2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Last redesigned for the 2020 model year and facelifted for 2024, the GLE isn’t a carbon copy of other Mercedes-Benz SUVs. It has some of the visual bulk of the GLS, GLC, and GLB, but with a more rounded profile that nods to previous generations of this model (and its M-Class predecessor). Below the belt line, squared-off wheel arches and a horizontal grille and headlights give the GLE a wide stance, contrasted by side glass that tapers sharply inward with an equally rakish windshield and back window.

This makes for odd proportions on the standard GLE SUV, which are further exaggerated on GLE Coupe models such as our test vehicles. The bulky lower body surfaces look like they come from a different vehicle than the tapered fastback-style roofline. It may not be the most handsome model in the Mercedes lineup, but the styling does at least hew closely to the brand’s orthodoxy, so it’s unlikely the GLE will be mistaken for anything other than a Benz.

Mercedes deserves credit for offering interior colours other than the normal black, grey, and tan. Our U.S. test car’s Yacht Blue interior is not available in Canada, although there’s still plenty to like about the GLE’s interior. From the chunky air vents to the mesh speaker grilles for the optional Burmester audio system, and the 64-colour ambient lighting that transforms the cabin into a discotheque at night, this interior feels upscale and special.

Mercedes offers no less than five powertrain options for the GLE, including a plug-in hybrid and two sporty AMG options.

It all starts with the GLE 350, which is powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine connected to a mild hybrid system that helps power accessories and provides more robust engine start/stop functionality. Output is 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, which is harnessed to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Mercedes-Benz’s 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD) is standard on all models in Canada.

The GLE 450 4Matic is powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six (also with a mild hybrid system) producing 375 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The GLE 450e 4Matic teams a turbo-four with electric assist for 381 hp and 479 lb-ft, plus 80 kilometres of electric range.

Rounding out the lineup are the AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ and AMG GLE 63 S 4Matic+ performance models. The AMG GLE 53 uses an uprated version of the inline-six powertrain to make 429 hp and 413 lb-ft of torque, getting it from 0-100 km/h in 5.0 seconds, according to Mercedes. The AMG GLE 63 S features a hand-assembled twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 producing a titanic 603 hp and 627 lb-ft. That pulls the 0-100 km/h time down to 3.9 seconds.

That meant stoplight launches were our favourite part of driving a GLE 63 S 4Matic+ Coupe (which is only available as a GLE 450 4Matic or in the two Mercedes-AMG specs). Accompanied by a classic V8 soundtrack that’s part NASCAR, part Darth Vader, the hand-built engine transformed this commodity car into something special. It’s not that the other powertrains aren’t good—the GLE 450’s inline-six is particularly impressive for its smoothness—but Mercedes deserves credit for selling a luxury SUV that’s part family car, part muscle car.

The GLE’s overall level of refinement impresses as well but, even in AMG spec, it drives much bigger than it is. From behind the wheel, this midsize SUV feels like a full-size model, and that’s with the various chassis upgrades that are part of the AMG treatment. Even features like adaptive air suspension and an active anti-roll system can’t make the GLE feel nimble on backroads, and maneuvering in tight urban spaces is more of a chore than in competitor vehicles. That’s going to be a persistent annoyance for owners, no matter how good the powertrains are.

The GLE is available in two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations, but Mercedes doesn’t publish specs for third-row space. Up front, the GLE offers roughly the same headroom as most rivals, but the Acura MDX, Audi Q7, and Genesis GV80 have a bit more legroom. The GLE also offers a high seating position that’s very SUV-like, but outward visibility isn’t the best, so we couldn’t take advantage of that commanding view. The front seats of our AMG test car are heavily bolstered for sporty driving, but that also makes getting in and out of them a bit more difficult.

Second-row passengers get slightly more space than in most competitor SUVs. While headroom is nearly identical to the rear seats of a BMW X5, there’s a smidge more than in other rivals. And the Mercedes offers roughly 7.5 centimetres of additional legroom compared to the BMW, Land Rover Range Rover Sport, and Lexus RX.

The 894 litres of cargo space behind the GLE’s second-row seats is also competitive, albeit not as much as you get in a GV80 or MDX. But the GLE offers the most cargo space with all seats folded among its competitive set, at 1,790 litres. When it comes to small-item storage, the GLE’s bulky centre console leaves a reasonable amount of room for phones and drinks despite also housing the infotainment system’s touchpad controller. It’s also perfectly positioned to serve as an armrest.

