2013 Mercedes-Benz GL450

On the inside, where the GL450 seats seven people, Mercedes gave the dashboard a more wing-like appearance, and added in brushed-metal accents, more logically placed controls, and precision stitching on the seats. The GL450 comes in at a base MSRP of $63,900.

As for competition, well, the full-size luxury SUV realm is packed full of alternatives. A key competitor for the GL450 is the 2013 BMW X5 xDrive50i, which features a $64,200 base MSRP, a 400-horsepower, 4.4-liter V-8 engine, a 6,000-pound towing capacity and seating for up to five people on leather. Next up is the 2013 Cadillac Escalade, which comes in a base MSRP of $64,170 and features a 6.2-liter V-8 engine with 403 horsepower, an 8,000-pound towing capacity and leather seating for seven people. Next in line is the 2013 Audi Q7 3.0T S-Line Prestige, which comes in at $60,550 and features a 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 engine that cranks out 333 horsepower, a seven person capacity on leather seats and a 6,600-pound towing capacity.

The competition is plenty and the GL450 has a lot of work to do in order to keep customers interested. A simple redesign may not be enough, so Mercedes needs to bring something special to the table.