Baby G-Wagen Confirmed by Mercedes-Benz

• A compact G-class model is officially in development.

• The announcements were made during a recent investor-relations presentation.

After years of speculation, Mercedes-Benz has finally confirmed what we all wanted to read: A downsized version of the G-class, commonly known as the G-Wagen, is in development. While specific details remain undisclosed, reports suggest the new model could be an electric vehicle (EV). Mercedes-Benz already offers an electric version of the full-size G-class, making an EV-exclusive compact G-Wagen a possibility, though now, multiple powertrain options would be a more logical step.

This is not the brand’s first attempt at capturing the G-Wagen’s design in a smaller package. The Concept GLB, unveiled in 2019, was intended to evoke the G-class’s off-road character, but the production version ultimately lacked the same rugged appeal. The new compact G-class is expected to stay truer to the original’s design and capability.

No timeline details were shared. However, we speculate that it’ll hit the road for the 2027 model year. We’d go so far as to suggest that it might replace the current GLB, introduced for the 2020 model year. The compact SUV was facelifted for 2023 and should be up for an overhaul for 2026 or 2027.

Source: Car & Driver