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Three-row seating gives the Mercedes-Benz GLS room for six or seven passengers depending on configuration, while power-adjustable rear seats make it easier to balance passenger space with cargo needs. Heated seating, multizone climate control, premium cabin materials, and extensive sound insulation reinforce the GLS’s role as Mercedes-Benz’s largest luxury SUV.
Interior technology has changed significantly across recent model years. The 2022 through 2026 GLS uses a dual 12.3-inch display arrangement built around MBUX, while the 2024 refresh brought revised controls, upgraded charging capability, new finishes, and additional infotainment functions. The 2027 redesign makes the larger jump to a three-display MBUX Superscreen and the new MB.OS platform.
The biggest cabin change for 2027 sits directly across the dashboard. Mercedes-Benz replaces the previous dual-screen setup with the standard MBUX Superscreen, which combines a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, 12.3-inch central touchscreen, and 12.3-inch front-passenger display beneath one continuous glass surface.
The new MB.OS platform also changes how occupants interact with the GLS. The MBUX Virtual Assistant incorporates generative AI, navigation is based on Google Maps, and available MBUX Augmented Reality for Navigation adds visual guidance to the route display. Rear passengers can also be equipped with two 11.6-inch HD entertainment screens.
Three 12.3-inch displays
Driver instrumentation, central infotainment, and a dedicated front-passenger screen share one dashboard surface.
MB.OS supports the latest MBUX interface, connected services, navigation, driver-assistance functions, and over-the-air updates.
Two available 11.6-inch HD displays
Second-row passengers can access entertainment and compatible connected functions from dedicated screens.
An available rear-seat package places greater emphasis on second-row comfort and passenger amenities.
The redesigned panoramic roof spans more than 10.8 square feet of glass, opening the cabin to substantially more natural light.
Air-quality management joins the GLS’s climate and comfort systems to help filter and monitor cabin air.
The MBUX Superscreen and MB.OS platform replace the dashboard and software architecture used in the 2022 through 2026 GLS.
Seven-passenger seating comes standard in the 2026 GLS, while an available six-passenger configuration replaces the second-row bench with individual seats. The second row power-adjusts and reclines, and the 50/50-split third row can fold electrically when more cargo room is needed.
Two 12.3-inch displays continue to anchor the cockpit. MBUX includes natural-language voice control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, front wireless charging, and available augmented video guidance. Four-zone automatic climate control is standard, with five-zone climate control standard on the GLS 580 and available on the GLS 450.
A three-place second-row bench maximizes capacity, while available individual second-row seats create a center passage to the third row.
A configurable digital instrument cluster sits alongside the 12.3-inch MBUX multimedia touchscreen.
Power adjustment and reclining are built into the second row, while the third row folds in a 50/50 split.
Four-zone climate control is standard, with five-zone capability offered on select configurations.
A 13-speaker Burmester Surround Sound System is standard, while a 29-speaker High-End 3D system is available.
Available equipment includes multicontour seating, massage functions, ventilated seating, heated rear seats, and upgraded rear head restraints.
The 2025 GLS retains the cabin introduced with the previous year’s refresh, including the dual 12.3-inch widescreen cockpit, three-row seating, revised MBUX interface, and updated steering-wheel controls. A seven-passenger layout is standard, while available individual second-row seats create a six-passenger configuration.
Power-adjustable second-row seats and a power-folding third row help the GLS shift quickly between passenger and cargo use. Wireless smartphone connectivity, multiple USB-C ports, available multicontour seating, 64-color ambient lighting, and Burmester audio add comfort and technology without compromising the usable rear seating area.
The digital gauge cluster and MBUX touchscreen sit together beneath the GLS’s widescreen dashboard panel.
Standard seating accommodates seven, while available individual second-row seats reduce capacity to six.
Selectable LED lighting extends through the dashboard, doors, footwells, and other cabin surfaces.
Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, smartphone charging, navigation, and USB-C ports support everyday device use.
The standard 13-speaker Burmester system can be replaced by an available High-End 3D audio system.
