Although Mercedes-Benz GL-Class safety performance has not been subjected to the rigours of Euro NCAP testing, we would expect it to be a five-star car if it was.

Not only does Mercedes have one of the strongest reputations for safety in the industry, the smaller M-Class, upon which the GL is based, has already scored a full five-star score.

The GL is positively crammed to the gunnels with safety equipment including all-round airbags, various electronic stability measures, collision avoidance warnings, four wheel drive and LED lighting, with brake lights that glow brighter the harder they’re applied.

As a family car, Mercedes has recognised that more than two child seats may need carrying at any one time, so the outer positions of the middle row, as well as the back two seats, come equipped with ISOFIX mounting points for child seats.

Such a large vehicle has the potential to be a hazard for pedestrians too, but the risks have been minimised with an active bonnet which automatically lifts up, away from the harder points of the engine, should a pedestrian be struck.

With its large, upright bodywork Mercedes-Benz GL-Class practicality is a strong point.

Not only is there ample seating capacity for seven adults, the load capacity is generous too. Okay, with all seven seats in use there’s only 295 litres available, hardly enough for an airport run, but decent enough for a trip to Waitrose.

All five rear seats fold away electrically, which not only adds to the convenience, but is cool to watch too. When they’re folded the load bay increases to an enormous, and essentially flat, 2,300 litres, although this is still 258 litres shy of the barn-like Land Rover Discovery.

Elsewhere in the cabin there’s an abundance of storage cubbies to store the kind of journey detritus that families accumulate on frequent trips.

Less practical is the GL’s sheer, physical size – at 5,141mm long and 1,982mm wide (excluding door mirrors), it’s not the easiest of things to negotiate around smaller urban roads, let alone manoeuvre into parking spaces. Sensors in the bumpers and cameras, including a 360 degree optional upgrade, do ease the burden somewhat.