The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE – Prices, History, Engine, Interior & Exterior, Features

In the year 2015 Daimler released the Mercedes Benz GLE. This model was an upgrade to the Mercedes Benz ML class. 

The first model that was released in the 2nd half of  2015 was an upgrade of the W166 ML63. In 2019 the 2nd generation GLE (4th generation M-Class) (W167) was released after being unveiled at the 2018 Paris Motor Show.
This 2nd generation GLE has been developed on an entirely new platform, known as the MHA (Modular High Architecture). The 5-door 5/7-seat SUV is available in five models: the GLE 350, GLE 450, GLE 580, AMG GLE 53, and AMG GLE 63 S. They all come with 4Matic all-wheel drive as standard except for the GLE 350.
In this article, we will focus on the GLE 450.

Interior & Exterior

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Interior

When you get into the GLE 450 you are welcomed by a cabin that looks and feels out of this world, with great Nappa leathers and natural grain wood trim. The 12.3 center touchscreen will then prompt you to enter your height, and from there, the seat, steering wheel, and pedals will automatically adjust, creating a perfect seating position for the driver.
Comfort features include ventilated front seats, massaging seats, 4-zone automatic climate control, memorized front seat adjustments, heated and cooled front and rear seats, heated and cooled cupholders, heated door panel, a heated center console, and power second-row side window shades.


The GLE 450 has a pair of 12.3-inch screens, with a digital instrument panel above the steering, and the MBUX infotainment screen to the left. The MBUX can be controlled via touch inputs, or via a central touchpad or a thumbpad on the steering wheel. The Mercedes Interior Assistant integrated into the MBUX infotainment system features advanced voice controls that accept natural voice commands such as “Hey, Mercedes,” and accepts natural speech to control the media functions, climate, navigation recognize hand and arm movement, and more. If you say, “Mercedes, turn on the massaging seats,” the pressure point massaging function begins.
Other standard functionalities include Bluetooth, USB ports, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto WiFi hot spot, and a wireless charging pad.

Storage facilities include the glove compartment, center bin under the armrest, and door pockets with bottle/cup holders. When you open the power tailgate, you are met with a 943-liter boot with a flat load floor. Fold the rear seats down, and the boot expands up to 2120-liters of cargo space.

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Exterior

The 2020 GLE 450 has borrowed a few cues from its predecessor the M-Class which were a hit when it came out. The stylish C-pillar behind the tailgate and wrap-around rear window glass are obvious design cues, so is the big Mercedes emblem attached to the grille. 

The GLE is fitted with 21-inch alloy wheels with wide tires. The grille varies by appearance and packages with LED headlights and stylish daytime LED running lights, while the rear features a small three-star emblem, narrow taillights that extend to the tailgate, and dual exhaust pipes.

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Safety

The 2020 Mercedes Benz GLE 450 was tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), where it earned a Top Safety Pick+ rating when equipped with the Driver Assistance Package Plus. But even without this upgrade package, crash protection on the GLE 450 is still first-class.
The GLE scored a 92 percent child occupant protection rating, a 91 percent adult occupant rating, a 78 percent vulnerable road user rating and a 79 percent safety assist score.

Standard safety features of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450  are emergency call service, blind-spot warning with door exit warning, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, and a driver monitoring system. The GLE 450 also features the Mercedes Pre-Safe, which preemptively prepares the cabin and its occupants for an impending collision, and a unique Pre-Safe Sound which is designed to protect occupant’s inner ears from the loud sound of a crash.

Other safety features of the Mercedes GLE 450 include Active Emergency Stop Assist,  Pre-Safe Impulse Side, and a comprehensive Driver Assistance Package Plus.

The GLE 450 comes with intelligent LED wide-beam headlights with adaptive high-beam assist as standard.  The semi-autonomous parking assistance also comes as standard on the GLE. It is a technology for steering, braking, and shifting the car in a parallel or perpendicular parking space under the supervision of the driver.

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Engine and Fuel Consumption

The Mercedes Benz GLE has several petrol and diesel engines on offer, here we will take a look at two of them.

  • The 2020 GLE450 comes fitted with an inline-six turbocharged petrol engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system as standard.

The turbocharged 3.0-liter 6-cylinder petrol engine produces 362 hp, with an additional 21 hp produced by the 48V mild-hybrid system. This hybrid combination has an average fuel consumption of 11 km/l, 0-100km/h sprint of 5.7 seconds, a maximum top speed of 257 km/h. The car is driven by Mercedes-Benz’s 4Matic constant all-wheel-drive via a 9-speed automatic transmission.

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The Mercedes-Benz’s 48V EQ Boost system allows the GLE to coast with the engine switched off, while on-board systems remain functional.

  • The GLE300d is fitted with an inline-four turbocharged diesel engine.
    The turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesel engine produces 241 hp, with average fuel consumption of 14 km/l, 0-100km/h sprint of 7.2 seconds, a maximum top speed of 240 km/h. The car is driven by Mercedes-Benz’s 4Matic constant all-wheel-drive via a 9-speed automatic transmission.

The Verdict

The Mercedes-Benz GLE takes a huge step forward for the 2020 model year, with options such as the third row and many significant new technologies. 

The Mercedes-Benz GLE is one of the top-rated luxury SUVs that does not come cheap. The 2020 model has been fully redesigned, adding new features, some refinements, and great capabilities. While not cheap, the GLE indeed punches above its weight in many ways and rightly so. From this article, we have learned about some of the features that make the GLE such a nice car such as the soothingly modern cabin. If you are in the market looking for a luxury SUV, then look no further, consider the GLE 450.

Originally published Jan 8, 2020, updated Jul 7, 2021

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Written by: Samuel H. Mponezya

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