Mercedes-Benz G 580 review: The iconic G-Wagen goes all-electric

The all-electric Mercedes-Benz G-Class retains the original’s boxy styling while offering spookily-silent off-road prowess and surprising on-road refinement. It's not cheap, but it's an impressive evolution of an icon. Whether it’s parked up at the business end of a red carpet or carving a path through a muddy field, the G-Class has always made a statement. The new all-electric version amplifies the message while keeping true to the petrol car’s roots.

The iconic, boxy design remains largely untouched, save for subtle EV-specific cues. Inside you’ll find the familiar blend of high-fashion luxury and off-road ruggedness, like a catwalk model in waders. Switch off the simulated engine roar and the cabin is impressively quiet, in stark contrast to the riotous V8 of the EV’s noisy neighbour, the AMG G63. On the road, the G 580’s power and instant torque make for effortless progress. The ride is impressively smooth and comfortable making long journeys a pleasure. At 3.2 tonnes and with all the aerodynamics of a falling fish tank, efficiency and practicality is a distant afterthought, as it is with every G-Class.

But even thinking about EV mileage is missing the point somewhat: the £154,000 G-Class has always been a heart-over-head choice. Off-road tricks like G-Steering and G-Turn range from clever to outright silly, providing exceptional control and precise power in situations that, in reality. you’re never likely to find yourself in. The electric G 580 is a car that can ford streams, crawl up steep muddy inclines on autopilot and turn 360-degrees on the spot, not because that’s especially useful on the school run, but because it’s ridiculously good fun.

We took the G 580 on a two-day tour of the Highlands, navigating winding country lanes, manoeuvring its vast bulk into passing points on narrow tracks and driving long stretches of motorway. We thoroughly tested the off-road capabilities in a muddy square mile of Scotland on a suitably miserable day. Independent rating: 8/10. The G 580’s 116kWh battery promises a range of 283 miles and officially does around 2.2 miles per kWh. That’s one of the least efficient SUVs of this size, but not unexpected given this is a 3.2 tonne monster with the shape of a kitchen appliance. Mercedes has made a few concessions to aerodynamics with a new spoiler on the roof, a slightly raised bonnet and “air curtains” in the rear wheel arch flares, which more than anything help to reduce wind noise at speed.

The battery is housed in an armoured, torsion-resistant casing to prevent it being instantly obliterated on off-road adventures, and the resulting low centre of gravity gives the G 580 a Spider-Man-like climbing ability on steep ascents. 200kW DC rapid charging means a 10 to 80 per cent top-up will take around 30 minutes. Of course, finding suitable chargers in the G 580’s natural rural habitat will be a challenge.

Performance is impressively punchy and feels true to the G-Class’s reputation. Four individual electric motors combine to deliver 587hp and 1,164 Nm of instant torque, translating to a 0-62mph time of just 4.7 seconds, which feels even quicker thanks to the seamless electric thrust. Off-road, those four dedicated motors enable virtual difflock – essentially the G 580 uses intelligent torque vectoring to dynamically send power to each wheel, providing consistent traction and keeping the car moving steadily across shifting, soft and uneven terrain. Those motors also help with the G 580’s ridiculous party trick – the G-Turn – which spins the car 360-degrees on the spot.

Back on solid road however, the G 580 feels remarkably refined and composed for its build. Mercedes has done a fantastic job of making the all-electric G-Class handle like the ICE models. The coil spring suspension and adaptive dampers make light work of Scotland’s worst potholes and the steering feels quick and precise, though the sheer weight of the G 580 is soon felt on winding trails, where the ride can get uncomfortably bumpy. The cabin’s height and upright riding position offers a dominating view of your surroundings, though that boxy frame and letterbox windscreen often plonks the A-pillar in an inconvenient spot on long right-hand turns through Highland mountains.

Clamber upwards into the cabin and you’ll feel every penny of the G 580’s starting price, with high-quality materials and plush seats for driver and passengers. Treading mud into this interior feels like an arrestable offence. Our sold-out Edition One spec came fitted with a blue-tinted carbon-fibre trim and Nappa leather upholstery, and heated seats that gently inflate to hug your body around sharp bends. You also get your usual little G-Class touches, like a chunky grab bar to help your passenger safely find their way down and out of the cabin.

It’s a little less spacious than you’d expect from the outside, but the tall cabin means there’s no shortage of headroom for even the tallest riders, while there’s plenty of room in the back for passengers, who get their own climate controls. Up front, heating and cooling is all managed with physical buttons, while the digital instrument cluster is adjusted with fiddly touch controls on the steering wheel.