Why Is the Mercedes-Benz G-Class So Expensive?
By the CarWhere Research Team · Updated November 14, 2026 · Built from our resale value study, MSRP history, used listing prices
Why is the G-Class so expensive?
The G-Class is expensive mostly because it holds its value: CarWhere data shows a 3-year-old (2023) G-Class lists for 74.9% of today's median new price vs 50.3% for full-size luxury SUVs.
Updated November 2026 · Sources: Depreciation study · G-Class price & deals
Value kept at 3 yrs
74.9%
vs 50.3% for full-size luxury SUVs
Base price change
+10.5%
2025 → 2027
Cheapest year (median)
$73,999
2018 model year
Resale: the G-Class vs other full-size luxury SUVs
A 3-year-old (2023) G-Class lists for a median $164,999 at 23,215 miles, 74.9% of the $220,335 median price of a new one today. The average across 7 other full-size luxury SUVs is 50.3%, which puts the G-Class 1 of 8.
A 5-year-old (2021) G-Class lists for a median $135,015 at 37,187 miles, 61.3% of the $220,335 median price of a new one today. The average across 7 other full-size luxury SUVs is 34.6%, which puts the G-Class 1 of 8.
High resale cuts both ways: owners lose less when they sell, but used shoppers pay more, which keeps new prices firm. Full year-by-year curve: G-Class depreciation by model year.
| # | Model | 5-year value retained |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes-Benz G-Class | 61.3% |
| 2 | Cadillac Escalade | 43.7% |
| 3 | Mercedes-Benz GLS | 41.3% |
| 4 | Cadillac Escalade ESV | 39.5% |
| 5 | Lincoln Navigator | 34.7% |
| 6 | BMW X7 | 28.3% |
| 7 | Land Rover Range Rover | 27.6% |
| 8 | INFINITI QX80 | 26.8% |
Retained = median asking price of a 5-year-old example ÷ median price of the same model new today. CarWhere listings study, October 25, 2026.
How the G-Class's price climbed
The cheapest G-Class went from $148,250 (2025 G 550) to $163,750 (2027 G 580 with EQ Technology), up 10.5% in starting MSRP, before adjusting for inflation.
Trim mix matters as much as the base price: the newest full lineup in our data spans $35,000 from cheapest to priciest trim (+21.4%).
| Model year | Cheapest trim | MSRP | Priciest trim | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | G 580 with EQ Technology | $163,750 | Mercedes-AMG G 63 | $198,750 |
| 2026 | G 550 | $153,900 | Mercedes-AMG G 63 | $195,550 |
| 2025 | G 550 | $148,250 | Mercedes-AMG G 63 | $186,100 |
Automaker starting MSRPs by model year as compiled in CarWhere’s trim-level and price datasets. Starting MSRPs as published for each year; years we haven't priced are left out. Destination charges are excluded where the automaker lists them separately.
The used-price floor
The floor is high: the cheapest model year by median price is the 2018 at $73,999 with 54,236 miles. Figures are from CarWhere's October 2026 listings study; the G-Class isn't in our latest used-price snapshot.
| Model year | Listings | Median price | Median miles | % of new today |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 367 | $201,947 | 9,570 | 91.7% |
| 2024 | 292 | $177,834 | 18,131 | 80.7% |
| 2023 | 295 | $164,999 | 23,215 | 74.9% |
| 2022 | 268 | $156,057 | 27,191 | 70.8% |
| 2021 | 347 | $135,015 | 37,187 | 61.3% |
| 2020 | 197 | $120,097 | 48,536 | 54.5% |
| 2019 | 181 | $102,321 | 56,523 | 46.4% |
| 2018 | 82 | $73,999 | 54,236 | 33.6% |
Median asking prices of used and certified listings at US dealers, October 2026. % of new today is from the October 25, 2026 depreciation study. Years with fewer than 50 listings are left out.
How to pay less for a G-Class
- Start at the G 580 with EQ Technology ($163,750 for 2027) and add only what you need. The Mercedes-AMG G 63 costs $35,000 more.
- The cheapest model year on the used market right now is 2018, at a median $73,999 with 54,236 miles.
See what other buyers paid, deal by deal, at What People Paid before you shop used.
How we got these numbers
- Resale. Median asking price of each model year in US dealer listings (licensed vehicle-data providers) divided by the median price of the same model new today; CarWhere depreciation study dated October 25, 2026. Segment averages exclude the G-Class itself and only include models with 50+ listings at that age.
- Price history. Automaker starting MSRPs by model year as compiled in CarWhere’s trim-level and price datasets.
- Used prices. Active used and certified listings at US dealers, stats only (no listing rows stored), October 25, 2026.
- Nothing here is projected or estimated: each figure is a median or count from the data above, dated where it appears.
FAQ
Why is the G-Class so expensive?
The G-Class is expensive mostly because it holds its value: CarWhere data shows a 3-year-old (2023) G-Class lists for 74.9% of today's median new price vs 50.3% for full-size luxury SUVs.
Does the G-Class hold its value?
In CarWhere's October 2026 listings study, a 5-year-old (2021) G-Class lists for a median $135,015 at 37,187 miles, 61.3% of the $220,335 median new price today. The average for full-size luxury SUVs is 34.6%; the G-Class ranks 1 of 8.
How much has the G-Class gone up in price?
The cheapest G-Class went from $148,250 (2025 G 550) to $163,750 (2027 G 580 with EQ Technology), a change of +10.5% in starting MSRP before inflation.
What's the cheapest used G-Class I can find?
In CarWhere's October 2026 data, the lowest model-year median is the 2018 G-Class at $73,999 (54,236 miles).
Cite or embed this number
“The G-Class is expensive mostly because it holds its value: CarWhere data shows a 3-year-old (2023) G-Class lists for 74.9% of today's median new price vs 50.3% for full-size luxury SUVs.”
Source: CarWhere Research, “Why Is the Mercedes-Benz G-Class So Expensive?,” www.carwhere.com/research/why-so-expensive/mercedes-benz/g-class. Journalists: free to quote with a link. Data downloads, methodology and the media kit are on the CarWhere press page.