The Mercedes Benz M-Class has been replaced by the new GLE. There are plenty of older M-Class 4x4s in daily use on Irish farms and, while they exude a feeling of being a solid machine, they have not been without their problems.
The GLE, introduced early last year, aims to boost the Mercedes Benz brand in the luxury end of the SUV market. To make the price a little competitive, the German manufacturer is offering a two-wheel-drive version as an entry model.
Audi and Volvo each have new larger SUVs on the market for 2016, so there is plenty of activity in this sector, even if the prices look high. The new Mercedes model feels a shade smaller than either the new Audi Q7 or the Volvo XC90, so that makes it a little difficult to provide a true comparison.
The GLE sits in a slightly different category – it has the luxury tag, good towing ability and good performance. Many farming readers will aspire to owning a secondhand GLE in a year or two.
M-Class resale values seem to be holding well, which would suggest a relatively competitive depreciation rate could be expected for the new GLE. That fact has the biggest impact on depreciation costs and in turn ownership costs.
The GLE is powered by a 2.1 litre turbo-diesel engine that pumps out 204bhp and, even more impressively, 500Nm of torque. The test car was fitted with the Mercedes Benz automatic gearbox and I can see no reason to opt for a manual in an SUV such as this. It drives with real strength. The overall kerb weight is modest, meaning that it doesn’t feel as big as the former M-Class. One of the benefits is impressive acceleration at 8.6 seconds for a 0 to 100km/h dash.
The smoothness of the acceleration is impressive. The car powers forward and you can feel that torque coming through the nine-speed automatic gearbox.
Out on the road, the GLE cruises with ease. Motorway speeds are comfortable as the engine purrs away at around 1,500rpm at the 120km/h limit. That makes for reasonably economical driving for a SUV that weighs in at over 2t, which means that it’s still heavier than the likes of the new and bigger Volvo XC90.
The official economy rating is 17.5km/litre (5.7/100km or 49mpg). My driving performance, which included two longer drives and small smaller rural road runs, brought this to a figure that was about 25% less. The CO2 rating is also more impressive at 149g/km, which brings down the annual road tax to €390, among the lowest in its class.
Overall, that is a good result compared with some of the competition. Mercedes Benz claims that the economy and CO2 levels have dropped by 17%, making this SUV a more cost-effective car to own, provided you can get past the initial buying price.
I took the GLE on a modest off-road run, where its Bridgestone Dueller 260/60R18 tyres were not ideal. While it was a two-wheel-drive machine, it coped well, but it is not for serious off-road work.
The internal layout is typical of Mercedes Benz. If you have driven a recent Mercedes, you’ll quickly get the hang of the controls. Unlike other makes, Mercedes provides the automatic gearbox control on a stalk beside the steering wheel. Another unique feature remains the foot-operated parking brake. I quickly got comfortable with both.
Solid seating
There is solid seating throughout, but the rear space is not particularly generous. There is ample headroom, but I’m not too sure how well an adult team of three would survive on a longer journey.
The GLE is well-equipped in terms of safety, but has yet to get a Euro NCAP rating. Expect it to be as good as its predecessor, the M-Class, which achieved a 5-star rating in 2012.
The boot space is rated highly at 690 litres or 2010 litres with the rear seats down. This is significantly smaller than the Q7 or XC90, so in comparison terms we must look at the GLE more in relation to the Audi Q5 or Volvo XC60.
On a price basis, I think I would opt for the Mercedes Benz GLE, even if the entry price starts at €65,655 or £49,280 in Northern Ireland. This is despite the lower entry prices of the other models; it’s the extras that are not in the Audi and Volvo as standard that make the difference. Standard equipment on the GLE includes active parking assist, Garmin GPS navigation, full leather seating, intelligent lights, a spare wheel and metallic paint. The reversing camera does add €822 to the price.
If you’re trading from another SUV, don’t rule out giving the GLE some consideration. The drive is good, the comfort impressive and appeal long lasting. The badge still commands some value supporting re-sale deals that keep ownership costs at levels that might just surprise you.
Engine 2.1 litre
Engine power 204hp
0 – 100km/hr 8.6 seconds
Economy 17.5km/litre
Fuel Tank Capacity 93 litres
CO2 emissions 149g/km
Road Tax Band C (€390)
Main Service 20,000km
Euro NCAP Rating No rating
Towing rating 2,900kg
Warranty 3 years /100,000km
Entry Price €65,665
NI Price £49,280