Tested: Merc's GLE glides like a limo

QUICK TEST: Mercedes-Benz GLE 400

By: Brendan Seery

Johannesburg - Perhaps it was the luxury white leather interior. Perhaps it was the deep-blue paintwork (almost black in the shade). Perhaps it was the air suspension.

I think, in the end, it was the three-pointed star on the nose of the Mercedes-Benz GLE400 that made me decide to waft along, cocooned in understated elegance and quality the entire week I had the car on test.

Sure, I could have put my foot down more often, to enjoy the way the 245kW, twin-turbo V6 petrol engine thrust the two-ton SUV along. It will hit 100km/h from a standstill in well under seven seconds, even at highveld altitudes, belying its looks. It has a top speed of 247km/h, according to the specs.

I could have chucked it into sport mode to feel the air suspension tighten up so I could fling it into corners. I could have taken it off-road to see how well it would cope with the rough stuff.

And it would have done pretty well, with 4Matic all-wheel-drive, coupled with off-road packages that adjust settings for engine and gearbox to cope with extreme conditions – not to mention that the ride height can be jacked up to get over obstacles.

None of those things – interesting combination of mechanical traits that they are – seemed appropriate. What did seem right – yes, so very right – was eating up the kilometres on the highway to Pretoria, cruising at an indicated 130km/h, the world outside a long way away and the music from the Harman Kardon sound system pushing it even further off.

‘Magic carpet ride’

The air suspension no doubt contributes to the clichéd “magic carpet ride” feeling, but Merc has done such an excellent job of controlling NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) in the GLE that it feels like a limo. It’s every bit as good as the E Class, with which it shares some components.

The GLE400 price list starts at R1million (the entry-level GLE 250d starts at R923 000) and there’s plenty in the option list to whack that up by R100 000 or more. That sounds like a lot of money – but nothing with four wheels is cheap today.

The GLE used to be known as the ML. Mercedes-Benz has changed its naming conventions so vehicles with an off-road bent have a G in their names. The GLE has a much sexier sister, the GLE Coupe, which is aimed directly at the BMW X6 and promises huge street cred. We have yet to drive that, but I am sure it will turn many heads.

Lower down, the GLC (which we have also not tested yet) is based on the C Class and, for a Mercedes product, offers amazing value. I could not believe it, early this year, when I saw that the entry-level GLC, with all-wheel-drive, was cheaper than Hyundai’s Santa Fe with FWD.

A week at the wheel of the GLE400 was a reminder, if one was needed, that Mercedes-Benz is still one of the bluest of blue-chip automotive brands and still at the top of its game when it comes to quality.

FACTS

Mercedes-Benz GLE 400

Engine: 3-litre, 6-cylinder turbopetrol

Gearbox: 7-speed automatic

Power: 245kW @ 5250-6000rpm

Torque: 480Nm @ 1400-4000rpm

0-100km/h (claimed): 6.1 seconds

Top speed (claimed): 247km/h

Consumption (claimed): 9.2 litres per 100km

Price: R1 036 930

Warranty: 2-year, unlimited km

Maintenance plan: 6-year/100 000km