2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class Coupe Review

　　

zzdcar' Expert Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　

What's new

The Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe is unchanged for 2019Part of the first GLE generation introduced for 2016

　　Most shoppers have practicality and convenience in mind when looking into SUVs, but the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe has a different interpretation. That's evident in its name alone. The sloping coupe-like roofline gives it a completely different character from the standard and more boxy GLE, visually suggesting that it's a sportier version. These GLE Coupe variants are indeed higher performers and only offered as AMG models.

　　

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class Coupe AMG GLE 43 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.78 per gallon for premium unleaded in North Dakota.

Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　$245/mo  for GLE-Class Coupe AMG GLE 43

　　GLE-Class Coupe AMG GLE 43

　　AMG GLE 43 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 9A) (Most Popular) - $71,350 MSRPAMG GLE 63 S 4dr SUV AWD (5.5L 8cyl Turbo 7A) - $113,000 MSRP

　　vs

　　$183/mo

　　Avg. Midsize SUV

　　You can choose between the 385-horsepower AMG GLE 43 or the bonkers 577-hp AMG GLE 63 S, but the $40,000 difference between the two may have a greater influence on the decision. Both will deliver stirring straight-line performance, but there is a price to pay for the stylish fastback silhouette. Compared to the standard GLE, the coupes lose a significant amount of cargo capacity as well as rear-passenger headroom. As a result, they're more "SuV" than SUV.

　　We're more inclined to go with the non-Coupe GLE since both AMG versions are available in that body style. Like the few other coupe-like performance SUVs available today, the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe seems to fill an awkward middle ground that nobody asked for.

　　

zzdcar' Expert Rating

　　

Trim tested

　　Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe AMG GLE 63 S (5.5L twin-turbo V8 | 7-speed automatic | AWD).

　　NOTE: Since this test was conducted in 2016, the current GLE Coupe has received only minor revisions. Our findings remain applicable to the 2019 GLE Coupe.

　　

Driving

　　The GLE Coupe is tremendously powerful and agile for its size, but you never forget just how heavy it is. It's civilized when you're just cruising around. This puzzling vehicle is effective in the same way a gold-plated hammer is.

　　

Acceleration

　　There's giddying thrust from the 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8, which is big-hearted and punchy. The seven-speed automatic is a bit dull-witted and doesn't lead the class in its response to gear-change requests. It's smooth, though. It blitzed to 60 mph in just 4 seconds in our testing.

　　

Braking

　　Despite its mass, it stops from 60 mph in a respectable 112 feet. Pedal feel around town is intuitive and easy to modulate.

　　

Steering

　　The steering is reasonably precise and well-weighted, but feel is on the numb side. There are no bad manners, though. The quick steering ratio helps make this bruiser a bit easier to wield.

　　

Handling

　　For its size, this Mercedes is more adept than you might expect. It's heavy and stable. Body roll is reasonably contained, and it changes direction without drama. But other sporting SUVs have better handling.

　　

Drivability

　　It's quite pleasant in typical driving, behaving in a civilized manner with smooth gear changes. The idle-stop feature responds acceptably quickly when restarting. You could let your grandparents drive this vehicle.

　　

Comfort

　　It has well-shaped seats and better noise isolation than you might expect. The GLE Coupe rides better than its primary competitor, the BMW X6 M. The engine sounds terrific.

　　

Seat comfort

　　The front seats are supportive and can deliver good comfort during long drives. The optional massage function is entertaining. The back seat is reasonably comfortable.

　　

Ride comfort

　　Its ride compliance is better than the BMW X6 M's. The standard air suspension rounds off the sharp edges of the road and does a fine job of controlling the car's large 22-inch wheels.

　　

Noise & vibration

　　Noise isolation is very effective. The engine is vocal even during light acceleration, but it's unobtrusive and satisfying to hear. Wind noise is well-suppressed, and road noise isn't as bad as the huge steamroller tires would suggest.

　　

Interior

　　While finely trimmed, the GLE 63's cabin suffers due to the low, sloping roofline, which eats up interior space. There's surprisingly little space inside given the gargantuan outside dimensions. It exhibits all of the downsides of a large vehicle with none of the upsides.

　　

Ease of use

　　As in all modern Benzes, this well-laid-out cabin is intuitive to use. We like the big climate control knobs and the thick steering wheel. The row of shiny buttons looks nice but lacks readability.

　　

Getting in/getting out

　　There's a fairly tall step up into the cabin. Getting in is impeded by the running board; it's too narrow to be useful but still gets in your way. The rear door opening is small because of the low roofline.

　　

Roominess

　　The sloping roof is for style only; it eats up backseat headroom and cargo space. The sense of spaciousness up front is better than in the rear. Front passengers enjoy reasonable leg- and headroom. Rear legroom is good, but headroom is less so.

　　

Visibility

　　Its wide pillars and short windows impede outward visibility significantly. The backup camera helps, as do the parking sensors. The view out the front is pretty good.

　　

Quality

　　Its interior is finished to a high standard with beautiful surroundings awash in diamond-pattern leather and rich-looking materials. There were no rattles or squeaks in our test car.

