Very few car manufacturers know how to make luxury vehicles like the team at Mercedes does. The Mercedes GLE isn’t the type of car that has one say, “I see a lot of these around”. It leaves one musing over it. It’s fashionable and modern design coupled up with it’s decent power output compared to it’s peers gives it an edge over other cars in that range.

Drive:

With an unbelievable fuel consumption of 6.4 litres/ 100km (depending on how heavy your foot is though), the GLE 350d 4Matic produces 254hp at 3400 rpm and torque of 620 Nm at 1600-2400 rpm. The power is transmitted to the road by the all wheel drive 4Matic system.

The vehicle is also equipped with different drive-terrain mods. The GLE 350d is fitted with DYNAMIC SELECT, technology that enables drivers to select a variety of driving modes. Each changes the car’s response to driver’s inputs, tweaking its sensitivity to throttle inputs, gear changes, suspension height and stiffness, steering sharpness. The DYNAMIC select modules: sport, individual, sport+ and slippery enable you to drive optimally according to your situation.

The GLE 350d accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 7.1 seconds which is quite impressive. For crowded roads, overtaking becomes quite easy. The steering effort is quite light but precise. Braking performance is likewise strong, and the brakes are easy to control in everyday driving.

The GLE 350d comes with a 7-speed shiftable automatic transmission. The gear shifts are smooth though not the best for a luxury SUV.

Interior & Technology:

The car’s cabin is attractive, roomy and upscale. The infotainment system is also feature packed. Options like the sunroof and leather seats come standard. The interior is quite serene and quiet. However, the rear seats do not recline but remain pleasant for long drives. The climate system is quite effective, you can set it an d forget about it while driving off into the sunset.

the driving position offers a commanding view of the road and plenty of adjustability. The controls are within easy reach. Visibility is great with clear sight lines all round. The GLE’s intuitive touchpad controller is also pleasant. Functions like track/preset skipping, home and back are right on the pad and it has haptic feedback. The Mercedes’ MBUX infotainment system is keen on functionality. The optional Burmester audio system has a surround-sound option that fully immerses the driver in hi-fi lusciousness. I found that quite impressive, cranking up every song for an immersive experience.