The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G 580 Modernizes the G-Wagen: Electric Powered, Still Rugged

The Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen has been completely redesigned for 2025, a feat that took time for all the reinvention that needed to be done. In order to keep its iconic shape and size as well as the details that make it a G-Wagen, Mercedes had to rethink many things. 

The door handles, for instance: the outgoing door handles were mechanical and not easy to translate into electrical components, but this was necessary to allow for full smart key to function (which it does nicely). And yet, the door handles are still classic push-button G-Wagen style.

The doors needed to close with a satisfying ‘thunk’ that sounds, and is, substantial. They do.

The locking differentials and four wheel drive system had to be re-configured for true off-road capability: mountain climbing, ditch crawling, sand-dune escaping, rock climbing. 

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But that was just where the challenges started. The drive experience needed to feel like a G-Wagen, more capable than uber-smart, letting you feel the road rather than buffering you from it. 

It needed to be lighter weight to accommodate its efficiency goals; it has a driving range of about 240 miles on a charge. 

And it needed to be powerful, which is probably the easiest part; electric cars are often more powerful than their gas-powered counterparts and in many cases, too powerful. With 580 HP (which is what its model name denotes) the power is nicely suited to this SUV. 

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No modern Mercedes-Benz is complete without the basic tech and dashboard functions its cars are known for. But in many models, the wide screens and dashboard switchgear can loom large. In the EQS SUV a hyper screen dominates wonderfully, setting the club-like feel in the cabin. But in the G-Wagen, the view and the journey are the objective; the dashboard is secondary. 

This is something that Mercedes designers respected, giving the entire span of glass and technology a low-key feel. The driver display and touch screen sit low on the dash; the turbine air vents frame the off-road control panel and the dashboard. A carbon-fiber and leather clad grab bar sits ready for the front seat passenger to hold on, elegantly.

Mercedes-Benz is a studied expert when it comes to electric car technology, so adding it to the G-Wagen was a given; the G 580 carries an EQ badge but not “EQS” in its name as other electric cars from Mercedes do. 

The G 580 is powered by a 122 kWh battery system that can fully recharge overnight at a level 2 240V charger or to 80% in 32 minutes at a level 3 DC fast charger. 

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As with most EVs, and certainly those from Mercedes-Benz, the drive system also allows significant recuperation. While driving, simply pull the left paddle on the steering wheel to set the regeneration level to low, medium or high (the right paddle lowers the level of regeneration).  

During my test drive I found it to be pretty efficient. I drove more miles than were subtracted from the range, which is always the goal and a nice feat in a car this big and boxy.

I expected the design of the Mercedes-Benz G 580 to impact the range a lot more; its shape, which is also its charm, is not very aero-friendly. But it’s also a part of the feat of this redesign: giving it the power and capability it needs while preserving its flat front face capped with a grille, which isn’t necessary other than to maintain its provenance. 

It’s also marked by classic round headlights, 10 inches of ground clearance, square windows, doors that close with a hearty thunk, and a rear gate that swings open where typically a spare tire is attached. 

The spare tire, a requisite piece of equipment on an SUV, had to be rethought, too. It can add to the the overall weight of the SUV, as well as to the drag. Instead, Mercedes-Benz offers a spare tire as an option. 

As a placeholder, the G 580 comes with a small locking “backpack” on the swing gate; it’s large enough to hold charge cords or other small gear and adds a nice visual element, reminiscent of a spare tire and nicely filling the space.  

Climbing behind the wheel of the G580 provided the biggest delight. It’s all G-Wagen. It’s rough and ready. You feel (but don’t hear) the rumble of the four motors, one on each of the 20” wheels. You also feel the heft of the tires as they amble over the pavement. You feel the G-Wagen’s corners and see the road and the horizon from its perch. 

On the off-road trail is where the G 580 should impress. Rather than traditional 4 wheel drive modes (4 low and locking differentials), Mercedes engineered G modes: G Steering, which allows more accuracy with 4 wheel steering, G Turn, which literally, in dirt or gravel, will turn the G 580 in a circle, low-range driving for off-roading and locking suspension at each wheel that is computer controlled for maximum traction. On the drive mode selector you’ll see the standard modes as well as trail and rock modes.

The nice thing is that at higher speeds, it’s quiet and relatively comfortable, though it won’t let you forget you’re in an SUV purposed for traversing savannas and riverbeds more than city streets and freeways. It demands your attention and control rather than lulling you to sleep. From the whirring sound of the electric motors to the heft of the steering wheel in your hands and the rumbly ride, the G 580 is completely engaging. 

In the cabin, either behind the wheel or in a passenger seat, you’ll feel like a superstar in the classic Mercedes-Benz manner. The seats are comfortable and supportive, covered in Nappa leather and trimmed in blue stitching to denote the electric nature of this SUV. Leather covers many of the other surfaces, too, including the door panels, dashboard and arm rests. Front seats are rapid-heated, vented and massaging. 

The touchscreen multimedia system has “Hey Mercedes” voice activation; music is piped into the cabin via a Burmester premium sound system. It has heated and cooled cupholders, ambient lighting,   and for assistance getting in and out, stainless running boards (that are a bit narrow in my opinion, but were very helpful for climbing into the cabin). 

Drivers who need to accommodate kids in the rear seat should take note, however. The square shape of the G 580 doesn’t accommodate a large rear seat. There’s plenty of leg room due to the upright seating; I am 5’8” and was comfortable sitting behind the driver’s seat  that was set for me. 

However, child car seats may be more of a challenge. I measured just 29” which is just enough for a rear facing child car seat if the front seat is set no further back. Behind a taller driver a rear facing seat probably won’t fit safely. Forward facing seats, however, should be fine, and with 13” between the seatbelts in the middle seat, it may be possible to fit 3 seats across the bench.

The “GP” or general purpose luxury SUV space has become quite busy of late. From new entrants such as Land Rover Defender and Hummer EV, to Lexus GX, high-end Jeep models approaching $100K and startups like Rivian and Ineos entering the luxury off-road market, there are plenty of options. 

But the Mercedes-Benz G 580 should keep its place at the front of the pack, if not only for its price tag, which is the highest of the bunch, but for what it delivers in power, prowess and an appropriately plush environment: luxurious but still rugged. And now, silent and able to crawl quietly and emmission-free across rugged landscapes as equally as elite city streets.