Anyone looking for a three-row, family-sized SUV with the performance of a Porsche and the luxury of a Bentley, will likely have a Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 high on their wish list. 

And for 2027 it’s just had a re-fresh that sees it offering more performance and more luxury than ever.

Yes, you’ll likely swoon at the new, bolder, head-spinning style, with its new, ring-of-light illuminated grill. Awesome new 23-in rims too. 

But in essence, the bottomless appeal of this roughly $157,000 GLS 63 is all about an engine.

For 2027, the legendary 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 from those artisans at Mercedes-AMG, has been redesigned and now packs a formidable 603 horsepower.

To go all technical on you, this is the new M177 EVO engine, enhanced and enlivened by a performance-enhancing flat-plane crankshaft. 

This is a feature normally associated with shrieking supercar powerplants. 

To add to the mix, it comes with a new-generation, integrated starter-generator, that works kind-of like a hybrid, adding an additional 23-hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. It boosts off-the-line performance and smooths-out the stop-start function.

Combined, this new, honking V-8 gives the kind of acceleration normally reserved for fighter jets off an aircraft carrier. Stomp on the gas and you’ll hit 60 mph from standstill in a whisker under four seconds. 

This is a sensational engine, with tremendous character, endless low- and mid-range muscle for rapid passing, coupled with surprisingly smooth and refined high-speed cruising. 

Of course, nothing tipping the scales at over 6,000 pounds and towering over six feet tall is ever going to handle like a sportscar.

But this GLS 63 tries its best. The AMG Active Ride Control and active air suspension tames a lot of the body roll in tight turns, while the electronic-locking differential is impressive at putting all those 603 horseys down to the blacktop.

Well-judged steering too which, while it initially feels a little too light, is nicely precise and super-communicative. 

The only casualty here is that overly-firm ride, even in Comfort mode. And while the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires provide exceptional grip, they throw-up plenty of road noise. Deep potholes are to be avoided at all cost.

Out on the road, there’s certainly no missing this refreshed GLS 63. Up front there’s a new Panamericana-style grille, with its vertical chrome bars that pays homage to the 1954 Mercedes 300 SL racecar that competed in the Carrera Panamericana road race in Mexico.

New lighting too, including a ring of bright-white LEDs around the new, larger, thicker-frame grill. And new headlights that incorporate cool, three-pointed star running lights, with fresh taillights featuring more three-pointed stars.

Inside, there’s a redesigned dash, enhanced by Mercedes’ full-width MBUX Superscreen with its trio of 12.3-inch displays – including one of the front-seat passenger.

A new Mercedes operating system controls them, with enhanced “Hey Mercedes” voice commands with lightening-fast AI searches and Google Maps integration. Thankfully, there are still plenty of physical buttons. 

As you’d expect of a $157-grand flagship, the level of luxury has been ramped up to an 11. Lots of fancy diamond-quilted-and-perforated leather, lots of cool carbon fiber, lots of lovely brushed metal.

And no shortage of choices of even more upscale interior materials from Mercedes’ ever-expanding Manufaktur program. Love the bold Carmine Red or creamy Macchiato Beige Beech Brown Nappa leather. 

Less impressive is all the wild, neon cabin lighting that definitely gives the interior a look of Tokyo by night. 

As you’d expect from a full-fat SUV stretching over 206 inches nose-to-tail and 70 inches tall, the interior is huge. Second row legroom is positively limo-like.

While this new AMG GLS 63 goes head-to-head with the likes of BMW’s X7 M60i, Audi’s brand new SQ9 and Cadillac’s Escalade V, arguably its biggest challenge comes from in-house.

Many performance lovers would be completely satisfied with the terrific new GLS 580, with the same 4.0-liter V8 and a still muscular 530-hp. 

If you can give up the third-row seats, the lighter, more compact, AMG-honed GLE 63 with the same 603 hp, is even more fun to to drive. 

Nice to have choices.