While 2025 proved to be a real test for Mercedes-Benz with a 9% decline in global sales, the legendary G-Class managed to create a real market miracle. The iconic SUV not only weathered the storm, but also wrote the most successful chapter in its 46-year history, proving that some legends really are “stronger than time“.
The statistics for the past year speak for themselves: demand for the Geländewagen has jumped by an impressive 23%, reaching a historic high of 49,700 vehicles delivered. This is an absolute record since the first model left the assembly line back in 1979. It is particularly curious that this triumph comes at a time when the parent company is undergoing a serious reorganization and reduction in total volumes.
Although Mercedes-Benz traditionally keeps secret the exact breakdown between the internal combustion versions and the new electric G580 with EQ Technology, the company is categorical - electrification has played a key role in attracting a fresh audience. However, this official optimism contrasts with some internal voices.
We recall that earlier in the year, senior managers quoted by Handelsblatt were skeptical of the battery version, calling it a “market failure“. However, the final figures show that even with difficulties at the beginning, the electric “Gega“ has found its way to customers.
The year also remains in history with another large-scale achievement - the production of the 600,000th anniversary copy. An amazing fact is that, according to internal analyses, around 80% of all G-Classes produced so far are still in operation, which is a testament to the uncompromising quality maintained at the Magna Steyr plant in Graz, Austria.
The success of the 2025 model confirms that the G-Class has long since gone beyond the confines of an ordinary SUV, becoming a cultural phenomenon and one of the most stable investments in the automotive world.