If there’s one production SUV that looks the traditional part more than any other, it’s the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The utilitarian standby with the soul of a great Pomerol has retained its form-follows-function sensibility in the nearly 40 years since it was introduced, and remains the single off-road offering in its class that maintains a classic-but-slick boxiness which is endearingly resistant to change. The G-Class is a veldt-ready vehicle that incorporates the poetry of adventure more than any other high-end SUV on the market. As they update the G-Class design from year-to-year, Mercedes keeps the goat-path appeal—its raison d’etre—quite intact.

The 2019 series does sneak in a little smoothing of its edges as a concession to the contemporary, but otherwise it looks very familiar, in the best possible way. However, underneath the garb of tradition, extensive changes have been effected, the most extensive changes to the model since it was introduced in 1979. The platform is the same, but mechanical improvements are extensive, right down to a newly-designed nine-speed transmission and an independent front suspension. Most importantly, the body is nearly four-and-a-half inches wider, improving stability on dramatically uneven terrain.

Tech updates include a front camera and a new drive mode, G-Mode. G-Mode compensates for optimal response during off-roading sessions. And, Mercedes didn’t forget the creature comforts. The cabin of the 2019 G-Class is more comforting than it’s ever been. Massaging seats, yes, but tough-guys don’t have to use them. At least, not until the adventure’s over.

Mercedes-Benz will formally introduce the 2019 G-Class at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show.