Used Mercedes-Benz GLS Rear Tailgate

The GLS nameplate covers two clear generations: the first-generation X166, produced from 2016 to 2019, and the second-generation X167, which launched in 2019 and remains in production. These two generations are entirely different platforms with different body pressings, so a tailgate from an X166 will not fit an X167 and vice versa. Always confirm the generation with your breaker by quoting your registration number.

This question crosses the X166-to-X167 generation boundary: the X166 ran until 2019 and the X167 launched in 2019, so a 2017 car is X166 and a 2019 car could be either generation depending on exact build date. Because these are completely different platforms with different body structures and panel shapes, a tailgate from one will not interchange with the other. Confirm which generation your car is with your breaker before ordering, using your registration.

Trim level does not affect tailgate fitment on the GLS — the underlying panel is the same across standard, AMG Line, and other trim variants within the same generation. What can differ is finish detail such as badging, camera apertures, or trim-mounted spoilers, so when buying used, confirm with the breaker that any cosmetic features on the donor tailgate match what you need. The key questions remain generation and build date, not trim level.

The GLS replaced the GL (X166 GL ran from 2012 to 2015, before the X166 was rebadged as GLS from 2016), and because both used the X166 platform, there is a reasonable basis to expect panel compatibility between late GL X166 and GLS X166 tailgates. However, Mercedes did make styling updates at the time of the GLS rebadge, so whether the pressing is identical is something you should confirm with the breaker against both registration numbers before purchasing.

The tailgate panel itself is the same regardless of whether your car has a wiper or camera, but the apertures and mounting points machined into it may differ between variants equipped with these features and those without. If your car has a rear wiper and camera, it is safest to source a tailgate already cut for both, or confirm with the breaker that the donor panel matches your specification. Fitting a panel with missing apertures would require additional work and is not guaranteed to be straightforward.

The GLS is a large SUV offered with a single tailgate body style, but variants can differ in rear glazing specification, and differences in glass aperture shape or size between configurations could affect whether the panel swaps directly. This is the kind of mid-generation or variant-specific pressing detail that is worth confirming with the breaker against your registration rather than assuming compatibility. Provide your full registration and ask the breaker to compare the donor car's spec before agreeing the sale.