Item: Used Mercedes GLE 2015-2019
Rating: 4
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/used-review/n813">Audi Q7</a> is more practical than the GLE and, if you choose the second-generation model launched in 2016, more efficient too. The Q7's interior is a little smarter, and it doesn’t cost any more to buy. In short, it’s a better all-rounder than the GLE – although you’ll have to pay extra for air suspension.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/discovery/4x4/used-review/n974">Land Rover Discovery</a> is an old favourite and in its latest iteration, launched in 2017, it’s terrifically comfortable, with air suspension as standard. It’s also better off road than the GLE and comes with that valuable extra pair of seats.

Another seven-seat rival is the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volvo/xc90/4x4/used-review/n838">Volvo XC90</a>, which places safety and comfort at the top of its priority list. It looks smart, too, and comes with a gorgeous interior. Problem is, it’s also quite expensive to buy and doesn’t drive as smoothly or as tightly as you’d hope for.

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/mercedes-benz/gle?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Mercedes GLE</a>, or any of the other SUVs mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds section <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here</a>.&nbsp;

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Reliability rating&nbsp;92.8%&nbsp;

The GLE finished in a wonderful third place in the luxury SUV class in our most recent reliability survey. Only 18% of GLEs went wrong, with engine electrics and the steering the only areas affected. Two-thirds of those cars could still be driven, but all took between a day and a week to fix. While two-thirds were repaired under warranty, some owners had to pay £1000 to £1500.

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Estate

Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Jaguar and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is probably the most comfortable for a long motorway journey.

MERCEDES-BENZ

The Mercedes GLE is spacious, luxurious and rides well. It's also reliable as a used buy

Used Mercedes-Benz GLE 2015-2019

The GLE’s fuel consumption figures aren’t the worst among its rivals, but they’re also a long way off being the best. And while the hybrid version’s high official figures might sound tempting, keep in mind that it’s a plug-in, meaning you’ll need to charge it up frequently in order to have a chance of attaining them.

You’ll also fork out quite a bit to tax your GLE. Every model cost more than £40,000 when new, which means every GLE registered after 1 April 2017 will set you back £150 a year in VED tax and an extra £325 a year in the luxury car tax. Best to go for one registered before that date, then, when the tax rates were CO2-based, because neither diesel version comes close to that annual cost under the old system. Both will still cost a little more than the GLE’s most efficient rivals, though.

Mercedes servicing doesn’t come cheap, and you’ll find the GLE particularly expensive to service once it’s out of warranty, because Mercedes doesn’t offer a cut-price service regime for cars that are more than three years old. That being the case, you might be better off taking your car to a knowledgeable independent specialist.

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Used Mercedes GLE 2015-2019

The Mercedes GLE is spacious, luxurious and rides well. It's also reliable as a used buy

A good, early GLE with average mileage should set you back between £24,000 and £26,000, while you should expect to pay between £27,000 and £30,000 for a good 2016 or 2017 model. Expect to spend between £28,000 and £35,000 on a 2019 model.&nbsp;

To find out whether a GLE you’re looking to buy is worth the price, try our free valuations tool at <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a>.

The AMG Line version is by far the most popular among GLEs, and that makes it much easier to find on the used market than any other. It barely costs any more to buy than the more basic Sport, too, so it’s the one we’d go for. True, you don’t get a heap of extra equipment, but the air suspension and sportier styling are nice to have.

While we wouldn’t dissuade anyone from choosing the gutsy GLE 350d if their budget can stretch to it, the 250d has more than enough oomph for most people.

Our favourite used Mercedes GLE: 250d AMG Line

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Logical and beautifully built interior, with great infotainment</li> <li>More than enough space for five passengers or, even better, seven</li> <li>Strong performance along with impressive efficiency</li> <li>Composed handling that limits any feeling of unwieldiness</li></ul>

We class a luxury SUV as being anything where our pick of the range costs more than £45,000 – and at this price point, buyers' expectations are high. So, as well as all of the qualities that make regular SUVs such well-rounded choices –&nbsp;such as decent space for passengers and luggage, a classy interior and robust materials – we also want a cosseting ride, the latest driver assistance technology and enough space to really stretch out.

