Drive Review: Mercedes GLE 350d (2016)

Not just Mercedes but many brands have gotten tangled in a new badge nomenclature for their expanding models. The Mercedes GLE is just one of them and the new badge aims to separate Mercedes’s SUV range from the rest of it. Henceforth GLE, G Class, GLC cover the activity models; GLE being the Mercedes ML and GLC the previous GLK which never came to SA because of left-hand drive orientation.

Mercedes GLE 350d tested in South Africa

On test was the Mercedes GLE 350d which seems to have been lost in the melee of new model proliferation and according to the internet lives in the shadow of the rakish GLE Coupe. Still, the GLE 350d is the only SUV you’ll ever need and riding the crest of the wave Mercedes currently finds itself on.

If you’ve never thought the ML are particularly pretty thing before, GLE adds domed LED lights, a more pronounced grille and the rear reshaped by subtle treatments. Together the overall effect is notably more powerful, sharper and from behind the wheel, bigger too.

Use the sidestep to pull yourself into well bolstered but firm seats and you’ll notice the touchscreen now sits in a carved out hollow between the airvents which immediately adds cohesion to the cabin’s design. Systems on our test car made it possible to browse websites, stream music from internet radio stations and monitor the articulation and movement of the wheels.

Interaction with these menus happens through Merc’s three-way haptic interface where you can write numbers on the centre pad, scroll the rotary dial or reach forward and prod one of the buttons on the dash. Sounds confusing but you quickly learn which one is best for what; for instance changing a song works best by swiping the touch pad, input navigation through the rotary dial and use fast shortcut on the dashboard for something like Radio.

The Mercedes GLE 350d never rushes off the line or powers through the top rpm like a Porsche Cayenne diesel but is at its most rewarding at a relaxed tempo and rarely do you use more than a third’s throttle travel to breeze past traffic. Between Volvo XC90, Audi Q7 and BMW X5 30d, the GLE 350d is the most powerful but a slightly heavier mass brings it back to compete closely with the front runners.

The engine though is wonderfully flexible through the segment-first 9-speed automatic gearbox. For relaxed cruising I can’t think of a better combination and it doesn’t take much road for the engine to grab that ninth cog, slightly above 1500rpm and occasionally kicking down to eighth on an incline. In the past we’ve criticised Merc’s gearboxes but this is one of the core reasons behind the car’s velvety ride.

Not often have we experienced air suspension that justifies its premium and it’s only when you select Sport mode that the road’s surface is felt in the cabin. It’s a similar story with the GLE’s superb isolation when it comes to wind noise, this is a big car and it passes through the air effortlessly.

GLE is flawless save for the firm rear seats and driver systems that attempt to do everything all of the time.  For instance you can’t have regular cruise control without having active cruise control and then lane departure warning is bundled with those systems… No doubt Mercedes has the most trusted and natural radar guidance we’ve ever used but at times they overwhelm the experience.

So where does the Mercedes GLE 350d compete? Unparalled when it comes to offering the best autonomous function (if you can live with its overbearing integration), better than the X5’s ride quality and capable of traversing the unplanned sand trail that separates you from your beach house. We’re not totally in love with the bland centre console but its not often we’ve felt so looked after upon reaching our destination.