MERCEDES-BENZ GLE
From Stuttgart via Alabama, Merc’s all-new all-rounder is a technological livewire
The problem child in Stuttgart’s SUV portfolio wrings out Benz’s tech budget
SELLING large SUVS has been a difficult business for Mercedesbenz in recent times. Year to date, the ageing third-gen GLE wagon has been overshadowed on local sales charts by an X5 in its death throes and awaiting replacement. An overhaul for Stuttgart’s big family transporter couldn’t come too soon, and the brand hasn’t taken to the challenge meekly.
The all-new, fourth-gen model is a boon for Merc’s big SUV stock, with an array of technological innovations including groundbreaking active suspension that advances the game
significantly. It also carries over its predecessor’s badge for the first time in this model’s history. The first-gen M-class of more than 20 years ago met opposition from BMW, who already had M-badged models. That saw it change to Ml-class in 2005, then again to GLE with the third-gen in 2011.
It’s easier to follow the lineage by looking at each iteration, all of which are linked by a distinctive ‘shark fin’ C-pillar shape. Designer Achim-dietrich Badstubner says he fought hard to keep that element for the new car, which is lower, slightly wider and significantly longer than before. Nose to tail, the GLE has gained 105mm, with 80mm added to the wheelbase to open up almost 70mm of additional rear legroom. The body structure uses a mixture of materials and construction methods to improve passive safety characteristics along with torsional rigidity (up 30 percent), and cabin comfort by reducing acoustic intrusion to a serene level.
Australia can expect a threetier GLE range arriving from Merc’s Tuscaloosa plant around the middle of 2019. A sole petrol variant sits sandwiched between entry-level and range-topping diesels, all three with Stuttgart’s nine-speed auto and 4Matic all-wheel drive. The GLE300D opens with a 185kw/500nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, followed by the GLE450 with a 270kw/500nm 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder petrol, plus a 48v mild-hybrid system that adds up to 16kw/250nm at take-off. But the most popular choice initially is expected to be the GLE400D with a strong 243kw/700nm 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder diesel. Two future AMG variants and a plug-in hybrid are slated.
In a blind test, the oilers are hard to pick from the lone petrol GLE, such is the slickness and refinement of Merc’s latest diesels, and there are no penalties at the lower end of the range. The torquey 300d shifts the base car’s hulking frame with ease, even though it’s 90kg heavier than before at 2165kg. The 450 and 400d variants are tremendous, both able to reach 100km/h from rest in under 6.0 seconds.
But this is a segment where stopwatches and ultimate dynamics take a back seat to practical considerations such as cargo space, third-row utility and ride quality. For Oz, every GLE will feature seven berths as standard, though the rearmost pew can be deleted at no cost. Massive rear doors make access to the back half easy.