Mercedes-Benz is forging ahead with its plan to build a compact SUV in the vein of the larger G-Class off-roader, but those expecting mountain-bashing capability at a smaller price point may be disappointed. Speaking at the 140th anniversary celebration of the original Daimler-Benz Patent Motorwagen, Mercedes-AMG CEO Stefan Weckbach said that the “baby G” will appeal to a totally different customer than the original, intimating that it may not have as much off-road talent.
In other news, we now know that the small SUV will arrive within 24 months.
The Mini G-Wagen Will Still Be Rugged Enough For Most
Weckbach – who oversees Maybach and the G-Class in addition to AMG – made it clear that the automaker only has space in its lineup for one off-road flagship, saying at the Mercedes-Benz 140 Festival that the compact SUV wouldn’t “target the real G customer.” That implies that the kid sibling isn’t going to be as authentic as the original Geländewagen, which feels like a rather damning statement for the forthcoming baby G.
That said, the executive did acknowledge that the small SUV would still have a strong link to the original G-Class, justifying its similar branding. It’s unclear if those shared genes would indicate genuine rugged capability or merely scaled-down styling, but we have to assume it’s the former, considering even the unibody Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class boasts reasonable off-road performance. As reported by Road & Track, Weckbach said that there will be a clear link between the baby G and its namesake.
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Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius backed up that sentiment, saying that the baby G will have some legitimate off-road capability. However, the brand’s head honcho refused to equate the compact SUV with the original G-Class, which was famously developed on Schöckl, a 4,800-foot-high peak near Graz, Austria. The mountain’s varying terrain and weather conditions prove the Geländewagen’s mettle. Per Källenius, the G-Class can descend the mountain at a sustained 40 miles per hour. “There’s only one car in the world that can do that, and that’s the G,” he said.
When Does The Mercedes Mini G Arrive?
Specific timing has yet to be confirmed, but Bloomberg reported via an Instagram interview with Källenius that the baby G-Class will come to market in less than two years. Given that information, we expect the compact SUV to make its debut in mid-2028, or perhaps even as early as the New York International Auto Show that typically runs in April.
It’s coming, and it’s coming sooner than you think … less than 24 months from now.
–Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz
We know that the baby G will ride on its own unique platform; when it was announced in 2023, the company’s then-chief technical officer Markus Schäfer said that in order for it to be authentic, the compact SUV couldn’t ride on a chassis borrowed from the GLB or GLC. We also know that it will offer both gasoline and electric powertrains. Otherwise, mum’s the word on details.
Base Trim Engine
3L I-6 Hybrid
Base Trim Transmission
9-speed automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
443 HP @6100 RPM
Base Trim Torque
413 lb.-ft. @ 1950 RPM
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
17/19/18 MPG
Base Trim Battery Type
Lithium ion (Li-ion)
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
The off-road capability of the original G-Class is overkill for most of its private consumers, who aren’t likely to traverse anything more challenging than a snowy country road. As a result, we don’t think the baby G’s reported lack of hardcore ruggedness to be a significant detractor from what will still be a capable, characterful SUV.
As long as it’s able to tackle the occasional rutted mountain trail or washboard dirt road with comfort and poise, we doubt any of its customers will have cause to complain.
Source: Road & Track
