Mercedes GLE and GLE Coupe Facelift: New Engines and New Multimedia System

The second facelift applied to the Mercedes GLE SUV and GLE Coupe range has much more substance than the one from 2023. There are many new engines, a completely revised interior with a new dashboard, a multimedia system with a new operating system, and noticeable exterior design changes.

The current generation of Mercedes GLE (W167 for the SUV and C167 for the SUV coupe) was launched in the fall of 2018 and is one of the oldest Mercedes models alongside the A-Class. In January 2023, it received a subtle facelift. Now, Mercedes has applied a second, more extensive facelift, which brings not only aesthetic updates but also new engines and a redesigned dashboard with a new multimedia operating system.

The scope of the facelift is confirmed by the fact that over 3,000 components are new or revised.

In terms of design changes, a larger radiator grille is noticeable, with its outline and the central Mercedes logo optionally illuminated. The headlights and taillights also adopt a light signature featuring two stars that replicate the brand’s logo.

Optionally, Digital Light headlights are available, which are 25% lighter, consume 50% less energy, and increase the high-resolution lighting field by about 40%. The Ultra Range high beam can illuminate up to 600 meters.

Optionally, full electric adjustment is available for the second row of seats, as well as an optional third row. The rear bench, split 40/60, can slide independently by 10 cm, and the backrest is split 40/20/40. The backrest can also be adjusted by up to 18 degrees. When the third row is ordered, an easy-entry function is included.

The trunk volume ranges between 630 and 825 liters depending on the rear seat position and can reach 2,055 liters with the seats folded.

A panoramic sunroof with an area of over 1 square meter is standard on all models. Optionally, a new top-tier Burmester 3D surround sound system with Dolby Atmos is available, featuring 15 speakers and 710 W (up from 590 W previously).

New interior color combinations are available, such as Beech Brown combined with black, offered with both Artico artificial leather and Lugano leather. Also new to the AMG Line is the two-tone Classic Red/Black version.

The steering wheel drops the two small, hard-to-use touch surfaces in favor of a switch on the left spoke and a rotary control on the right spoke, both made of galvanized metal.

Multimedia system with new MB.OS operating system

The dashboard is completely redesigned, as the facelifted GLE adopts the solution from the CLA, with three 12.3-inch displays grouped under a single glass panel stretching across the entire dashboard width. Unlike the CLA, all three displays are standard regardless of version. Optionally, a 3D instrument cluster display and an augmented reality head-up display are available, projecting information onto the windshield on a virtual 45.7 cm (18-inch) screen.

The new MB.OS operating system includes Google Maps navigation services and artificial intelligence from Microsoft, Google, and ChatGPT. In Europe and other regions, the front passenger can also watch movies on their display via Disney+ or YouTube.

As with the GLC, the optional MB.Drive Parking Assist 360 is available, combined with a so-called transparent hood function that provides a virtual view beneath the front wheels, including their steering position. This view is created using images from the 360° camera system.

New engines and no 4 cylinders anymore

The diesel engines in the GLE 350 d 4Matic and GLE 450 d 4Matic remain in the lineup but now feature an electrically heated catalyst, allowing the exhaust system to reach optimal temperature more quickly and maintain it under all conditions.

The engine block and cylinder head are now made of aluminum, reducing overall weight and front axle load. The cylinder surfaces are coated with Nanoslide (as in Formula 1), and the pistons, now made of steel instead of aluminum, use a so-called “shaker cooling” technique.

All diesel and gasoline engines feature a 48V mild hybrid system.

The base gasoline version is the GLE 450 4Matic, powered by the new 3.0-liter inline-six M256 evo engine producing 381 PS and 560 Nm, 12% more than before. It is turbocharged and also features a more powerful electrically driven compressor that activates before the turbocharger is spun by exhaust gases.

The top gasoline model is the GLE 580 4Matic, equipped with a new V8 featuring a flat-plane crankshaft, producing 537 PS (+20 PS) and 750 Nm (+20 Nm), plus an additional 23 PS and 205 Nm from the integrated starter-generator in the 9-speed automatic transmission.

The range also includes a plug-in hybrid model, the GLE 450e 4Matic, which uses the same new 3.0-liter inline-six engine producing 326 PS and 549 Nm, supported by an electric motor delivering 184 PS and 480 Nm. Mercedes does not disclose the combined total output. The electric range is around 100 km (62 miles).

The Mercedes GLE comes standard with a conventional steel-spring suspension. Optionally, Airmatic air suspension or the well-known E-Active Body Control suspension is available, allowing the car to “dance.” This system operates on a 48V network and uses five multi-core processors and over 20 sensors that analyze driving conditions 1,000 times per second. It can individually control spring and damping forces on each wheel, counteracting roll, pitch, and lift movements.

The 4Matic all-wheel-drive system is fully variable, capable of distributing torque between the front and rear axles from 0 to 100% via an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch in the transfer case. The transfer case also includes a low-range gear (ratio 1:2.93), enabling higher torque delivery to the wheels in off-road conditions.