The Land Rover Discovery proves that you don't need to spend a lot of money to get a luxurious SUV, but if you've got a bit more to spend, the Audi Q7 is perennially popular among buyers, and with good reason. Or, at the very top of this market, there are newer additions such as the BMW X7 to consider.

Luxury SUV

Many GLEs will come with an air suspension system that can suffer expensive problems. These are relatively few and far between, thankfully, but if you’re looking at a car with the system fitted, it pays to make sure it rides smoothly, with no untoward harshness over bumps, and that you can feel the ride comfort change noticeably while you’re on the move when you switch between Comfort and Sport modes.

Also be wary of any suspension-related warning messages on the dashboard, such as ‘Please wait, car is rising’, which might come up when you start the car. These could point to leaks, which will take a bit of time to sort and could lead to a costly burnt-out compressor.

Other than that, we haven’t heard of any major issues to be concerned about with the GLE, but these are complicated cars, so you’ll want to check that all the electrics function, the sat-nav does its job properly and there are no concerning warning lights on the dashboard.

It also pays to inspect the underside of your prospective purchase, to look for signs of off-road use such as scrapes or old mud. If it has such signs, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but be aware of the potential for damaged components; you might want to get the underside professionally inspected before signing on the dotted line.

If you like your <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/large-suv">SUVs</a> large, plush and imposing, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/mercedes-benz">Mercedes</a>&nbsp;GLE should be right up your street. From the bluff, chrome-laden nose to the tall, vertical tail end, it’s every bit as you’d imagine a Mercedes SUV to be, and that’s made it a popular choice with buyers.

The GLE was not a new car when it arrived on the scene in 2015. In fact, it was a revised version of the third-generation <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/m-class/4x4/used-review/n17880">Mercedes M-Class</a>, with tweaks to the styling and the interior, a new nine-speed automatic gearbox and a new plug-in hybrid option.

That plug-in hybrid, the GLE 500e, is powered by a combination of a 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 and an electric motor, giving a combined maximum of 328bhp. However, the rest of the engine range remains largely the same as the M-Class’s, with only minor tweaks to elicit small improvements in fuel economy and emissions. That means the entry-level model is a 2.1-litre, 204bhp four-cylinder diesel badged GLE 250d. Then there’s the GLE 350d, with its 254bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel, and right at the top of the range sit the thunderous AMG models: the 385bhp GLE 43 and the 577bhp GLE 63.

The model range is relatively simple but very well equipped. It kicks off with the Sport version (only available with the 250d engine), which gets sat-nav, heated front seats and climate control as standard. AMG Line models, which are more widely available, add air suspension, as well as sportier styling touches and larger wheels, while Night Edition models add gloss black accents.

We’ve only ever driven GLEs fitted with air suspension, so we can’t comment on the steel-sprung models. On the air springs, the GLE feels comfortable enough, if a touch clumsy, floating over larger undulations in a slightly disconcerting way, but also shimmying over smaller bumps and occasionally dropping into kerbside drain covers. True, you can flick the switch to Sport mode, but that takes things to the opposite extreme, firming up the suspension too much.

As you might expect, then, handling isn’t its strong suit, either; the GLE always feels heavy, ploughing its nose ahead and leaning over in corners, even in that stiffer suspension mode. The steering is quick enough, but it feels light and somewhat artificial. In short, the GLE is not a car you’ll want to hustle along a back road.

Inside, you sit high up, giving you a commanding view, and on first inspection the interior looks smart. However, a couple of shoddy bits of fit and finish spoil the effect, while the labyrinthine infotainment system takes some getting used to.

And while there’s plenty of space for four passengers, five will be a squeeze, thanks to a hefty hump in the floor and a narrow middle seat. You also don’t get the option of a third row of seats, ruling the GLE out as a seven-seater – a significant disadvantage compared with the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q7/4x4/used-review/n813">Audi Q7</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/discovery/4x4/used-review/n974">Land Rover Discovery</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volvo/xc90/4x4/used-review/n838">Volvo XC90</a>, which all come with seven seats as standard. The one pay-off for this is that the boot is vast – one of the biggest around, in fact.

If you're interested in buying a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/mercedes-benz/gle?used=true&amp;nearlynew=true&amp;postCode=tw1%203sp">used Mercedes GLE</a>, or any of the other SUVs mentioned here, check out our used car classifieds section <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">here</a>.&nbsp;

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Used Mercedes GLE 2015-2019 review

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