GLE 550e is a model that does it all
Large luxury SUVs and hybrid powertrains are a natural fit.
These vehicles are already big and heavy, so the additional battery weight doesn’t represent a large proportion of its mass. Electric motors provide instant torque that helps get all that weight off the line even better than diesel, which was hugely popular in that segment until recently.
They’re also seriously pricey, so they can handle the costs of the research and development that go into new technology.
And luxury crossovers are selling like crazy, so you’d think people would buy them by accident, or even just to avoid waiting for a popular colour to come in.
So, why is nobody buying the Mercedes-Benz GLE 550e?
In my car-spotting efforts around the GTA, I see plenty of BMW X5 hybrids, Porsche Cayenne Hybrids and even a couple Volvo XC90 Hybrids, but not once have I ever seen a Benz plug-in hybrid SUV until I brought this one home. Granted, this is only anecdotal observation, but the GLE in general is selling slowly in Canada this year (2,561 through May this year compared to 3,330 for the same period last year) without the diesel model that accounted for the lion’s share of sales. Mercedes Canada would not provide specific hybrid sales numbers, but did say that it is meeting their expectations, while in the United States, the GLE 550e is selling far below the rate of its hybrid competitors.
Granted, the GLE 550e plug-in just arrived this year with little history behind it, but it’s definitely a lot slower out of the gate than its competitors, and perhaps there’s more to it than just supply levels.
All the modes The GLE is a fine SUV that doesn’t go overboard trying to be a sports car. Yes, it has the bones to become the mental AMG GLE 63, but you almost wouldn’t know it driving around in Comfort mode on electric power alone.
The electric drive is the big news for the GLE 550e, adding an 85-kW electric motor integrated into the 7GTronic automatic transmission to the twin-turbo V6, with an 8.7-kWh lithium-ion battery that theoretically can deliver up to 30 kilometres of pure electric range. On its own, the V6 is rated at 329 horsepower and 354 pound-feet, but total hybrid system output is listed at 436 hp and 479 lb-ft, peak torque coming on at a low, low 1,600 r.p.m.
The GLE 550e has the usual Sport and Comfort driving modes, but it also has special hybrid modes for pure electric mode, fully automatic hybrid mode, and a Save mode to use minimal battery and save that charge for later in your trip.
It’s got enough power that it’s faster than the AMG GLE 43 despite being more than 200 kilograms heavier at 2,475 kg.
However, the transition from pure electricity to hybrid and the auto start/stop could be smoother for this pricey luxury ride.
Countering the disappointment of individual electric forays, its overall fuel consumption somewhat made up for it. Official ratings are 5.5 litres per 100 km electric, in typical driving cycles with regular charging, but once the hybrid battery is depleted, it runs at about 11.2 L/100 km.
Family living As an everyday family vehicle getting to those activities, it’s hard to find fault with the GLE, with luxurious and spacious seating, all the modern amenities and styling that many will adore, and few will object to. The front seats are power adjustable in all the right ways, the leather is fine and the seat is heated (though not ventilated). Because it’s a mid-size SUV, it’s the perfect height for installing child seats while younger toddlers can climb up on their own, especially with the help of the running boards — which my wife also appreciated. To go along with the comfortable seating, the ride was comfort first, but with the optional air suspension, it was possible to firm it up a bit and the Sport mode added a bit of weight to the steering and stiffness to that suspension to make it feel less like a swaying land barge.
I’ve gotten used to the Mercedes COMAND interface, and the menus make sense and system is quick to respond, but the ergonomics of the controls left me scratching my head in frustration. The touchpad with handwriting recognition and various controls arches over the scroll wheel, and I love the look of it, but I prefer to use the scroll wheel, and my hand would constantly trigger selections and throw me off the menu I was trying to navigate.
There’s plenty of headroom and legroom in both rows, although the battery pack eats up quite a chunk of the trunk’s vertical space.
The verdict: 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE 550e review The 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE is a nice SUV, and with a wide range of powertrain options, it is no surprise that it sells so well. Mercedes is spreading its electrification throughout its lineup, so it doesn’t have to worry about a single individual model recouping the costs of the research and development that go into launching an electric powertrain, but it still must be disappointing to see the GLE 550e selling so slowly.
Perhaps the leap from the GLE 350’s starting price at $65,800 (destination included in all prices) to $85,000 is just a non-starter for people to consider, and at more than $100,000 as tested, it just seems like far too much money to pay for a small improvement in fuel consumption and doing one’s part for the environment.
The GLE 550e is a Mercedes that does it all, but there are others in the lineup that do more for less.