Sometimes you just like what you like: Driving the latest Mercedes models at Pebble Beach

As soon as I parked my Hyundai Sonata rental car and got behind the wheel of the latest Mercedes-Benz models, I started to feel at home driving through California’s exclusive Pebble Beach community. Fake it till you make it, right?

Behind the gates of Pebble is 10.6 square miles consisting of the famed golf links along with private residences ranging from 1970s contemporaries to modern-day McMansions. With the narrow twisty roads through the forests and along the California coast, it was a remarkably scenic spot for a test drive.

I arrived at the Mercedes booth excited to drive anything, only to quickly learn that an S-680 Maybach was an option and that a handful of eager drivers were waiting in line for the AMG G 63. I was impatient and one of the newest models, the EQE SUV, was available immediately.

After driving the EQE, I realized it was one of the least memorable vehicles I drove out of the seven at Pebble. The other was the Lexus RZ EV – more on that later.

Mercedes EQE 500 4MATIC SUV

Naturally, the EQE SUV looks like a scaled-down version of the EQS SUV. It’s a spacious crossover that will more than satisfy the needs of most customers and thanks to a long wheelbase, features a very spacious rear seat.

Mercedes EQE 500 4MATIC SUV interior

While the EQ lineup has its own exterior styling language separate from the ICE Mercedes models, once behind the wheel of the EQE 500 4MATIC SUV, the interior fosters a sense of familiarity with its ICE siblings – starting with the vertical center touchscreen, the signature Mercedes door-mounted power seat controls, and something less common in all vehicles these days, a wood-trimmed dashboard. Overall, the EQE separates itself from other EVs in that it still feels luxurious whereas the interiors of other EVs have a colder aesthetic.

Mercedes EQE 500 4MATIC SUV interior

With a starting price of around $90k, the EQE features 402 HP and 633 lb ft torque that launch this EV from 0 to 60 MPH in 4.6 seconds. My Emerald Green EQE 500 4MATIC test car featured 21-inch AMG multi-spoke black accented wheels ($1,100), Natural Grain Yacht-design Brown Walnut wood interior trim ($1,515), AND Black/Space Grey Nappa leather ($1,370) among other options. The entry-level EQE 350 can be had for under $80k and is powered by a less powerful 288 HP motor and comes in either 2-wheel drive or all-wheel drive form.

Mercedes EQE 500 4MATIC SUV

At one point I switched to one of the drive modes that makes the EQE feel like a golf cart - once the driver lets their foot off the gas, the car begins to stop rather than continuing to cruise. I made the mistake of saying “Oh it feels like my uncle’s Tesla Model 3”.

The Mercedes rep exclaimed: “We don’t use the ‘T word’!”

I immediately apologized for my faux pas.

With inoffensive styling, a comfortable interior, and a great ride height, the EQE will work for a lot of buyers. There wasn’t anything that annoyed me about it. Perhaps the overall satisfaction of the experience was overshadowed not necessarily by a lack of character, but rather by the fact that the other vehicles I drove in the lineup were simply defined by their own character.

I didn’t travel across the country to Pebble Beach for quotidian cars – even if they manage to be as impressive as the EQE. So Saturday morning, I was back in line for a different flavor of Mercedes models.

I arrived 10 minutes before the 9 a.m. opening time, eager and ready to drive the new SL. I had multiple R129 generation Mercedes SL model cars growing up – along with the Porsche 911, it was the aspirational car that both as a kid and as an adult, one still dreams of someday owning. With the previous SL generation looking like more of a mid-cycle refresh of its predecessor, the new one feels like the first truly new SL in decades.

As an AMG-only model now, the SL has essentially replaced the stunning AMG GT Roadster in the Mercedes lineup and has regained its position as the flagship open-top model to wear a three-pointed star. With the attention given to the AMG GT lineup along with a not particularly well-received previous generation, there was speculation if the SL even had a future. Fortunately, Mercedes gave the SL a seventh generation and while it’s the sleekest yet, it offers a backseat for the first time since 1989 with the legendary R107 generation and features a soft top for the first time in 20 years.

Where the 4-door AMG GT competes with the Porsche Panamera, Mercedes's direct competitor with the new SL and upcoming AMG GT coupe is the Porsche 911. The silhouette of both the roadster and the coupe is heavily influenced by the 911.

