The New 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS Has a Special Carwash Mode—Now That's Luxury

From Car and Driver

• Mercedes-Benz rolled out the all-new 2020 GLS-class SUV at the New York auto show this week.

• A standard feature is a "carwash mode" that adjusts the mirrors, windows, sunroof, climate control, and wipers for you and even raises the air suspension so your GLS can be effectively cleaned underneath.

• The feature shuts itself off as soon as you reach 12 mph on leaving the carwash.

Navigating a carwash in today's complex, feature-laden vehicles can be tricky. Parking-assist systems sense what they think is impending doom and blare warnings, automatic wipers swoosh into action, and if you're trying not to ride along, electronically controlled shifters often like to shift automatically to park when the vehicle is stopped and a door is opened.

Mercedes has you covered with a new carwash mode on the just-introduced 2020 GLS. The big SUV has been completely redesigned to be slightly larger and more accommodating, and it gains a whole lot more luxury features-including this carwash mode, which comes standard. Simply select it and the exterior mirrors fold in, the windows and sunroof slide closed (in case you forget!), the climate control switches to recirculation mode, the automatic wipers are kept from activating, and the front camera view pops up. It also raises the air suspension to its highest setting, which Mercedes says allows easier removal of gunk from your last off-road adventure.

When the GLS emerges, shimmering once again, it exits carwash mode automatically once the vehicle's speed exceeds 12 mph. How convenient for those too busy to wash their own cars.

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