A maximum towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms (7,700 pounds) when properly equipped ensures the GLE can do real work. It’s tied with the Audi Q7 in that metric, although the X5, Range Rover Sport, and Porsche Cayenne can also tow at least 3,175 kilograms (7,000 pounds) in some configurations.

In what’s become familiar Mercedes style, the GLE’s standard interface consists of a pair of 12.3-inch screens—one serving as a digital instrument cluster, the other as an infotainment touchscreen—placed side by side to create the impression of one continuous horizontal screen. The Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) incorporates wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as built-in navigation.

There’s no shortage of ways to access this interface, including a centre console touchpad, numerous buttons, touchpads on the steering wheel spokes, and the central touchscreen itself. This can be more confusing than helpful, but thankfully the native voice recognition system cuts through that. If you can’t figure out how to access a certain function, simply asking the car will usually do the job, or at least get the correct touchscreen menu pulled up. That’s something Mercedes’s German rivals still have trouble achieving on a consistent basis.

In addition to the convenience and connectivity features of other models, our AMG GLE 63 S Coupe test car had additional settings, including six drive modes (Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Trail, Sand, and Race), plus the ability to set different levels of damper firmness, stability control intervention, and exhaust noise. These could be accessed by dials on the steering wheel, which had their own small screens to confirm selection. However, that also creates the temptation to look down while using them, which is not ideal.

Some GLE models can also be equipped with a dashboard off-road display showing steering angle, tilt angle, and grade percentage. This also adds a “transparent hood” function for the 360-degree camera system, showing what’s directly underneath the front of the vehicle at speeds up to 8 km/h (it also shows a moving forward view at speeds up to 20 km/h). While a GLE might not be as fun off-road as a Land Rover Range Rover Sport, these features—combined with air suspension that can raise the ride height for additional ground clearance—should at least make driving over rough terrain easier.

As should be expected of a Mercedes positioned in the heart of the automaker’s lineup, the GLE offers no shortage of driver-assist features, although some important ones are not standard. Standard features include: forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring (with exit assist), crosswind assist, parking assist, a driver attention monitor, and a 360-degree camera system. Also standard is the Pre-Safe system, which seeks to mitigate the effects of a collision or rollover by automatically tightening seatbelts, closing the windows and sunroof, and emitting a sound designed to protect against hearing loss.

However, adaptive cruise control is part of the optional Driver Assistance Package. Checking that box does at least deliver a breadth of capability, including automatic speed-limit and curve adaptation, stop-and-go functionality, and lane-change assist. This package also adds evasive steering assist, a cross-traffic function for the automatic emergency braking, and an expanded driver-monitoring system that will bring the vehicle to a stop if the driver is unresponsive.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) names the GLE a 2025 Top Safety Pick+—its highest safety award—although the GLE’s front-crash prevention tech still receives only “Marginal” and “Acceptable” ratings in standard and optional forms, respectively. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hadn’t published safety ratings for the 2025 model year at the time of writing.

When it comes to fuel economy, the GLE lineup contains multiples. Few other vehicles offer the choice of a plug-in hybrid that offers up to 80 kilometres of all-electric range (the GLE 450e 4Matic) and 10.2 L/100 km combined in hybrid mode, as well as a gas guzzling V8 rated at 15.2 L/100 km combined (the AMG GLE 63 S). Neither of those is likely to be a high-volume model, but the one that is, the turbo-four GLE 350, is rated at a reasonable 10.8 L/100 km combined.

Mercedes includes a four-year/80,000-kilometre new-vehicle warranty that’s comparable to most other luxury brands, although Genesis offers a five-year/100,000-kilometre new-vehicle warranty as well as numerous other ownership perks.

Pricing starts at $82,900 (prices do not include the destination charge or fees, which vary across Canada) for a turbo-four GLE 350. From there, the turbo-six GLE 450 4Matic or GLE 450e 4Matic plug-in hybrid both start at $90,200, while the turbo-six AMG GLE 53 starts at $117,500. That leaves the AMG GLE 63 S at the top of the lineup with a $163,900 base price. There’s also a surcharge for the coupe body style, which is $3,100 in the case of our AMG GLE 63 S Coupe tester. At that price, the GLE offers most of the theatricality of the Bentley Bentayga for a lot less and a more sumptuous interior than high-end Porsche Cayenne models, albeit with a major dynamic trade-off.

For buyers who are cross-shopping Audi and Lexus rather than Porsche and Bentley, the GLE meets expectations for a luxury midsize SUV, with usable tech features and an interior that’s both spacious and appropriately luxurious for the price point. The fact that it can also be built up into a credible six-figure vehicle shows just how versatile the GLE is.