These are the two most luxurious SUVs in the fleet, and they win in different rooms. The Maybach GLS is about what happens inside: twin reclining rear chairs, limousine legroom and the calmest cabin Mercedes builds — the passenger's car. The Cullinan is about what happens at the kerb: the Parthenon grille, the Spirit of Ecstasy and the gravitas only a Rolls-Royce carries — the arrival's car.
Sydney's two first-class SUVs — the Mercedes-Maybach GLS, built around its rear seats, or the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, built around its presence.
Mercedes-Maybach GLS vs Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series I: at a glance
| Specification | Mercedes-Maybach GLS | Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series I |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | Twin-turbo V8 | 6.75L V12 |
| Seats | 4 | 5 |
| Class | First-class SUV | Luxury SUV |
| Signature | Executive rear cabin | Effortless presence |
Both are available chauffeur-driven across Greater Sydney. The right choice comes down to the arrival you want to make.
Choose the Mercedes-Maybach GLS if…
- The journey matters as much as the entrance — airport runs, VIP days, long transfers.
- Reclining rear seats and first-class comfort for parents or guests of honour.
- Modern, discreet luxury that doesn't announce itself until the door opens.
- Group days where two or three ride in genuine comfort.
Choose the Rolls-Royce Cullinan Series I if…
- The arrival is the point — the badge everyone recognises from across the street.
- A wedding or milestone where Rolls-Royce gravitas is the brief.
- The high, graceful step-out with a gown.
- You're matching other Rolls-Royce cars in a line-up.
The back seat, measured honestly
The Maybach’s advantage is specific and real: its second row is two individual airline-style chairs that recline with calf rests, separated by a full console — passengers sit lower, cocooned, with limousine legroom. The Cullinan’s rear seat is beautifully appointed and notably higher, which is its own advantage: you sit above the traffic, and you step down and out gracefully rather than climbing out — the reason stylists love it with a gown. If the passengers are elderly parents on a long transfer, the Maybach spoils them; if the passenger is a bride at the kerb, the Cullinan serves her better.
What the photographs say
On camera the two diverge completely. The Cullinan photographs like architecture — the upright grille and long bonnet give every shot a sense of occasion, and it holds its presence even in a wide frame. The GLS photographs like wealth rather than ceremony: sleek, dark and discreet, it reads best in motion or in tight, detail-rich shots of that remarkable cabin. Wedding albums almost always favour the Rolls; corporate and VIP content, where understatement is the brief, often favours the Maybach.
The verdict
Ride in the Maybach; arrive in the Cullinan. For transfers, VIP comfort and the people you want spoiled, the GLS's rear cabin is untouchable. For the moment the door opens on the day itself, the Cullinan is the one the photographs remember. Plenty of bookings pair them — Cullinan for the couple, Maybach for the parents.
The surest way to decide is to see them side by side — book a showroom visit in Lakemba, or build a line-up around your favourite.