As a kid, I remember my grandfather asking me what the Cadillac in the dealership looked like. He says “a Mercedes”. He wanted it because it reminded him of a Mercedes (I disagreed with him on the resemblance) and now it's interesting to see what this much-copied nameplate has for its own styling inspiration – Porsche.

Gone are the muscular shoulders and the long, pronounced bonnet, the lines have all been smoothed out. Mercedes certainly didn’t hide its 911 sales aspirations in styling the new AMGs. While the SL looks the best it’s looked in years, I miss the character and distinctness of the GT roadster.

My Sun Yellow AMG SL 63 Roadster tester was powered by a handcrafted AMG 4.0L Biturbo V8 and boasted a 3.5 second 0-60 MPH time. I couldn’t really open it up speed-wise to fully appreciate the 577 HP and 590 lb-ft Torque in the mostly 25 MPH speed limit confines of Pebble Beach. However, it was still plenty of fun even if I never surpassed 50 MPH.

Starting at $183k, this example rode on black 21-inch AMG forged cross-spoke wheels that are a $3,300 option. I liked the thick steering wheel and was pleasantly surprised by the decent visibility for a low-slung convertible. I found the SL most satisfying with the top-down. Practically speaking, I preferred the vertically aligned infotainment screen in the SL to the AMG GT and the ability to tilt the screen for better positioning was a welcomed feature as well.

While the SL rode more roughly than the AMG GT 63 S, the seats were more comfortable. On the surface, the AMG GT exuded a luxurious cabin with a beautifully crafted interior featuring quilted leather and a rear seat console. However, once behind the wheel, the hard side bolsters proved uncomfortable – even on the lowest setting, it was still too tight for me. After several failed attempts at adjustment, I gave up and was on my way while trying to focus on the positives of the AMG GT such as its very comfortable ride.

As much as I loved the SL, unless I was living in California or Florida, the AMG GT is a more practical model. The SL is really a third car a family might have whereas with 2 usable rear seats, the GT can functionally serve families as a secondary or even primary vehicle.

My final Mercedes was the G-Wagen and on the AMG theme, I took the AMG G 63. They’ve been trendy for so long now. It seems like only yesterday Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt were being followed by Paparazzi in their matching G-Wagens – but that was over 20 years ago!

While still a status symbol, the G has a character all its own. As a boxy Volvo loyalist, I’ve long had an affinity for the back-to-basics classic design of the G-Wagen and was curious about finally driving one. Despite its evolution from a spartan off-roader to a luxury model over the course of its 40-plus year run, the G-Wagen still looks largely the same – in a good way. The current iteration has been on the road since 2018 and unlike other SUVs that have grown substantially with each new generation, the G keeps its tidy, (relatively) scaled-down dimensions.

The refreshingly old-school G’s upright cabin with large square windows facilitates excellent visibility as well as makes the spacious interior feel even larger than it is. The driving position was great and the seat bolsters automatically tighten when taking turns. Perhaps due to its smaller size, the trucky-ness of the G was tolerable and it was very easy to live with. It’s hard to find another vehicle on the market that maintains its styling of four decades while offering modern performance, safety, and comfort.

In preserving the iconic style of the celebrated G, Mercedes also kept the quirks - such as an odd placement of the door release as well as power window switches on top of the window sill.

Powered by a handcrafted AMG 4.0L Biturbo V8 with 577 HP and 627 lb-ft of Torque, the AMG G 63 accelerates from 0-60 MPH in 4.5 seconds. With a starting price of $179k, one can save $40k by going with the still-powerful G550 that accelerates to 60 in 5.6 seconds. Given my restricted driving environment, I am curious if I would have really noticed much of a difference between the G 550 and the G 63 had I driven them both two back-to-back. It would have been great for comparison’s sake to get a feel for each.

Regardless of the AMG tuning, the charm of the G stays with you. Perhaps since it was my last Mercedes of the day and I wasn’t excited to get back in line for another model to drive, it remained on my mind. I can now say I get it.

Growing up in the northeast, the SL will always be a novelty. But the G is a novelty that you can navigate through a tight neighborhood, pilot through a snowstorm, tow a boat, and hit the slopes in. Still impractical on so many levels, its relative practicality combined with my nostalgia for its original era, puts the overlanding-capable G as my top pick out of the four. And as a car (not truck or SUV) lover, it pains me to admit that.

Ok G, you win.