Fourth-generation SUV gets fresh styling, new interior features, and a new electrified AMG derivative in mid-life refresh
The Mercedes-Benz GLE is, rather alarmingly, rapidly approaching its thirtieth birthday. And, already having racked up more than two million sales worldwide since it went on sale in 1997 badged as the Mercedes M-Class, and now reaching towards the latter part of its fourth model generation, it has recently had a fairly typical mid-cycle facelift – with an all-new AMG performance derivative added to the lineup: the GLE 53 Hybrid.This was one of the founding fathers of the modern luxury SUV niche, though the segment as it exists today is vastly different to the one the ‘ML’ emerged into originally. Today, the premium brand SUV ranks have grown to include multiple offerings from a wide variety of car makers in many different sizes and configurations. To truly stand out and pique the interest of potential customers it takes something truly out of the ordinary.In a bid to match the competition head on, the fourth-generation model, which appeared in 2019, was developed anew from the ground up, as part of an engineering program that also included the second-generation Mercedes GLE Coupe and third-generation Mercedes GLS. Mercedes-Benz threw quite a lot of technology at it in an attempt to elevate its appeal; not least a whole new PHEV hybrid powertrain system, which can be teamed with petrol or diesel combustion engines of either four- or six cylinders.Of the 10 SUVs that Mercedes currently offers, then, the GLE (and its GLE Coupé sister car) sit around seventh and eighth in the size rankings, below only Mercedes GLS and Mercedes G-Class.