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Executive Vehicle Verdict

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS is associated with 38 official NHTSA owner defect complaints and 24 safety recall campaigns in the federal safety database.

The most frequently reported component area is Electrical System, accounting for 8 reports (21% of total complaints). EPA testing covers 2 certified vehicle configurations spanning 3L 6-Cyl hybrid and 4L 8-Cyl hybrid configurations. Gasoline and hybrid variants deliver 18 to 21 MPG combined. Detailed NHTSA crash-test ratings are not available in the current AutoUtility dataset for this model year. The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS belongs to the 3rd generation (X167) GLS platform spanning model years 2020–2026.

Platform Architecture: 3rd Generation (X167) • Production Span: 2020–2026 • Platform Code: MHA • Lifecycle Note: Pre-Facelift (2020–2023) / Facelift (2024–2026)
Official Federal Record Profile
  • • NHTSA Owner Complaints: 38 consumer reports filed
  • • Safety Recall Campaigns: 24 official campaigns
  • • Primary Defect Domain: Electrical System (8 / 21%)
  • • Field Incident Signals: 3 crash / 1 fire / 2 injury reports
  • • NCAP Crash Safety: Not rated by NHTSA
  • • EPA Certified Range: 18–21 MPG across 2 powertrain trims
Directly compiled from official NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), NHTSA NCAP, and EPA FuelEconomy.gov databases.

What is the fuel economy and range of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS?

Official EPA laboratory test ratings, electric driving range, and annual energy cost estimates by certified vehicle variant

Variant Engine Drivetrain Transmission City Highway Combined EV Range Est. Annual Fuel Cost
GLS450 4matic Hybrid 3L 6-Cyl 4-Wheel Drive Automatic 9-spd 19 MPG 23 MPG 21 MPG — $3,600 / yr
GLS580 4matic Hybrid 4L 8-Cyl 4-Wheel Drive Automatic 9-spd 16 MPG 21 MPG 18 MPG — $4,200 / yr
Data Boundary Note: EPA specifications are shown by certified vehicle configuration. NHTSA complaints and recall totals are recorded at the model-year level across all configurations.

What are the crash test safety ratings for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS?

Official 5-Star Safety Ratings evaluated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

NHTSA 5-Star NCAP laboratory crash evaluations are not currently on file for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS.

Active Driver Assistance Systems (NHTSA Recorded): Forward Collision Warning (FCW) is documented as Not Specified and Lane Departure Warning (LDW) is documented as Not Specified in official NHTSA records for tested 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS models.
View complete 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS crash test & safety breakdown →

What defect complaints are reported for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS?

Summary of 38 verified consumer defect submissions filed with the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Total Complaints
38
Crash Reports
3
Fire Reports
1
Complaints w/ Injury
2
Total Injuries
3

Top Reported Problem Categories

Ranked by total consumer complaint submissions recorded by NHTSA

Electrical System 8 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 complaints
Forward Collision Avoidance 3 complaints
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE 2 complaints
Fuel & Propulsion System 2 complaints

Data Attribution & Context: Complaints are self-reported by vehicle owners to NHTSA and represent unverified consumer submissions. Complaint volume does not equal a statistically controlled failure rate and is not adjusted for total vehicles sold or cumulative mileage driven.

View all 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS problems & component breakdown (23 categories) →

Are there open safety recalls on the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS?

Manufacturer safety recall campaigns monitored and recorded by NHTSA

NHTSA Campaign #24V207000 Active Recall
Affected Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

Defect Summary: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2024 GLE 350, 2020-2024 GLE 450, 2020-2023 GLS 580, GLE 580, 2019-2023 GLS 450, 2021-2023 Maybach GLS 600, AMG GLS 63, 2021-2024 AMG GLE 53, AMG GLE 53 Coupe, and AMG GLE 63 S vehicles. A 48-Volt ground connection under the passenger seat may not be secured properly, resulting in the ground connection overheating.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the 48-Volt ground connection as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024040002.
NHTSA Campaign #24V118000 Active Recall
Affected Component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE

Defect Summary: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2023 GLE 450 and GLS 450 vehicles. The transmission may not fully downshift in certain conditions, causing the engine to stall.

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will update the transmission control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA Campaign #23V733000 Active Recall
Affected Component: VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY

Defect Summary: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020 GLS580 vehicles. Due to a software error, the sunroof may close unexpectedly when the "car wash mode" is activated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 118, "Power-operated Window Systems."

Free Manufacturer Remedy: Dealers will update the sunroof control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 15, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023110007.
View all 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS recalls & campaign history (24 campaigns) →
Search Intelligence

Quick Answers: Key Questions Drivers Ask About the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS

Direct, deterministic answers synthesized from verified United States government databases for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS

How many safety recalls does the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS have?

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS is associated with 24 official NHTSA safety recall campaigns in AutoUtility's current federal records.

If your individual vehicle is affected by an open safety recall, NHTSA advises owners to contact an authorized franchised dealership for the recall remedy at no charge. Because recall campaigns apply to specific production runs and equipment batches, vehicle owners should verify their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov.

View all 24 recall campaigns & remedy details →
Source: NHTSA Safety Recalls Database (49 U.S.C. 30118)

What are the most common problems reported for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS?

NHTSA records list 38 consumer defect complaints for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS. The most frequently referenced vehicle system is Electrical System, appearing in 8 filings (21% of submissions).

Consumer complaints represent unverified owner submissions filed under federal reporting guidelines and describe reported component behavior rather than audited failure rates.

Explore full 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS defect complaint breakdown →
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI)

Is there an official NHTSA crash safety rating for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS?

An official NHTSA 5-Star NCAP crash test rating is not available for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS in AutoUtility's current federal dataset.

NHTSA publishes crash safety evaluations for a selected sample of passenger vehicles each model year. Consult NHTSA.gov for active safety equipment records and vehicle safety bulletins.

Check active safety equipment and ratings overview →
Source: NHTSA NCAP Registry

What fuel economy (MPG) does the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS get?

Official EPA laboratory estimates for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS range from 18 to 21 MPG combined (55% city / 45% highway weighted) depending on engine, transmission, and drivetrain configuration.

Using AutoUtility's standardized operating cost model (15,000 miles/year, $3.50/gal gas, $0.16/kWh electricity), annual energy expenditures range across certified configurations based on official EPA laboratory test baselines.

Compare MPG ratings across all certified trims →
Source: EPA FuelEconomy.gov Certified Database
Official US Government Data Provenance

The specifications, safety ratings, defect reports, and recall campaigns published on this page are retrieved directly from official United States Government agency databases:

  • NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI): Consumer complaints and defect reports.
  • NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP): Frontal, side, and rollover 5-Star crash safety test ratings.
  • U.S. EPA / FuelEconomy.gov: Standardized multi-cycle dynamometer fuel economy, MPGe, and electric driving range ratings.

Local Production Store Compiled: August 2026 • Deterministic Audited Dataset • Zero Dynamic External API Runtime Latency.