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2016 Mercedes-benz Gl-class
Solid pick. The public record on this car is clean for its age. Inspect it, then negotiate with confidence.
20 owner complaints · 0 recalls · data verified July 26, 2026 · source: NHTSA
Why buy?
Very few owner complaints for its age and sales volume.
Complaints are overwhelmingly minor: almost none involve crashes, fires, or injuries.
Zero recalls, rare for a car this age.
Score breakdown, by factor
Full methodology →#32 of 615Among the 2016 models with a matured record, the 2016 Mercedes-benz Gl-class ranks #32, scoring higher than 90% of them. See the 2016 ranking →
Complaints filed per year
Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.
How it crashes
NHTSA’s own crash tests, separate from the reliability score above.
NHTSA crash-tested this model year but didn’t publish an overall star rating for it.
Source: nhtsa.gov/ratings. Star ratings compare vehicles within the same class and size, not across every car on the road.
The road ahead
What breaks on a 2016 Mercedes-benz Gl-class, plotted where owners report it happening.
Seats
15%3 complaints
“THE SECOND ROW SEAT HEADREST IS UNUSABLE FOR MY CHILDREN. IT HITS THEM IN THE HEAD AND THEY ARE TOTALLY UNCOMFORTABLE. I SEE NOW THAT THIS IS A MAJOR SOURCE OF PROBLEM…”
Electrical system
10%2 complaints · 1 in the last 2 years
“water intrusion into the spare tire well compartment and the battery compartment affecting the battery and starter.”
Visibility & wipers
10%2 complaints
“THE WINDSHIELD IS WEAK PRONE TO BREAK/CRACK EASILY. IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS 4 WINDSHIELDS HAVE BEEN REQUIRED. NOT NORMAL AND THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.”
Engine
10%2 complaints
“The contact owned a 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated when he parked the vehicle and went into a business, he returned within 5 minutes and the vehicle was …”
Check it against this car’s mileage
Type the odometer reading on the actual car you’re looking at to see which of these problem areas owners tend to report before it, around it, or after it.
Too few owners named a mileage on this model to place issues against an odometer yet.
Read all 20 owner complaints in their own words → · just the 2 crash/fire/injury reports →
Recalls (0)
No recall campaigns on file for this model year.
Questions to ask the seller
Questions worth asking any seller before you hand over money:
- Has this car been in any accident or had any structural, airbag, or flood-related repair? Do you have a clean title and a recent history report (Carfax / AutoCheck)?
- How many owners has it had, do you have the maintenance records, and why are you selling it?
- Are you open to me having an independent mechanic inspect it before we settle on a price?
Before you hand over money
Check the VIN for open recalls
NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.
Free NHTSA VIN check ↗Get a pre-purchase inspection
A $150 to $250 independent inspection of this exact 2016 Mercedes-benz GL-CLASS beats every score on the internet, including ours.
What to ask forNot set on the 2016? See how every Gl-class model year scores →
Cross-shopping? Compare the 2016 Mercedes-benz Gl-class against another car →
What owners say
Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score. If they disagree, that’s worth knowing.