2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE vs 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC

A subtle refresh for the 2024 model year (launched in 2023) keeps the popular Mercedes sport-utility competitive against a wide roster of rivals, which include the BMW X5, Genesis GV70, Cadillac XT6, Acura MDX, and Volvo XC90, to name just a few.

Changes between the previous GLE and the 2024 model year consist primarily of a subtle redesign of the front grille (look closely and you’ll see it's now filled with tiny Mercedes-Benz star logos), reprofiled headlights and taillights, an updated infotainment system, and optional off-road-themed air suspension system that can raise the GLE 3 centimetres to clear obstacles. It can also shimmy this Mercedes sport-ute back and forth to help get it unstuck over tricky terrain.

Specific to our testing purposes, the 2024 GLE also ushers in a new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) variant called the GLE 450e 4Matic. As the last part of the name suggests, like every 2024 GLE, all-wheel drive (AWD) is fitted as standard. Yet the big news is what’s under the hood of this new model, namely a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder paired with an electric motor and 23.3-kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

While fully electrified vehicles presently grab the most automotive headlines, a week spent on a test drive of the GLE 450e highlighted how easily this luxurious PHEV sport-utility adapts to all sorts of driving situations.

We reviewed the GLC SUV when it was all-new for the 2023 model year and available with only one powertrain. AMG variants have rejoined the GLC 300 for 2024, and the GLC Coupe, which was a carryover last year, now catches up with the redesigned GLC SUV. For the purposes of this review, we’ve focused our attention on the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43, which we spent a week putting through its paces on our home turf.

Verdict: We suspect the AMG-tuned GLC misses the mark on what most shoppers are looking for in a luxury crossover, but for the right driver, it may very well prove worth the wait. For everyone else, the GLC 300 has everything we feel we have a right to hope for from a sub-$60k Mercedes-Benz.