The Mercedes-AMG G63 throws sensibility out the window. It accelerates like a sports car but its burdened by the extra weight of its formidable off-road kit; it’s got the goods to theoretically take on just about any off-road obstacle but it rides on sticky summer tires that struggle to find grip on anything but tarmac.

Mercedes’s flagship SUV stands out for its simple, purpose-built design, and the latest iteration of the G63 benefits from 6.0-inch wider front and rear tracks.

It’s no less charming inside the G63, which combines modern Mercedes amenities with classic G cues such as an upright windshield, shallow dashboard with prominent buttons for the locking differentials, and a large grab handle fore of the passenger seat. That said, the G63’s cabin marks a far greater departure from tradition than its exterior. Alongside new features such as cup holders integrated into the center console and a fold-down rear armrest, the G63 also benefits from a big 12.3-inch dashboard-mounted infotainment screen, a meaty three-spoke steering wheel, and an array of attractive metal, plastic, and leather pieces.

While AMG spruces up the G’s performance, this is still an off-road machine at heart and the nine-speed automatic transmission pushes the engine’s grunt to all four wheels courtesy of a standard four-wheel-drive system that includes a transfer case with a dedicated low range and locking center, front, and rear differentials. Further assisting things are three AMG-specific off-road drive modes: Sand, Trail, and Rock.