2020 Mercedes-AMG GT 53 4-Door Coupe Road Test and Review

Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher would be blown away by the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT 53 4-Door Coupe. The two engineers who started AMG back in the 1960s understood the makings of a great sports sedan long before that term even existed, and they created their fair share. Tucked away in the German countryside, they started the company in a small garage and began adding power and performance to Mercedes-Benz sedans. Five decades later, AMG is Mercedes’ in-house hot-rod shop — an international high-performance powerhouse — and that humble two-man operation has grown to employ about 1,800.

Usually, AMG models are juiced up, high-performance versions of mainstream Mercedes-Benz cars and SUVs. But the Mercedes-AMG GT 53 4-Door Coupe is different. Like the brand’s GT sports car, this turbocharged four-door hatchback was created completely by AMG to compete with the Porsche Panamera 4S, BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe, and Audi S7.

Built in Germany, the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe was an all-new model just last year. Because it shares its name with the Mercedes-AMG GT supercar, it’s easy to assume that it’s a four-door version of the sexy two-seater. But don’t fall for it. The two actually have very little in common. Instead, AMG based the GT 4-Door Coupe on the popular Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Its long 116.2-inch wheelbase is shared with the E-Class wagon, while its chassis, engines, and other major components come from the AMG E 53 sedan.

Every Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe comes standard with all-wheel drive, a turbocharged engine, and a nine-speed automatic transmission. A GT 53 4-Door Coupe, like our test car, has a base price of $100,945, including a $995 destination fee. A very smooth 429-horsepower turbocharged 3.0-liter in-line six-cylinder engine is standard, and Mercedes says it can reach 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and hit a top speed of 174 mph. There are also two more expensive V8-powered GT 63 models with considerably more horsepower, which we’ve reviewed separately.

Although we like the exterior design of the AMG GT 53, there’s no mistaking its resemblance to the Porsche Panamera, which pioneered this class a decade ago. The GT’s long, lean lines are certainly more extreme than the Porsche’s, but their fastback rooflines are undeniably similar and the two are about the same size. Measuring 2.8 inches longer than an E-Class sedan, this is not a small car. AMG has also widened its fenders by 1.8 inches to cover its larger wheels and tires, which are 19 inches in diameter. Our test car’s black 21-inch wheels looked sharp, but are an expensive optional extra at $3,950.

Few sedans turn heads like this one. It looks just enough like a four-door version of the AMG GT supercar to draw a crowd. And it always draws a crowd. AMG’s pronounced grille with vertical chrome slats and an aggressive front bumper with large air intakes dominate its front end. Beneath its rounded rear is a wind-cheating diffuser and four massive exhaust pipes. At speed, a rear spoiler deploys between its slim LED tail lamps for added stability.

When we reviewed the 2020 AMG GT 63 S 4-Door Coupe, we said its interior looks like it belongs in an auto show concept car. Well, the same goes for the cabin of the GT 53. It’s beautiful on the inside, very futuristic with exceptional build quality and rich materials, including Nappa leather, wood, and carbon fiber. It’s one of the most striking interiors in the class.

Control placement is also excellent, and our test car's optional Multicountour front seats were heated, cooled, and extremely comfortable. However, some may find them to be unnecessarily firm and aggressively bolstered. For most buyers, the standard seats will do just fine. The low driving position and flat-bottom steering wheel give the sedan a sports car feel. The reconfigurable gauge cluster is digital and packed with information. The graphics are beautiful. Another 12.3-inch screen displays the navigation and infotainment information, and the system is controlled with a pad and buttons on the console. It’s all a bit complicated, however. We still prefer a touchscreen, which is available in other Mercedes models.

Although this is a large sedan, the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe only seats four. There is no middle rear seat. This is common in this class but not universal. The sedan’s low fastback roofline also compromises rear headroom. If you’re much taller than 6 feet, you won’t fit comfortably. Legroom is not an issue, but if rear-seat space is a priority, it’s better to stick with the more passenger-friendly E 53.

The AMG GT has not been crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. However, it’s based on the E-Class, and that sedan is rated five Stars by NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ by IIHS, the groups' highest possible ratings.

The Mercedes’ interior also offers plenty of storage. The center console is large and felt-lined, and its door pockets are huge. Unfortunately, the placement of its two front-seat cupholders can cause tall drinks to block its climate controls.

With 12.7 cubic feet of cargo space, the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door Coupe also has a large trunk, thanks to its liftback body style. The trunk of the BMW M8 Gran Coupe is smaller, though the Porsche Panamera and Audi RS7 hold more. For more space, AMG offers the Executive Rear Seat package, which adds folding seatbacks as well as a touchscreen to manage the rear climate controls and seat heaters.

Every 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-4oor sedan comes standard with valuable active safety systems, including blind-spot monitoring, a rear cross-traffic alert, and a forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking. If the latter is needed, another standard system called PreSafe will tighten the front seat belts, adjust the seats, and close the windows and sunroof to better prepare the car and its occupants for a potential impact.

Our test car was also equipped with a long list of optional systems, including Active Distance Assist, which helps you park, Active Lane Change Assist, Evasive Steering Assist, and Pre Safe Plus, which prepares the car in the event of a rear end collision. The package costs an extra $2,250, so it’s a good value, but these systems should be standard on a $100,000 car. And options can add up quickly; our test car cost $124,865.

Pay over $100,000 for a high-performance sedan and you want it to feel solid. The 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT 53 feels like it’s carved from aircraft quality billet. Strong and substantial. Underneath its skin are steel and aluminum braces not found on the E 53. They reinforce its structure to improve performance, and a carbon-fiber trunk floor shaves weight. At 4,600 lbs, it isn’t light, but it’s a fun car to drive, offering very strong acceleration. No, it isn’t as quick as the V8-powered models, which are downright explosive, but it is as quick as its rivals and there isn’t a smother engine/transmission combination in the business.

Punch the throttle and the AMG’s six-cylinder pushes you back into the seat and keeps you there. Part throttle response is also exceptional, and the engine revs to its 6,500 rpm redline with zeal. Turbo lag? What turbo lag? The engine makes power the instant you ask for it, while the sedan’s nine-speed automatic transmission is quick with a downshift when you want one. It always seems to be in the right gear.

In the Malibu hills, on some of America’s greatest driving roads, the Mercedes impressed on the twisty two-lanes with its stable but nimble handling and awesome traction. It’s an easy car to drive quickly, and its agility defies its considerable size and weight. Its 21-inch summer tires keep it glued to the road, helped by its 4Matic all-wheel drive system, which constantly calculates the best possible torque split between the front and rear differentials based on the driving conditions and driver input. We were equally impressed with the sedan’s responsive steering and the stopping power of its massive disc brakes.

The AMG is also refined and comfortable, so it’s pleasant to drive every day. It rides smoothly, and AMG’s Dynamic Select System allows you to adjust its personality and performance with the flip of a switch. There are five modes, including Comfort, Sport, and Sport+, each modifying the sedan’s throttle response, steering effort, transmission shift points, the firmness of its suspension, and the volume of its engine.

If you’re worried about fuel economy, you’re probably not shopping AMGs — but the GT 53 may not be a thirsty as you think. Its EPA ratings of 19 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway are competitive in this class, and its start/stop feature, which shuts off its engine at idle to save fuel, is exceptionally smooth. We averaged 20 mpg in mixed driving.

A week spent piloting the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GT 53 4-door Coupe around Los Angeles confirms AMG has created one of the world’s greatest sedans. It offers the comfort and refinement of a luxury sedan, the performance of the sports car, and the practicality of a hatchback. It’s also quite striking inside and out. Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher would surely approve.