DRIVE

CM gets behind the wheel of the Mercedes Benz G 350 and discovers that some icons really are more fun the second time around.

There is something gloriously unapologetic about a Mercedes Benz G Class.

It does not slip quietly into the streetscape. It arrives. Tall, square shouldered and instantly recognisable, the G Wagon has long occupied that rare space where serious utility meets luxury status.

CM recently had the chance to get behind the wheel of a Mercedes Benz G 350 d from Wheeler Motor Company, and it did not take long to understand the appeal.
This wagon is fun!

From city streets to the kind of open road that makes a spontaneous weekend at the beach seem like a very good idea, the G 350 brings together power, personality and an impressive amount of practicality.

POWER WITH PERSONALITY
Under the bonnet sits a 3.0 litre turbo diesel engine, with plenty of horsepower and an even more noticeable helping of torque.
Put your foot down and the G 350 responds with the kind of confident pull expected from a vehicle of this stature. It is a substantial machine, but there is enough get up and go to make it genuinely enjoyable to drive.
The elevated driving position adds to the experience.

You sit high, visibility is excellent and there is a commanding sense of presence from behind the wheel. Around Christchurch it feels composed and confident. Once the city begins to fall away, the character changes again.
This is a vehicle that makes you want to keep driving.

CITY TO COAST
The G 350 works surprisingly well across different environments.
There is enough refinement to make city driving comfortable, yet it never loses the robust, utilitarian character that gives the G Class its identity.

Many SUVs are luxurious. Fewer manage to retain such an obvious sense of purpose.
The generous storage was one of the standout features during the CM drive. For families, photographers, creatives, dog owners or anyone packing for a few days away, there is room to actually live with the vehicle.

Beach bags, luggage, work gear, shopping and all the extras that follow family life can be loaded without fuss.

That is where the G 350 becomes more than a statement car. It is genuinely useful.

LUXURY WHERE IT COUNTS
Inside, Mercedes Benz adds the creature comforts that make the experience feel suitably polished.

The heated seats were immediately appreciated and are particularly welcome in Christchurch when the weather decides to change direction without warning.

The sound system was another highlight.
A proper road trip needs a proper soundtrack, and the G 350 delivers a cabin that feels enjoyable to spend time in. There is refinement, comfort and the sense of quality expected from Mercedes Benz, but the interior still retains that distinctive upright G Class character.
Nothing about it feels anonymous.

In a market where so many vehicles are beginning to share similar shapes and interiors, that individuality has become part of the luxury.

WHY PRELOVED MAKES SENSE
What makes this particular drive even more interesting is the case it makes for preloved luxury motoring.

Buying new is no longer the only route to something special.

The preloved market gives drivers access to vehicles with established engineering, personality and specification that may once have occupied a very different price point.
There is also something satisfying about giving an exceptional vehicle another chapter.

A well chosen preloved car can offer craftsmanship, presence and individuality without the need to constantly chase the latest release. In the case of the G 350, its age does little to diminish its appeal.

If anything, there is something particularly cool about driving a well kept example of an established automotive icon.

It feels less about following what is new and more about knowing what is good. Of course, this is still a sizeable 3.0 litre diesel four wheel drive. Anyone shopping purely for maximum fuel efficiency is looking in a different category.

The G 350 is about space, torque, capability and character.

THE WHEELER FACTOR
Wheeler Motor Company gave CM the opportunity to properly experience the G 350 rather than simply admire it from the forecourt, and that trust allowed the vehicle to show what makes it so appealing.

It also reinforces just how interesting the preloved market has become locally.
Wheeler carries a broad selection of vehicles, giving buyers the opportunity to explore everything from practical everyday motoring to European luxury and premium options.
That variety matters because good automotive choices should ultimately reflect how people actually live.

Sometimes that means economical and compact.Sometimes it means electric.
Sometimes it means the dependable family workhorse.

Sometimes it means climbing into a Mercedes Benz G 350, warming the seats, turning up the music, loading the back and heading for the beach simply because you can.

THE CM VERDICT
Grand by name, grand by nature.
The Mercedes Benz G 350 is powerful, practical, commanding and, most importantly, genuinely good fun.

There is serious storage, plenty of performance, a comfortable cabin and unmistakable G Class presence. It works around town, but load it up, point it towards the coast and its personality really starts to shine. It is luxury without preciousness and utility with polish.

This vehicle is proof that preloved motoring can still put something seriously special on the driveway.

CM thanks Wheeler Motor Company for trusting the team with this fabulous piece of Mercedes Benz motoring.