Mercedes-Benz GLE review

This is the Mercedes-Benz GLE, only the second Mercedes SUV to wear the name but in fact the latest in a line of successful Benz 4x4s that trace their roots back to the M-Class of 1997. Mercedes proudly says it invented the premium SUV class, but conveniently ignores the BMW X5 and Volvo XC90 making a better fist of it in the intervening couple of decades.

That might not be the case any longer, though – launched in 2019, the Mk2 GLE is a very complete car. An 80mm stretch in the wheelbase over the old version carved out enough room for seven seats; a first-time feature in the GLE. In fact, the interior as a whole is one of the leaps over the previous GLE, resplendent with its massive twin 12.3in screens and general air of solidity.

An update to the GLE in 2023 introduced a host of new features: the grille, air intakes and headlights were freshened up and inside there was a new steering wheel, Merc’s latest MBUX infotainment system and a fancy Burmester sound system. Air suspension and hybrid tech is now standard too: buy a GLE and it will be a mild-hybrid at the very least, or a full PHEV if you part with enough money.

Oh, and if you’re looking for something to rival the BMW X6, Mercedes also offers the GLE in chopped-roof Coupe form. You can read about that here.

Tell me about the engines.

Under the bonnet, the GLE depends on Mercedes' latest family of engines, which means once you’re beyond the four-cylinder GLE 300d (265bhp, 406lb ft), it’s straight sixes, not V6s, that do the work. And good though the four-pot is, it’s the larger 3.0-litres (there’s a petrol and a diesel) you really want. They suit the GLE to a tee, and once you do the maths on the extra equipment brought along with it, they become more of a no-brainer.

All GLEs are all-wheel drive and feature nine-speed automatic gearboxes. The impressive GLE 450 (376bhp, 369lb ft) and 450d (362bhp, 553lb ft) straight sixes are supplemented by a 48-volt electric power bump, branded by Mercedes as EQ Boost. It makes stop-starting the engine a freakishly smooth affair, harvests energy when coasting, and adds a 20bhp helping hand to fill in for turbo lag. As such, both will blast through the 0-62mph sprint in 5.6 seconds. Mercedes even fits this system to the mad, mighty GLE 63 S. Yep, that’s the one with a 604bhp V8. With twin turbos. Hits 0-62mph in less than four seconds…

What if I need more electrification?

Then you need the plug-in hybrids. There are now three on offer in the UK: the 350de, 400e and AMG GLE 53 Hybrid. And yes, that suffix is important because you can also still have an AMG GLE 53 with a mild-hybrid straight six. Confused yet?

Anyway, back to the plug-ins. The 350de pairs a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine with an electric motor for a total system output of 328bhp and 553lb ft of torque. There’s a 25.28kWh usable battery in there too for almost 66 miles of petrol-free range, although it robs you of the seven-seat option.

The 400e is much the same, although you’ll fill it up with regular petrol. It’s another 2.0-litre four-cylinder and gets the same electric motor and battery combo. EV range is still just under 66 miles, but outputs are 376bhp and 479lb ft.

The AMG-spec PHEV wasn’t actually initially scheduled to come to the UK, but now it’s here anyway with a straight six, an electric motor and a combined total of 537bhp and 553lb ft of torque. The battery is also 25kWh, but electric range is just under 53 miles. Oh, and it weighs 2.8 tonnes. For reference, the mild-hybrid 53 gets a 429bhp straight six and a 2,375kg kerbweight.

What are the tech highlights?

Of course, the GLE majors on tech, with a fleet of driver assistance bongs ready to interrupt your favourite podcast if you wander over the white lines, reverse unthinkingly from your parking space or drift towards that lane-hogger dwelling in your blind spot. The ‘Hey Mercedes’ Siri-like voice assistant is always listening, and the optional extras are mainly grouped into conveniently speccable ‘packs’, which Mercedes says enhances resale values because second-hand buyers have an easier time seeking the spec they desire.

That in turn means Mercedes’ finance rates are likely to be healthily competitive, which – as the A-Class and C-Class have proved – can pay major dividends in big sales.

Any other rivals worth my time?

With GLE prices kicking off at over £75,000 in the UK, there’s the Audi Q7 as a cheaper option, but that’s far from Audi’s finest car. The VW Touareg makes much better use of that platform, and there’s also the Land Rover Discovery if you’re prepared to step into the unknown reliability-wise. The class leader for seven seat SUVs is probably still the Volvo XC90, but if you could live with the looks then you can have a BMW X7 for a similar price to some of the fancier GLE trims.

If you’re only after five seats but still want that SUV, you could well be cross-shopping with the BMW X5, the Porsche Cayenne or a Range Rover Sport. 

It’s a pretty complete car, the Mercedes GLE. It’s done what the Q7 did – get supremely quiet and refined – without getting horrendously ugly in the process. Its cabin is as opulent as a Discovery’s, but without infotainment to make you swear with impatience (even if it is a tad overwrought in its functions).

It also treads the line of the Volvo XC90 in not being overbearingly sporty or too bolshy in its styling. Although that’s not including the AMG versions, which attract a fair amount of attention because they’re big, blingy Merc SUVs that aren’t G-Wagens. The standard GLE presents a friendlier image to the world than a Range Rover Sport or BMW X5 though. It’s perhaps not the first premium SUV that trips off the tongue when you’re listing the class it invented, but with seven seats and a diesel engine it may well prove to be one of the most satisfying to live with.