Diesel G400d bolsters Mercedes-Benz G-Class line-up

MERCEDES-BENZ Australia/Pacific has bolstered its local G-Class line-up with the addition of the new ‘entry-level’ G400d which is due to arrive on local shores mid-year priced from $233,900 plus on-road costs.

Powered by the brand’s familiar turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engine, the G400d churns out 243kW of power and a chunky 700Nm of torque which is fed to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission.

All that torque results in a 0-100km/h time of 6.4 seconds while the combined fuel economy is pegged at 9.5 litres per 100km.

Literally doubling the local G-Class variant count, the G400d is far from a boring base model designed to sit opposite the blistering AMG G63 with both variants sitting squarely within the $100,000+ upper-large SUV segment of the market.

In terms of price, the new oil-burner sits $56,000 downstream of the rabid V8 which itself has been bumped up in price by a stark $30,000 (now $289,900).

Compared to the brash-looking flagship, the G400d takes on a more refined appearance headlined by the ‘Stainless Steel Package’ as well as chrome elements in the radiator trim, dark tinted glass behind the B-pillar, metallic paint and eight-spoke 19-inch alloy wheels.

Standard equipment highlights include a 15-speaker Burmester surround-sound system, electronically adjustable and heated front seats, three-zone climate control, leather upholstery, an ‘off-road information centre’, Nappa leather multifunction steering wheel, Parking Package, Multibeam LED headlights, sliding glass sunroof, dual 12.3-inch screens, 3D map and dynamic route guidance, DAB+ digital radio, and smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto.

Safety tech meanwhile extends to the brand’s Driving Assistance Package, active distance assist distronic, blind-spot assist, active lane-keeping assist, traffic sign assist, Pre-Safe system and tyre pressure monitoring.

Despite the aforementioned 19-inch wheels, Mercedes has fitted the new G-Class offering with three separate differential locks for the all-wheel-drive system to make it as capable as possible off-road, as well as a low-range transfer case and adaptive damping.

The G-Class got off to a tremendous start to the new year with the local arm of Mercedes-Benz chalking up 96 deliveries of the rugged-turned-luxury SUV in January compared to the six it shifted 12 months prior.

Those 96 deliveries give the G-Class a dominant 31.8 per cent share of the $100,000+ upper large SUV segment – more than double that of its second-best-selling GLS stablemate (44/14.6%).