Mercedes Confirms A Baby G-Class—But Will It Be A True Off-Roader?

Mercedes is finally bringing out a smaller G-Class. It’s kind of wild that it took them this long, considering how much of a cult following the big G has. But a true baby G? That’s new.

Mercedes just confirmed it as part of what they’re calling their “biggest-ever product launch campaign.” A teaser shows a little silhouette labeled simply as “g” sitting at the bottom of the G-Class lineup, making it clear this is a proper offshoot.

We first got a hint at a little G-Class back in 2023 when Mercedes dropped a sketch of it. CEO Ola Källenius even called it the "son or daughter of the big G," which is a pretty cute way to hype up an SUV. 

But the big question is: will this thing be a real body-on-frame off-roader, or is it just going to be a more rugged version of a crossover? Rumors say it might be related to the next-gen CLA, which would mean no ladder frame. While this could cause controversy, it also presents an opportunity for an all-electric model and a mildly hybrid 1.5-liter four-cylinder variant.

With everything Mercedes has on its plate—the new CLA, refreshed GLA and GLB, plus electric versions of the C-Class, E-Class, and GLC—the baby G-Class might take a while to arrive. But when it does, it’ll have to prove it’s not just a pretty face.

Source of renderings: Motor1.com