Leather and Nappa leather upholstery, multicontour seating, massage functions, and additional second-row amenities are available depending on configuration.
The 2024 refresh kept the familiar dual-screen dashboard but changed much of the technology surrounding it. Mercedes-Benz updated MBUX with new Classic, Sporty, and Discreet display styles, added seven selectable color schemes, and installed a new steering wheel with capacitive touch controls.
Rear passengers gained two 100-watt USB-C charging ports, while the available cabin finishes expanded with options including MANUFAKTUR Piano Lacquer Flowing Lines trim and new leather colors. The Burmester audio system also gained Dolby Atmos, Sound Personalization, and integrated music-streaming functions.
New digital themes and color schemes provide more control over the appearance of the instrument and multimedia displays.
Capacitive touch controls replaced the previous steering-wheel interface as part of the 2024 refresh.
Two higher-output USB-C connections provide faster charging for compatible rear-seat devices.
New leather colors and trim choices broadened the ways buyers could configure the GLS cabin.
Dolby Atmos, Sound Personalization, and integrated streaming expanded the capabilities of the premium audio system.
The refresh retained the choice between a second-row bench and available individual second-row seats.
The main cabin changes involved MBUX, steering-wheel controls, rear charging, audio functions, and available materials rather than a complete dashboard redesign.
The 2023 GLS pairs its three-row dimensions with a cabin designed to keep controls and information within easy reach of the driver. Two 12.3-inch displays span much of the dashboard, with one serving as the configurable digital instrument cluster and the other providing touchscreen access to MBUX infotainment, navigation, vehicle settings, and connected features.
Farther back, the GLS can accommodate seven passengers with its second-row bench or six with available individual second-row seats. Power adjustment for the rear seating makes third-row access easier, while available upgrades such as multicontour seats, ventilation, massage functions, and rear entertainment can substantially change the cabin depending on how the vehicle was originally equipped.
A digital instrument cluster and MBUX touchscreen form the wide digital cockpit across the front of the cabin.
The “Hey Mercedes” voice assistant provides natural-language control of compatible navigation, climate, entertainment, and vehicle functions.
Power adjustment helps move the second row for passenger access, while the split third row folds electrically when additional cargo room is needed.
LED lighting runs through multiple areas of the cabin with a wide selection of colors and combinations.
Individual second-row seats replace the three-passenger bench and leave an open passage between the seats for easier third-row access.
Depending on equipment, rear passengers can have additional seat heating and ventilation, climate controls, charging, and entertainment features.
Long before the 2024 refresh, the 2022 GLS already featured the wide digital cockpit and MBUX interface that would define this generation for several more years. A 12.3-inch driver display sits alongside a 12.3-inch central touchscreen, giving the dashboard a cleaner appearance than an arrangement built around separate gauges and smaller infotainment screens.
The rear cabin is equally important to the GLS design. The standard second-row bench allows seating for seven, while available individual second-row seats create a six-passenger arrangement with easier access to the back. Folding the third row opens substantially more room for cargo without removing seats from the vehicle.
Navigation, multimedia, smartphone functions, vehicle settings, and other MBUX features are accessible through the central touchscreen.
Digital instrumentation allows different layouts and vehicle information to be displayed directly in front of the driver.
The standard second-row bench provides seven-passenger capacity, with a six-passenger arrangement available.
The split rear seats fold electrically, allowing one side to remain available for a passenger while the other is used for longer cargo.
Compatible smartphones can charge in the front cabin without a cable, with USB-C connections providing additional charging options.
A large glass roof extends the open feel of the cabin beyond the front row and brings additional daylight into the rear seating areas.
The GLS cabin followed a steady progression from 2022 through 2026 before receiving a much larger technology overhaul for 2027. The dual 12.3-inch display layout remained in place through 2026, but Mercedes-Benz updated the surrounding technology along the way. The 2024 refresh brought newer MBUX software, revised steering-wheel controls, higher-output rear USB-C charging, expanded interior finishes, and additional Burmester audio functions.
