Mercedes GLE ride

We’re on and off road in cutting-edge rival to BMW X5

AS with the latest A-class hatch, the all-new Mercedes GLE is a masterclass in cutting-edge tech. But the digital cockpit is not our main focus here. Today, we’re sitting alongside chief engineer and head of testing Rüdiger Rutz for a ride in the new SUV, ahead of its launch at the Los Angeles Motor Show later this year.

First, the facts. The previous GLE (codename W166) came into the world as the M-class. It underwent a facelift in 2015 and from then on it was called the GLE. But this old car trailed the BMW X5 and Range Rover Sport dynamically.

This new GLE (codename V167) has no more in common with the W166 than “two or three bolts – that’s about it”, according to Stefanie Schmitz, project manager for the GLE development.

It’s still big, though; at 4.93 metres, it’s 80mm longer than its predecessor. You notice this most in the rear, where even taller adults can now sit comfortably.

But we want to see what the car is like on (and off) the road. As we head to a purpose-built off-road test track at our base in Alabama, US, Rutz chooses the Off-road Plus setting, which raises the chassis by 50mm. While ascending a 45 per cent incline, he says: “It was always a thorn in our side that the Range Rover performed better than us off road.”

Now, the car moves up the pitted slopes at a precarious 28 per cent sideways tilt, and continues onwards even though the front left and back right wheels are completely off the ground. Rutz and his team have refined the Active Body Control (ABC) chassis so that four independent suspension struts ensure nothing slips. It’s a surreal experience.

The GLE comes as standard with steel springs, but – from the passenger seat, at least – the superior air suspension and ABC system will be options worth having. On the road, with the right drive mode selected, it lets you throw the GLE into bends with real confidence.

Even as Rutz takes the corner at full tilt, you get the feeling that the vehicle is a lot easier to handle than before. The ride is excellent, too, thanks to the camera in the windscreen that scans the road for imperfections and primes the suspension accordingly.

With the new car still a few months from being officially revealed, it’ll be some time until we get official prices, specs and engine info. Our 362bhp GLE 450 is unconfirmed for the UK, and despite the diesel backlash, the 250 d and 350 d are likely to remain the best sellers. As before, a mighty 4.0-litre V8 bi-turbo will power the top-spec AMG GLE 63, while a Coupé will arrive later.