　　

Utility

　　Cargo space is limited, although the cabin has plenty of nooks for smaller items. If utility is a priority, look to the standard GLE SUV, not the GLE Coupe.

　　

Small-item storage

　　Interior storage is just barely adequate, limited to the inside of the center console, an odd recess underneath the center stack, and door pockets. You expect a little more in a luxury SUV.

　　

Cargo space

　　It has much less cargo-holding capacity than its non-coupe stablemate. The liftover height is rather high. The cargo hold is not very tall, but it is deep.

　　

Technology

　　We're happy to see Apple CarPlay in the GLE Coupe, but the lack of a touchscreen makes it all but unusable. The control and adjustability are beyond what the COMAND interface can handle. The touchpad and dial are two separate systems, and actions and motions don't carry over.

　　

Audio & navigation

　　Our tester's Harman Kardon audio system sounds good and is easy to use. Inputting destinations is straightforward, and the system provides sufficient directions to maximize success. The biggest challenge will be in getting into the proper mode by jogging and spinning the dial controller.

　　

Smartphone integration

　　Bluetooth pairing is quick, and the head unit can access both USB ports in the center console. The lower of the two USB ports is dedicated to Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integration, but accessing that mode is tremendously difficult.

　　

Driver aids

　　The adaptive cruise control works great, and the function is easy to access via the cruise control stalk. Blind-spot detection is just about perfect, and lane departure feedback is gentle. Lane centering is fine for extremely intermittent use.

　　

Voice control

　　The voice recognition system doesn't recognize plain text inputs via the touchpad. There's a specific way to input commands, which can get tricky since the system is a bit laggy. So you may find yourself repeating and mistiming commands.

　　

Which GLE-Class Coupe does zzdcar recommend?

　　The anything-but-basic AMG GLE 43 will likely satisfy the vast majority of drivers. We suggest adding the optional Premium packages and their numerous driver assistants and luxury upgrades. If long trips are common for you, we'd also add the massaging and ventilated seats. As much as the $40,000-plus premium for the AMG GLE 63 S scares us, it delivers more of the traditional AMG experience and soundtrack. If money is no object, we say go for it.

　　

2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class Coupe models

　　The 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe is a five-passenger midsize SUV available in two trim levels: AMG GLE 43 and AMG GLE 63 S. Both can tow up to 7,200 pounds and are equipped with standard 4Matic all-wheel drive. Despite the variants' similar names, a vast gulf in price and performance separates the two. The AMG GLE 43 is well-equipped as standard, and on the whole it could be described as a reasonable alternative to everyday luxury people-movers. There's very little that's reasonable about the AMG GLE 63 S, however, and its fans embrace its ludicrousness as a badge of honor.

　　Powering the AMG GLE 43 is a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 (385 horsepower, 384 pound-feet of torque) and a nine-speed automatic. Standard equipment highlights include 21-inch wheels, an adaptive air suspension, adaptive LED headlights, automatic high-beam control, a panoramic sunroof, a power liftgate, power-folding and heated side mirrors, dual-zone automatic climate control, a power-adjustable steering wheel, heated front seats, driver-seat memory functions, premium vinyl upholstery, and a 115-volt household-style power outlet.

　　Standard tech and safety features include an 8-inch central display, the COMAND infotainment interface, a navigation system, a 13-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning and intervention, and a forward collision warning system with automatic emergency braking.

　　Two primary option packages are available for the AMG GLE 43. The reasonably priced Premium 2 package includes heated and cooled front cupholders, interior ambient lighting, and a center pass-through for the rear seat. The Premium 3 package further adds a 360-degree parking camera, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, a lane-centering steering system, a collision avoidance system, lane departure mitigation, and an automated parallel parking system.

　　It's a big step up pricewise to the AMG GLE 63 S. Under the hood is a turbocharged 5.5-liter V8 (577 hp, 561 lb-ft of torque) mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission. It adds 22-inch wheels, summer performance tires, active stabilizer bars, bigger brakes, a carbon-fiber engine cover, noise-reducing front-row windows, a sport steering wheel, heated and ventilated front sport seats, memory settings for the front passenger seat, upgraded leather upholstery, and the contents of the Premium 2 package. It also includes the Premium 3 package's 360-degree parking camera and parking system.

　　There are a few appearance packages as well. Both models can be equipped with the Night package, which adds gloss-black lower valances and grille trim. The GLE 43-only AMG Performance Studio package includes the Night package plus an orange lip on the front bumper, an orange stripe on the wheels, and faux-suede seat inserts.

　　Notable stand-alone options include tri-zone climate control, a premium 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, massaging multicontour front seats, heated rear seats, a rear entertainment system, and a trailer hitch. Optional for the GLE 63 S is a performance exhaust system.

　　

2019 GLE-Class Coupe Highlights

Trim: AMG GLE 43AMG GLE 63 SAMG GLE 43

　　

Base MSRP	$71,350
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	19 MPG
Cost to Drive	$245/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	23.0 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	all wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles