Mercedes GLE review

This ain’t Mercedes’ first rodeo. Indeed, the Mercedes GLE that you see here is just the latest in a long line of US-built luxury SUVs from the German brand.

It was back in 1998 that its first went on sale as the M Class, and the GLE badge only took over in 2015. That name change helps punters more easily understand where it sits in Mercedes’ lineup, above stablemates like the GLA and GLC SUVs.

So the latest GLE is now Mercedes’ fourth-generation luxury SUV, and it’s rolling down the production line in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. It boasts a plush interior, an impressive line up of petrol and diesel engines and, for the first time, it’s available with seven seats.

In a luxury SUV class that has the stylish and practical talents of accomplished seven-seat rivals like the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Land Rover Discovery and Volvo XC90; it now looks as if the GLE has all the ingredients to mount a serious challenge to the class leaders.

But is it really as good as those cars? That's what we'll explore over the next few pages, and we'll also tell you which of the multitude of engine and trims make the most sense.

And don’t forget, if you want to buy a Mercedes GLE, or any other new car, head to the New Car Buying section of our website to see how much money you could save – it could be thousands.