Mercedes AMG G63 review and price in India including performance and features – Introduction

The Mercedes-AMG G 63 is the madcap of the automotive world. How else would you describe a boxy 4×4 ladder-frame chassis SUV with not one, not two, but three differential locks and one that also runs on performance tyres to complement a fire-breathing engine? It’s a marriage of very different worlds that somehow works.

Mercedes AMG G 63 performance and powertrain

It gets a few updates for 2024 and beyond to make it comfier, sportier and, ahem, more politically correct, too. The last bit is courtesy of a new 48V mild-hybrid system. It adds in 22hp, but even when it’s giving its all, it’s merely playing a supporting role to the 585hp, 850Nm, 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo petrol engine. The engine is relentless in its build of power, and the big power yields big performance. It’s got a 220kph top speed, and we managed a 4.6-second 0-100kph time. Nuts for something as big as a one-bedroom flat and as heavy and aerodynamic as a bank vault. Making the acceleration figure possible is the launch control, which is among the new additions to the G 63. The way the G 63 squats in preparation for launch and then takes off is a sight to behold.

What’s also so integral to the G 63 experience is the way it sounds. Those quad exhausts, two on each side, will have you break into a laugh every time you press down on the accelerator pedal. There’s this omnipresent woofle that grows into a growl when you go a bit faster, and then it just erupts when you let loose, letting out a roar a lion would be proud of. The 9-speed gearbox also wastes no time going up and down the gears as you please. In fact, you’ll often downshift just for the accompanying sound effect.

Mercedes AMG G 63 ride and handling

The G 63 hasn’t just learned to sprint but has taken some yoga lessons to become more agile, too. It handles well by G-Class standards, and that’s thanks to AMG’s new Active Ride Control Suspension. The system does away with physical anti-roll bars and replaces them with a network of hydraulic actuators that connect all four corners of the car and adjust the load settings depending on the driving input. Body control is hugely improved, and it doesn’t feel as top-heavy as older Gs. There’s good weight at the steering, too, and good enough connect. Still, the G 63 is no Urus, Cayenne or RS Q8 in the bends and won’t set records, but who cares?

Of more relevance is the G 63’s ride comfort. It feels lumpy in a way you wouldn’t expect a luxury SUV to feel, and the G can’t hide the fact that there’s a ladder-frame chassis underneath.

That being said, there’s also a toughness that you don’t get in any other model of this price. Also, as we established over our recent Off-road Day featuring a G 400 d, there’s little to stop a G-Class in the rough. This versatility is part of the G 63’s allure.

Mercedes AMG G 63 exterior design

No matter what the setting, the G 63 grabs eyeballs. It’s boxy, it’s classic, it’s cool. And I think you’ll agree, it can rock some bright colours. There are 37 colours to choose from, and you can get into the nitty-gritty of the finish for the grille or other embellishments on the SUV. Of course, there’s also a whole range of wheels to choose from, with sizes ranging between 20 and 22 inches.

With 37 paint, 10 wheel and 4 trim pack options, no 2 G 63s should look the same.

One of the new inclusions with this update is keyless entry. It was apparently a task to incorporate the functionality while retaining the old-school door handles. Ah, and I almost forgot, there are aero upgrades, too! Well, there are mini-spoilers around the A-pillar and the top of the windscreen, as well as a new slot at the rear wheel arch. Hey, at least they tried.

Mercedes AMG G 63 interior and features

The G 63 sits high off the ground, so you’ll have to use the footboard to pull yourself in. Not much has changed inside, but the centre screen is now a touchscreen. Yup, the G-Class never had a touchscreen before this. The 12.3-inch touchscreen is nice to use and also packs in wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Other changes include an off-road modes shortcut that gives easy access to the off-road menus as well as the ‘transparent bonnet’ function that gives a feed from under the car. It’s very helpful when you’re over uneven ground.

New AMG steering is most notable change inside the updated G 63. Personalisation program allows you to spec the interior to your liking; for big money, of course.

Do note, a lot of what you see inside this very car is part of the options list. The colour of the weave, the seat stitching, the finish to the panels and even the leather finish for the roof – you can spec your G to your liking, for big money, of course.

And remember all those sounds I touched upon earlier that are very intrinsic to the AMG G 63 experience? Well, there’s a lot more, such as the thunk on door shut, the door locks that sound like a rifle being loaded, and the click of the air conditioning vents. The G 63 really feels like a military-grade tool that also does glamour well. Other highlights include 64-colour ambient lighting, a 360-degree camera and a fantastic 18-speaker Burmester sound system.

Crisp and vibrant digital dials get multiple themes.

ADAS is included, but the auto braking is too sensitive for our conditions, and you have to remember to switch it off every time you start the car.

If you’re looking for the most spacious luxury SUV, the G-Class isn’t it. Yes, it is huge on the outside, and the legroom is more than adequate, but it is not as much as you’d expect from something that costs so much. Optional rear seat entertainment screens should help keep passengers at the back occupied. The G’s side hinge tailgate opens to reveal ample luggage space. Our test vehicle came specced with an optional cherry wood floor that would add another Rs 3.8 lakh to the tally.

Mercedes AMG G 63 price and verdict

Objectively speaking, the G 63 just doesn’t make sense. It’s overpriced, the ride is lumpy for something so expensive, and space isn’t the best either. But you can’t think of a G 63 objectively. It’s loud, proud and mad fun.

12.3-inch central display is now a touchscreen.

Also, before your CA dissuades you from dropping Rs 3.6 crore (ex-showroom, before options) on one, you should reason that a G 63 isn’t quite as depreciating an asset as other cars. New car prices are only on the rise (it cost Rs 2.15 crore at launch in 2018), and you’ll always have a ready buyer for your G 63 if you choose to sell.

Get in line, though. The 120 AMG G 63s allocated to India for this year are already spoken for.

Also see:

2024 Mercedes-AMG G 63 video review

Mercedes AMG C 63 S E Performance 4Matic+ video review

Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 India launch in second half of 2025