There is no such thing as “laying low” in the Mercedes-AMG G 63 SUV. From the moment you start the car, the rumble of the twin-turbo V8 AMG engine can be heard and felt, it will turn heads as you roll on by. It certainly helps that it’s a Mercedes and therefore a beautifully crafted piece of automotive engineering, so once those heads turn they will see a 7-foot tall handmade piece of German engineering. Without a doubt, Mercedes-AMG G 63 is a cultural icon and one of the most versatile (and expensive) SUVs on the market.
To fully appreciate the beauty of the Geländewagen, which translates appropriately to “cross-country vehicle,” we took the G-Wagon out to wine country in peaceful Prince Edward Country, Ontario. Located about 200kms outside of Toronto, PEC is a delightful escape from the everyday grind of the city. With long, empty country roads that end in a winery, a microbrewery, or cidery, all of which come with their own calming view. Considering the amount of time we spent in the actual automobile driving around “the County” we got a real feel for what the G-Wagon has to offer, so let’s talk about the interior goodness.
The 2020 Mercedes-AMG G 63 is innovation personified. With their entire driverside dashboard and gauge cluster sitting pretty on a massive widescreen digital display that stretches across two-thirds of the interior dash. With that much screen, you will never miss a detail again! Couple that with the four networked cameras that give you a full 360° view of the exterior of the Wagon. The 360° camera setup monitors all sides of the vehicle when parking, turning and maneuvering through several different driving situations. This comes in particularly handy when trying to parallel park, as you are shown your surroundings in a bird’s-eye view. This takes into account all the blind spots and the height of the vehicle by allowing you to view obstacles below the window line, such as the curb. Seriously, it’s a lifesaver.
Speaking of lifesavers lets quickly chat about the seat adjustors situated perfectly within reach on the door panels. After spending a couple of hours driving the 10 different positions you can adjust on the chair, the heating, the cooling, and the massage functionality becomes your best friend. After you become unbelievably comfortable, the G-Wagon takes it one step further with the adjustable air bladders built into the seats which inflate or deflate automatically when taking a turn or accelerating or if the SUV senses a need to better secure the driver. It’s like a warm hug made out of premium Nappa leather upholstery. Very boss. 
Being comfortable is key, but all that means nothing if the car can’t perform. Well, thankfully the 2020 Mercedes-AMG G 63 can flex that military-grade capability with the AMG V-8 which can launch you from 0-96 km in just 4.4 seconds and can in theory get all the way up to 263 km. This is very impressive when you consider that the G-Wagon isn’t the most aerodynamic of designs and weighs 5,700-pounds. It’s automobile equivalent to fitting a square peg into a circle hole, you throw enough power behind it and nothing can stand in its way. Wild!
As impressive as all that speed is there is a price, both literal and figuratively. First off the price tag literally starts off at $150K Canadian and goes up to $221K once kitted out with all the luxury options and AMG engine boost. Secondly, the price you pay figuratively for such a beast comes in the form of it’s less than thrilling 5.5 litres per kilometre in the city, and 6.3 litres per kilometre on the highway. It drinks gas the way we (should) drink water. Ouch, but also, come on, what would you expect.
After spending a couple of days roaming the Canadian countryside in the 2020 G 63 we’ve come to love the size and the comfort of the G-Wagon. It is a luxury manifested and it drives like a dream. We can’t wait to give the 2021 model a run for its money.