2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Either we’re desensitized to the whole SUV coupe thing, or the 2022 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 isn’t offensively styled, proportioned, or detailed. It’s hard to tell. But our test vehicle’s Selenite Gray paint, 22-inch forged aluminum wheels, and generous polished brightwork looked okay, even if this SUV reminded us of an athletic sneaker each time we looked at it from a front three-quarter perspective.

Mercedes shelved many of its V8-powered models for 2022. One casualty of this decision is the AMG GLE 63 S Coupe variant that made a rousing 603 horsepower courtesy of a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V-8. What’s left is the AMG GLE 53 Coupe, with a base MSRP of $99,900 Canadian, not including the destination charge, which varies by location.

Inside, the AMG GLE 53 Coupe was as sumptuous as you would expect, with high-end materials and a high-tech appearance thanks to its dual-screen instrumentation and infotainment design. Our sample vehicle had the nicest Nappa premium leather, a Dinamica simulated suede headliner and steering wheel, and brushed aluminum trim that added welcome contrast in the otherwise dark cabin. At night, ambient lighting helped make the AMG GLE 53 Coupe more pleasurable to drive.

From an interior design standpoint, a facade of simplicity masks the vehicle’s evident complexity. A lack of either traditional controls or white-on-black control markings doesn’t help newcomers determine how to use this vehicle and its technology. But, with time, you acclimate and find a way to operate the AMG GLE 53 Coupe with as little distraction as possible.

Equipped with a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-6 engine making power specs of 429 hp at 6,100 rpm and 384 pound-feet of torque from 1,800 rpm to 5,800 rpm, the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe supplies robust acceleration. In addition, the engine features EQ Boost, a 48-volt mild-hybrid system designed to add extra power when you need it and otherwise help the SUV conserve fuel. Natural Resources Canada says our test vehicle should have consumed 12.5 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving. Our fuel consumption result was 12.7 L/100 km.

In addition to the EQ Boosted six-cylinder engine, the AMG GLE 53 Coupe gets a full performance workup. Highlights include a SpeedShift nine-speed automatic transmission and an AMG Performance 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive (AWD) system with fully variable torque distribution that can supply up to half the power to the front wheels. The AMG Dynamic Select system offers Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Slippery, Individual, and Off-road driving modes, and the engine breathes through an optional AMG sport exhaust system. An adaptive damping control air suspension is standard, and upgrades to maximize performance include an AMG Active Ride Control suspension with active roll stabilization and AMG Performance brakes.

In urban situations, the GLE Coupe's speed-sensitive variable-ratio power steering made the wheel easy to turn at low speeds and helps a driver quickly get the GLE parked in a space. The turning radius was also tighter than expected, making U-turns less stressful.

Our test model also had the AMG Active Ride Control suspension, and it effectively ignored speed humps when traveling around 50 kilometres per hour. However, the 22-inch wheels, low-profile tires, and sporty AMG tuning proved less forgiving on sharper speed bumps and imperfectly maintained pavement.

Overall, the GLE Coupe felt taut, nimble, and composed in the city and suburbs, and was reasonably comfortable and quiet on the highway. But there certainly is a reserve of performance available to you, should the mood strike.

Switching the AMG GLE 53 Coupe into Sport+ mode, we rocketed up a somewhat perilous canyon road. This mode puts all of the AMG performance bits on high alert, and the AWD powertrain proved its mettle as the SUV rapidly climbed in elevation.

Coming back down the mountainside, the test vehicle’s upgraded brakes and performance-oriented tires made quick work of the task. Grip proved nothing short of astounding, the brakes suffered not an ounce of fade, and the AMG Active Ride Control suspension did its best to quell body motions and attendant head toss.

If there is a complaint, the GLE’s size and weight are liabilities on a road like this one. Also, in Sport+ mode, the loud snap, crackle, and pop of the performance exhaust system doesn't lend itself to stealthy speed. Fortunately, you can tone the racket down.

Later, while running the AMG GLE 53 Coupe in Sport mode, the SUV came into its own. In this slightly softer setting, with a less intrusive exhaust note, on a less demanding stretch of pavement, this Mercedes was more rewarding to drive.

Technically, a Mercedes-AMG GLE Coupe holds up to five people, but you’re unlikely to want to pack more than four aboard unless the three in the back are younger children.

Thanks to numerous power adjustments, heating, ventilation, and massage, the test vehicle’s sport-bolstered, multi-contour front seats proved comfortable on the highway and supportive when driving with enthusiasm on winding back roads. Forward visibility was fine, but seeing out the back was a challenge; you’ll need as many of the available cameras as you can get.

