G63, which now also gets the mild hybrid treatment. Output figures aren’t changed here (still 585 hp and 850 Nm), but Mercedes-Benz says that thanks to the 20 hp boost from the ISG, alongside a newly updated nine-speed automatic gearbox across all variants, the new 2024 Mercedes-AMG G63 now accelerates to 100 km/h some 1.1 seconds quicker than before (4.3 seconds with AMG Performance Package).
The range-topping G63 also gains an optional sportscar-derived Active Ride Control suspension, which swaps anti-sway bars with new hydraulic active roll control hardware to improve handling performance both on and off-road – the latter courtesy of increased wheel articulation, and the new AMG Offroad Package Pro that also includes an off-road brake-based torque vectoring system.
All variants of the new 2024 G-Wagen will at least come with a new Offroad Cockpit mode on its new touchscreen MBUX screens, which takes over both displays to show relevant information such as GPS position, altitude, pitch and roll articulation, to even a new “transparent hood” feature that lets drivers see what’s underneath their car.
Other new interior features also include climate-controlled cupholders, wireless phone charging, 64-color ambient lighting system, illuminated air vents, an updated dashboard design, and even new advanced driver assistance tech, all significantly modernising the G-Class’ retro-inspired interior. You can even opt for fancy rear-seat media setup with two 11.6-inch touchscreens, if you wish.
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As for the aforementioned aerodynamic-design tweaks, there’s the redesigned A-pillar trim that now sits flush to the bodywork, and new lip spoilers around the roof edge. Mercedes-Benz says these are all tricks it’s learned while developing the upcoming fully-electric EQG model, and together with new insulating material within the bodywork, “contribute to improved aerodynamics and increased acoustic comfort” inside the cabin.
In case you miss these tiny aerodynamic changes though, there’s also the slightly redesigned bumpers with larger rectangular intakes in front, and a new front grille with four thick silver horizontal bars (on the non-AMG models) to tell the new 2024 model apart from the older ones. Still, blink and you’ll miss it.
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