2022 Mercedes Benz GLE 450 test drive

The 2022 Mercedes GLE 450 comes in two body styles, a traditional SUV shape and a newer, fastback styled Coupe version. Our tester this week is the Coupe version. Mercedes Benz didn’t invent the Crossover Coupe but like many others, sees a market crystallizing for a more stylish approach to high riding Crossover/SUV buyers.

As this model exists as a styling endeavor it has to be noted that it may not appeal to all. The sloping tail and rounded rear-end are an acquired taste. Fortunately, Mercedes has you all covered by offering the traditional SUV and Coupe versions of the GLE.

Stepping into the cabin, everyone is reminded that the three pointed star emblem represents the pinnacle of luxury for nearly all automotive buyers. Visually the blend of real wood veneers, supple leather and soft premium synthetic surfaces, seductively reinforces the Mercedes brand status at the top of the luxury market. Even vault-like feel and sound of closing the doors imparts the feeling quality.

The dashboard beautifully integrates a pair 12.3 inch LCD screens, one planted behind the steering wheel as the driver instrument cluster, while the other sits centred atop the dashboard. The infotainment and control systems are accessible through the touchscreen LCD on the dashboard. Moving from vehicle to vehicle weekly allows a good sense of whether a system is intuitive or not. The GLE 450 as a mix. This unit offered Mercedes new MBUX (Mercedes Benz User Experience) system, which was great as it included voice activated commands that drivers can access by saying “Hey Mercedes” similar to how one would beckon Google or Siri. Commands can include climate and infotainment controls or navigation requests. In terms of physical interaction the Mercedes system required a bit of owners manual reference to find which menu I needed to deep dive into to alter the speed volume of the audio system. The screens themselves are large, bright and beautiful. The ease of direct entering satellite radio stations was a pleasant bonus.

Seating was as expected, superb. The balance of comfort and stability made driving the GLE 450 a pleasure. With exceptional support, my notoriously cranky back never complained during the time spent behind the wheel. Rear seat comfort is also a premium experience with a touch less headroom. A sculpted pocket in the roof liner help to minimize the deficit created by the sloping roof line.

The GLE Coupe 450 features a 3.0L turbocharged inline six cylinder gasoline engine, producing 362HP and 369 lb-ft of torque. A 9-speed automatic transmission delivers that power to the pavement through Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. Mercedes has also fitted a 48 volt mild hybrid system (EQS) that will assist in either curbing fuel consumption or add an extra boost under acceleration. The manufacturer claims a 0-100 km/hr time of 5.7 seconds and real world acceleration feels every bit as quick as that time suggests.

Mercedes is catering to a sporty buyer with the Coupe, and as such, the 4Matic system on this model has been calibrated with a rear wheel bias as opposed to the 50/50 torque split on the SUV version. Being unable to test the large coupe on a track, I cannot comment of the performance handling of the GLE 450. Around town the ride was mostly comfortable, with rough road surfaces being noticed a bit more than I would have expected. I imagine the focus on a sportier profile meant a firmer suspension tuning. On the highway, the Mercedes GLE 450 was pure bliss. Road and engine noise are distant concerns and the time behind the steering wheel was truly enjoyable. I suppose anyone looking for a more aggressive ride, engine sound or exhaust note would be more at home in the AMG version of the GLE 53 with it’s 429HP tuned version of this engine.

Not that cargo capacity ranks highly on buyers in the Coupe Crossover/SUV market but its worth noting that with 651L of cargo storage, the slanted roofline appears to remove 140L of storage and boxy utility. Folding the rear seats down does add to the available space when required.

Our 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 Coupe tester weighed in at $96,700 before shipping and taxes. Options that added $10,100 to the base price of $86,600 included a $3,400 Premium package, a $3,000 Intelligent Drive Package, $2,400 Technology Package, soft-close doors, and aluminum running boards.

Luxury comes at a price but I guess that’s the whole point, bargain luxury is really an oxymoron. The Mercedes GLE 450 Coupe is as fine a vehicle as one can buy in the Luxury SUV/Crossover Coupe market. It checks all the boxes buyers seek in terms of status, performance and creature comforts. To quote Ferris Bueller, “If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up”.

 

For a breakdown of exact packages and options, please visit the Mercedes Canada website for details.