Bigger and better plus luxury

a function called Active Stop and Go Assist that gives extra automation at low speed. You can see what is happening on the massive head-up display.

The fit and finish is exceptional and M-B’s option packages do let you take the GLE to whatever level of luxury you want.

Our car had the AMG Sport Package, with extra styling and trim upgrades inside and out, but also the Luxury Seat Package ($3700) with ‘‘climatised’’, multicontour chairs and the Vision Package ($4200) with a panoramic glass roof and grunty Burmester surround sound system.

You can also be practical and take advantage of the GLE’s size by adding the seven-seat package, complete with power adjustment, for $3900. It is beautifully integrated and does nothing to undermine the luxury ambience of the GLE’s cabin.

The only low point is rather high: M-B NZ insists on putting running boards on its SUVs, which not only look naff but also make your (presumably) expensive trousers dirty because they are too small to safely step on in wet weather but too large to be out of the way. Luckily, they are also a no-cost-delete item.

Better than an E-class then?

A few short years ago the E-class was the pinnacle of the M-B lineup and arguably the most hi-tech car in the world. The only reason you would have bought the ageing GLE (the ‘‘E’’ aligning it with the E-class in the brand’s model range) would be if you really, really wanted an SUV. Which lots of people did.

Now, the GLE is not just an SUV alternative: it is a rival for the traditional E-class in terms of luxury (if not ride comfort or handling) and beats it for technology.

Any other cars I should consider?

There are the usual German premiumbrand suspects, especially the BMW X5. One more thing, though. Tick a few option boxes as we have done here and suddenly you are into premium EV-SUV territory.

There is a plug-in hybrid version of the GLE on the way (with 100km electric range and a diesel engine), but our 300d’s $150k-ish as-tested pricetag could easily go towards a BEV like an Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace, Tesla Model X – or presumably Mercedes-Benz’s own forthcoming EQC.

All smaller SUVs than the GLE, granted. But none are tiny.

All fuel (or not) for thought if you are really thinking in terms of high technology.

No cowl on virtual instrument panel: Two large screens . . . that look like one. It has a different name now but GLE is the direct descendant of MercedesBenz’s original SUV, the ML-class.