Happily, the GLE Coupe’s back seat supplies a surprising amount of room for adult legs and feet. The 655-litre cargo hold is generously sized, too. Fold the second-row seats down, and maximum cargo volume expands to 1,790 litres. If you never bothered to compare the space to a regular GLE, you might not care that with the GLE Coupe, you’re paying more and getting less.

In addition to the aforementioned heated, ventilated, and massaging front seats and the heated rear seats, available comfort upgrades include a four-zone automatic climate control system, heated armrests and rapid-heating front seats, and an Air Balance in-cabin fragrance system.

Smell that? It’s the scent of money.

The Mercedes Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system is standard on the GLE Coupe. It includes dual 12.3-inch screens under a single piece of glass, including a digital instrument cluster and touchscreen. Standard features include a navigation system, satellite radio, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Mercedes Me connected services. Wireless smartphone charging is optional, along with a Burmester surround-sound audio system.

Though it appears daunting, MBUX is remarkably easy to use. Of course, it helps to have experience using a modern smartphone, but beautifully rendered graphics, logical menu structures, and multiple methods of interacting with the technology all help to ascend what otherwise could be a steep learning curve.

One of the best things about MBUX is its natural voice recognition technology. Wake the digital assistant by saying “Hey Mercedes,” and it works just as well as Alexa, Google, or Siri as far as understanding what you’re saying and giving you the information or taking the action you seek. On the other hand, one of the worst things is the touchpad on the centre console, which is easy to activate inadvertently when reaching for the cupholders or the volume control alongside it.

Options include an MBUX Interior Assistant with gesture recognition (which is of dubious value) and an augmented video feature for navigation that we recommend, especially for traveling in unknown areas after dark. You can also get a head-up display, a surround-view camera system, and an upgraded Burmester 3D high-end surround-sound system.

Mercedes equips the 2022 GLE Coupe with numerous safety features, some expected and some not.

For example, it has forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, forward automatic emergency braking, and a blind-spot monitoring system. It also has something called Pre Safe Sound, which emits a “pink noise” tone through the stereo speakers just before a collision designed to protect your hearing during an impact.

If you want every safety system Mercedes offers for this SUV, then you’ll want the Intelligent Drive Package. It installs 13 additional systems related to driver assistance and collision avoidance.

Our test vehicle had this package and, as we’ve come to expect, the systems we can safely test on public roads work with remarkable refinement and accuracy. The Active Lane Change Assist technology is particularly impressive, and the Active Emergency Stop Assist system could help save your life. It can detect an unresponsive driver who might be suffering a medical emergency, bring the SUV to a complete stop with the hazard lights flashing and initiate an SOS call for help.

Moreover, the lane-keeping assistance technology is not screwing around about keeping you on the proper path. It engages when you most need its help and does so decisively. But most of the time, you rarely feel as though you’re fighting the technology’s inputs. It is exceptionally fine-tuned to operate transparently in the background until the driver needs a virtual slap to pay closer attention.

Drivers can use or turn off the route-based speed adaption function for the adaptive cruise control. It automatically slows the GLE for curves, highway transition ramps, toll collection, and other navigation map database recommendations for lower travel speeds. It is a significant source of irritation.

Crash-test results for the GLE Coupe are unavailable. However, it is based on the standard GLE, which gets top safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The AMG GLE 53 Coupe leans in the direction of sport rather than utility. If you’d rather not give up rear-seat room and cargo space, you can get the same powertrain and performance in the standard GLE. But you’ll need to give up the style and air of exclusivity associated with the coupe body style.

If utility is more important, note that Mercedes also offers an AMG GLE 53 version of the more spacious standard GLE, as well as entry-level versions. The base is the Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4Matic, which as indicated by the 4Matic title includes a standard all-wheel drive (AWD) drivetrain in Canada. The GLE 450 4Matic, meanwhile, is the middle child between the GLE 350 and AMG GLE 53 models.

Alternatively, if this Mercedes isn’t appealing to you, but you’re wedded to the idea of owning an SUV coupe, the AMG GLE 53 Coupe’s primary rivals include the more angular and utilitarian Audi Q8, the equally rakish BMW X6 (based on the BMW X5), and the more fun to drive Porsche Cayenne Coupe.

Both the Q8 and X6 have lower base prices than the GLE Coupe. Plus, both Audi and BMW kept their high-performance variants—the RS Q8 and X6 M—for 2022. Naturally, the Porsche is not as good a deal, but it’s also not priced out of contention. And it somehow looks correct as a coupe.

No matter which one suits you best, the SUV coupe appears here to stay, and the trend isn’t limited to luxury SUVs of German lineage. Electric vehicles such as the unexpectedly popular Ford Mustang Mach-E and the best-selling Tesla Model Y have similar styling.

Evidently, there’s just as much consumer interest in the sports portion of the new car and SUV equation as there is in the utility part.

Note: Images show a US model.