Mercedes Benz gle 300d review

Mercedes Benz gle 300d review
The fourth-generation Mercedes-Benz GLE made quite the impression when we first tested it in the US last year.  It had all of the things you’d
expect from a large, posh SUV: a  swanky, leather-upholstered interior; a smooth, punchy powertrain; a sublime ride and size-defying handling courtesy of a trick new E-Active air suspension system; and a range of clever new driver aids that have yet to appear on the S - Class. Combined, this led the GLE 450 to scoop four and a half stars. This time we ’re back in Britain, driving the entry-level GLE 300d. This means the creamy six-cylinder petrol engine has been replaced by a 242bhp four-cylinder diesel,  and there’s no air suspension. Or at least there shouldn’t be, but our early production test model had air springs, even if this won’t be an option for UK GLE 300d customers.
That engine lends what is now quite a massive SUV a decent amount of shove – a claimed 7.2sec
0-62mph time means it’s no slouch. The only trouble is, it’s also not quite as refined as you might hope.
There’s a noticeably agrarian edge to the soundtrack under open throttle, and it begins to feel and sound strained rather early on in the accelerative process. We’ll see if the forthcoming six-cylinder GLE 350d will better fit the mold of an upmarket SUV in this respect.
On standard Air Matic suspension, this GLE doesn’t seem to strike the same balance between handling panache and genteel ride refinement as that original launch example did.
It’s certainly comfortable around town and on the motorway, but move on to faster, lumpier A-roads and its overly soft set-up lead to some rather pronounced body movement.
Sport mode better ties things down, but through corners, there’s still pronounced role, while it's vague,
overly light steering doesn’t inspire much in the way of confidence.  Giving this particular GLE the nod is tricky, then. It’s not quite as composed or demure enough to truly impress, and it lacks the handling smarts of the BMW X5. It’s well-finished and spacious, for sure, but a bit forgettable everywhere else.
SIMON DAVIS
MERCEDES-BENZ GLE 300d 4MATIC
Price                £55,685
Engine             4 cyls, 1950cc, diesel
Power              242bhp at 4200rpm
Torque            369lb ft at 1600-2400rpm
Gearbox          9-spd automatic
Kerb weight    2170kg
0-62mph          7.2sec
Top speed        140mph
Economy          33.6-39.2mpg
CO2, tax band WLTP    figures tbc