2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE

The GLE is a very important product for Mercedes-Benz. Not only is it currently the brand's best-selling vehicle in the U.S., it's got a storied history. Formerly called the M-Class, the GLE created the midsize luxury crossover SUV segment as we know it back in 1997. For 2027, Mercedes gives the fourth-generation GLE's its second major face-lift, bringing new styling, new tech and updated engines to the party.

A star-crazy nip and tuck for the GLE and GLE Coupe

While the general shape of the GLE hasn't changed too much, the details have. Like with other recently updated models, Mercedes has gone full Louis Vuitton with the three-pointed star logo, incorporating it into just about every surface possible. The LED daytime running lights in the headlamps? Three-pointed stars. The grille detailing? Three-pointed stars — hundreds of them. The taillight innards? Three. Pointed. Stars. Bystanders certainly won't be wondering what brand of vehicle you're driving. Oh, and did I mention the big three-pointed star logo in the grille lights up?

There are two other big exterior changes, neither of which I'm particularly fond of. First, and again like other new Benzes, a shiny black plastic surround has been added to the grille, connecting it to the headlights for what Mercedes calls a more seamless look. Personally, I think it's more disjointed and bulky. Oh, and it's got an illuminated outline. Yay.

At the rear, a dark bar now connects the taillights. I say dark, rather than black, because despite meeting the actual taillight units at a black segment, this bar actually glows dark red when in direct sunlight. Again, it looks a bit disjointed, and it's certainly much less elegant than leaving the taillights separated with a body-colored panel between them, as in the outgoing GLE. Thankfully, the GLE Coupe forgoes this design element.

Superscreen, meet physical buttons

As garish as the new GLE's exterior is, the interior is refreshingly restrained. Mercedes' Superscreen infotainment display is now standard across the lineup, but it's a very different treatment than what we've seen in other models. Unlike the recently refreshed S-Class, which discarded its gorgeous wood trim in favor of a swatch of screens, the GLE's Superscreen implementation is much more subtle and well integrated. The GLE already had two 12.3-inch screens under one seamless glass panel sitting atop the dash, and Mercedes essentially just added a third in the form of a new passenger display. I much prefer this setup; it's still a bit of screen overkill, but it's less in your face, and it allows whatever trim you've selected — there are three new ones available, by the way — to remain intact across the dash. 

Of course, the infotainment system runs Mercedes' MB.OS operating system. It adds various available apps, plus an AI-powered virtual assistant that even gets its own little customizable avatar in the center display. The assistant utilizes AI agents from Microsoft, Google and ChatGPT to give it the wider breadth of knowledge and deep conversational abilities.

The best part, though, is that the GLE's physical controls remain intact. This is in sharp contrast to other Mercedes models with Superscreen tech, which forgo most real physical controls for touchscreen operation or cheap-feeling haptic buttons. The GLE's controls have a nice, weighty, tactile feel to them that make the whole interior look and feel more expensive. 

Speaking of physical controls, Mercedes listened to buyers' — and, ahem, journalists' — feedback and has reimplemented a real rocker switch and volume wheel on the steering wheel, replacing the previous swipe controls that were notoriously difficult and imprecise to use. 

Other interior changes are more minor. The outermost air vents are now round and feature ambient lighting and intricate details; Mercedes is really great at making something as mundane as an air vent look like an art piece. A panoramic sliding glass roof is now standard across the board, there's a lovely new Beech Brown upholstery color available, and the gauge cluster display can be optioned with a 3D effect. Overall, this is a solid update for the GLE's interior, and it feels both more modern and easier to use.

Enhanced autonomy

Every GLE is equipped with 10 exterior cameras, five radar sensors and 12 ultrasonic sensors. Standard driver aids include adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping assistance and more, while an MB.Drive Assist package adds features like steering assist and lane change assist. The big news, though, is the availability of MB.Drive Assist Pro.

Drive Assist Pro is a Level 2++ assist system, which means the vehicle can seamlessly drive itself from point to point without intervention — though the driver's hands must remain on the wheel. We've had experience with the system ourselves in the new CLA around San Francisco, and it's pretty phenomenal. 

Mercedes has also upgraded its self-parking system, and it seems like it might be a lot more usable now. These systems have been around for some time, and have generally been slow and finicky to use no matter the automaker. However, Mercedes says the new MB.Drive Parking Assist tech can now detect spots earlier, including those that aren't marked by white lines, and maneuver into them at up to 3 mph — around 60% faster than before. Plus, even if the driver parked the vehicle manually, the system can assist with leaving the parking spot. Nifty.

GLE 500e and AMG GLE 53 headline are plug-in hybrids

The enhancements to the standard GLE models are largely designed to increase engine responsiveness. Output from the GLE 350's 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder remains 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, but Mercedes says a new electric compressor makes the mill more responsive. Importantly, though, it seems the rear-wheel-drive GLE 350 is now dead; Mercedes has only confirmed that an all-wheel-drive GLE 350 4Matic will be available, which likely means a jump in base price for the GLE.

The GLE 450 keeps its 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, but thanks to extensive modifications, torque has increased to 413 lb-ft, a 44 lb-ft bump. Meanwhile, the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8-powered GLE 580 sees horsepower increased from 510 hp to 530 hp, while torque jumps from 538 lb-ft to 553 lb-ft. That V8 also now uses a flat-plane-crank setup, which Mercedes says will aid in meeting future emissions regulations. None of these result in major performance improvements on paper, but you'll more likely be able to feel that extra responsiveness from behind the wheel.

Bigger change is afoot elsewhere in the GLE lineup. Formerly called the GLE 450e, the new GLE 500e plug-in hybrid gets a completely different powertrain — hence the new nomenclature. While the 450e utilized a four-cylinder engine in its plug-in hybrid setup, the 500e is based on the standard GLE 450's updated inline-six, albeit with different tuning. The gas engine alone makes 322 hp — 74 more hp than the outgoing model's — and 395 lb-ft of torque, while the electric motor produces 181 hp and 354 lb-ft. But no, that doesn't mean the GLE 500e makes over 500 hp and 700-plus lb-ft; adding together gas and electric motor power isn't quite that simple. Mercedes has yet to release combined power figures, but we anticipate a sizable increase over the GLE 450e's 381 hp and 479 lb-ft. Mercedes says this setup drops the 0-to-60-mph time from 5.8 seconds to 5.5 seconds, while maintaining an all-electric range of around 50 miles.

The AMG GLE 53 has also become a plug-in hybrid. Combined output for the new AMG GLE 53 Hybrid 4Matic+ stands at 577 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, increases of 148 hp and 140 lb-ft over the outgoing mild hybrid model. Mercedes says that extra power results in a 4.4-second 0-to-60-mph run, half a second quicker than before. All electric driving is possible at speeds up to 87 mph, and Mercedes says the battery can charge from 10% to 80% in just 20 minutes thanks to a standard 60-kW DC fast charger. Plus, the gas engine still sounds pretty great.

For those of you who are fans of Mercedes' E-Active Body Control and its "bounce mode," this news is for you: The tech is once again available in the GLE lineup, but only on the GLE 580. The system uses five multi-core processors and more than 20 sensors to analyze the driving situation 1,000 times per second and adjust the suspension accordingly, which should result in just about the smoothest ride you can imagine. A regular air suspension is available elsewhere in the GLE lineup.

Additionally, air suspension-equipped GLEs feature use a cloud-based car-to-X communication feature that can both alert other Benzes with the tech or receive information from them regarding road hazards and bumps while also remembering that information internally for future drives. Basically, it's like a constantly updating suspension system. Bumps, be gone!

An improvement?

This is a pretty extensive update, especially for a midcycle refresh. The current GLE actually dates all the way back to 2019, so this update for 2027 means a longer-than-usual lifecycle for the current generation, thus it makes sense that Mercedes took the opportunity to bring its midsize SUV more in line with its newer product offerings. Aside from the exterior new exterior design, I think the updates are solid and should keep the fourth-generation GLE competitive as it inches ever closer to 10 years old.