New Mercedes GLE 2026 review: expensive, but classy and comfortable
The Mercedes GLE has been overhauled and the changes are largely positive
Verdict
It probably looks worse, but the Mercedes GLE 450 e has received a sensible overhaul that should keep it competitive against a raft of redesigned rivals. Its tech was updated and improved while maintaining physical interior controls and old-school luxury trappings, while the plug-in hybrid powertrain benefits from a bigger engine and more powerful electric motor. The cloud-connected suspension tech yields a truly sensational ride, too. Is it expensive? Sure, but in the Merc’s case, you get what you pay for.
What’s the best car to own? Well, back in 2025, our Driver Power satisfaction survey awarded that title to the Mercedes GLE, with the big Benz earning top scores from real owners. It beat everything from superminis to SUVs; customers absolutely love it.
Those pondering another model will be pleased to hear that Mercedes hasn’t ruined the GLE with its latest makeover. The 2027 model is not an all-new generation, but instead an “extensive update” complete with approximately 3,000 new or revised components. It’s unclear if that count includes all of the Mercedes stars on the front – a rather tedious tally up suggests there are 181 in total.
Indeed, it’s pretty easy to see the GLE’s basic body has been carried over with the brand’s latest, if somewhat gaudy, styling cues applied. If there was one area where the Merc would have been better off being left alone, this is it.
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The situation is similar inside, but with better results. Customers who loved the GLE’s plush leather, wood veneer and blend of digital and physical controls will be relieved to find that those elements have been retained. Instead, it’s the multi-display panel above those tactile features that’s received the overhaul.
It’s been expanded to house a standard passenger-side screen that measures the same 12.3 inches as the existing pair – even if its usefulness is questionable. Otherwise, the digital instrument panel largely carries over unchanged, while the central touchscreen adopts a new user interface, complete with Mercedes’ so-called ‘Zero Layer’ home screen found elsewhere. The icons and graphics in general are less pretty, but they’re simpler and easier to read at a glance.
Along with those usability improvements are elements that Mercedes did not change, including physical climate controls, and infotainment shortcut buttons surrounding the now rather redundant touchpad controller. The removal of the infuriating old touch-sensitive sliders on the steering wheel in favour of tactile toggles will be welcomed by most, too.
For those with more hi-tech preferences, the MBUX Virtual Assistant has been given an AI-powered glow-up. It was hard to tell how much more capable or artificially intelligent it is, but the ‘Hey Mercedes’ voice sounds a bit more casual and friendly now instead of vaguely seductive.
In terms of space, the GLE is unchanged and the front seats remain incredibly comfortable with ample adjustability. They’re heated as standard with imitation leather, but can be upgraded with real leather, plus ventilation and massage functions. The deeply sculpted rear-seat base provides plenty of leg support and there’s loads of legroom even behind an extra-tall driver.
It becomes less plentiful in the GLE Coupé, which has less room inside than the SUV, along with a reduced view out. Its much smaller boot is also more akin to that of a saloon than an SUV. All told, it’s hard to see the Coupé’s appeal over the GLE SUV or even the E-Class Estate.
Boot capacity in the standard GLE measures 630 litres – the same as before – and is unaffected in the GLE 450 e plug-in hybrid. Third-row seating remains an option, but it’s more of a 5+2 arrangement best suited to children or younger teens.
Two diesel engine options remain, but the four-cylinder GLE 300 d has been replaced by the GLE 350 d with a 3.0-litre mild-hybrid inline-six. It produces 286bhp and 650Nm, up from 265bhp and 550Nm in the previous model. The GLE 450 d also has a 3.0-litre mild-hybrid six-cylinder diesel, boosting power and torque to 367bp and 750Nm – roughly the same as before. Neither was on hand at the GLE’s launch event in Colorado.
The GLE 450 e plug-in hybrid gets the most noteworthy engine upgrade, however. Again, the four-cylinder motor has been swapped for 3.0-litre turbocharged petrol. Total system output is up to 435bhp and 680Nm – an increase of 60bhp and 30Nm.
Part of that increase comes from the electric motor, which jumps from 134bhp to 184bhp. This was actually the more obvious improvement; while the electric-only driving mode would previously struggle to keep up with normal traffic when accelerating from a stop or when merging onto a motorway, the new car proved capable of traversing serious elevation increases in the Colorado Rockies – all without needing to engage the engine by switching into the car’s Hybrid or Sport modes.
Acceleration is strong (0-62mph takes 5.6 seconds), and the new engine has the same sweet-revving thrum as Mercedes’ other inline-sixes. Switchovers between engine and motor are seamless, too.
The GLE 450 e’s WLTP electric range estimate is 62 miles. We only managed 41 miles, but that was starting with the battery at 86% and driving in the Rocky Mountains with plenty of hard acceleration runs – far from a typical use case. The car’s trip meter indicated 56 miles when we set off, which works out to 65 miles with a full battery. After a total of 178 miles, we averaged around 41mpg.
From a chassis perspective, the biggest change comes courtesy of the GLE’s optional Airmatic air suspension. Now featuring ‘intelligent damping control’, it automatically adjusts the damping before hitting bumps by using road data gathered in the Mercedes Cloud. Basically, a connected Mercedes will drive by, hit a bump, and transmit its location and severity to the database.
It’s hard to know how much of a difference this wizardry made, but with other connected GLEs driving on the same roads, the ride quality was exceptional. Colorado offered up a veritable smorgasbord of bumps, broken tarmac and frost heaves, yet the Airmatic system soaked up everything. The fact that it maintains its plushness while controlling body motions is perhaps the most impressive bit – there was a remarkable lack of rebound after hitting especially big potholes.
That body control manifests itself around corners, too. In Comfort mode, there’s a typical Mercedes amount of lateral roll when turning in, but that disappears in Sport mode. In either setting, the GLE maintained impressive composure through some seriously complex mountain roads. That said, the GLE 450 e weighs 295kg more than a GLE 450 d, and you can sense that from behind the wheel; take out all those batteries and the GLE feels considerably more agile, if far from anything remotely sporty.
Perhaps it would get closer with the new E-Active Body Control option, which goes beyond the regular Airmatic setup to keep the body as level as possible. It wasn’t possible to test it, but it’s hard to envisage a wild improvement over the already impressive Airmatic set-up.
All this doesn’t come cheap, though. The GLE 350 d starts at £79,995, the GLE 450 e at £82,995, and the GLE 450 d at £83,995. Getting Airmatic and many other worthwhile upgrades like the sensational 15-speaker Burmester sound system requires about £8,000 more for the AMG Line Premium. Of course, the GLE was expensive before, and buyers loved it; it’s hard to imagine that affection is going to wane.
| Model: | Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 e |
| Price: | £82,995 |
| Powertrain: | 3.0-litre 6cyl petrol PHEV |
| Power/torque: | 435bhp/680Nm |
| Transmission: | Nine-speed auto, four-wheel drive |
| 0-62mph: | 5.6 seconds |
| Top speed: | 149mph |
| EV range: | 62 miles |
| Size (L/W/H): | 4,923/2,164/1,793mm |
| On sale: | Now |