For 2027, the dashboard itself changes. The new MBUX Superscreen adds a third 12.3-inch display for the front passenger and introduces MB.OS, while new rear entertainment and executive seating options extend the technology upgrades beyond the first row.
| Model Year | Displays | Seating | Notable Cabin Updates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Three 12.3-inch MBUX Superscreen displays | Three rows with expanded rear-seat options | New dashboard, MB.OS, passenger display, available 11.6-inch rear displays |
| 2026 | Dual 12.3-inch displays | 6 or 7 passengers | Established post-refresh cabin with extensive standard connectivity and comfort equipment |
| 2025 | Dual 12.3-inch displays | 6 or 7 passengers | Continues the interior introduced with the 2024 refresh |
| 2024 | Dual 12.3-inch displays with updated MBUX | 6 or 7 passengers | New steering wheel, MBUX interface, rear charging, audio functions, and finishes |
| 2023 | Dual 12.3-inch displays | 6 or 7 passengers | Established pre-refresh cabin and MBUX layout |
| 2022 | Dual 12.3-inch displays | 6 or 7 passengers | Power three-row seating, MBUX, wireless charging, and extensive available comfort features |
The second row determines whether the GLS seats six or seven. A three-person bench maximizes passenger capacity, while available individual second-row seats create more separation between passengers and an open path to the third row. Families regularly using all three rows may prefer that easier rear access, while the bench retains an extra seating position for larger groups.
A three-person second-row bench provides the GLS’s maximum seating capacity and works well when an additional seating position is more important than a center aisle.
Individual second-row seats give the two middle-row passengers separate seating areas and make it possible to reach the third row through the center.
The GLS is sized for regular three-row use, with power-operated seating helping passengers move between rows. When all of the seats are not needed, the 50/50-split third row can fold to create additional cargo room. Folding only one side leaves a third-row position available while opening space for longer items.
That flexibility is useful for the mix of passenger and cargo demands common around Hoffman Estates. A trip to O’Hare with several passengers and their luggage requires a different setup than a run to Woodfield Mall or a weekend away from the northwest suburbs, and the rear seating can be rearranged without removing anything from the vehicle.
The Mercedes-Benz User Experience integrates infotainment, navigation, vehicle settings, voice controls, smartphone connectivity, and other digital functions.
On equipped GLS models, navigation instructions can be combined with a live camera view to make turns, addresses, and intersections easier to identify.
Available multicontour seats use additional adjustment and air chambers for more individualized support, with massage functions included on certain configurations.
Premium Burmester sound has been offered throughout these GLS model years, with newer models also offering a 29-speaker High-End 3D Surround Sound System.
Separate climate zones allow occupants in different areas of the large GLS cabin to select more comfortable temperature settings.
Multicolor LED lighting is integrated into the dashboard, doors, footwells, and other surfaces to change the cabin’s appearance after dark.
Northwest suburban driving can mean a short trip around Hoffman Estates one day and an hour or more in traffic toward Chicago the next. Supportive power seating, multizone climate control, extensive device charging, and the quiet three-row cabin are especially useful when the GLS is carrying passengers for longer stretches on I-90.
Chicago winters also put more emphasis on equipment such as heated seats, available heated rear seating, a heated steering wheel, and remote climate functions. During warmer months, available ventilated seats and climate controls for the rear cabin help keep all three rows comfortable instead of concentrating temperature control around the driver and front passenger.
Interior equipment can vary substantially between two GLS SUVs from the same model year. The second-row configuration is one of the easiest differences to spot, but upholstery, multicontour seating, massage functions, rear-seat ventilation, entertainment equipment, climate zones, Head-Up Display, and Burmester audio upgrades can also depend on the original configuration.
The 2024 refresh creates a useful dividing line among pre-owned models. A 2023 and 2024 GLS share the same basic dual-screen dashboard arrangement, but the 2024 receives the newer MBUX interface, revised steering wheel, upgraded rear USB-C charging, additional audio functions, and newer trim choices.
Mercedes-Benz of Hoffman Estates offers new GLS SUVs with a range of seating configurations, cabin materials, comfort features, and technology packages.