Mercedes AMG GLE 53 - Tremendous SUV!

2023 Mercedes-AMG GLE-Class Starting at $ Highs Silky-smooth inline-six, high-budget interior, impressive ride. Lows GLE Coupe offers less versatility for more money, poorly hides its mass, swills fuel in GLE63 S form. Verdict The AMG GLE turns up the heat on the Benz GLE-class, but its strong competition does more for a lot less. Overview Mercedes’s GLE-class SUV ditches the Benz branding and receives the AMG treatment, which nets the mid-size SUV more power, a performance-oriented suspension setup, and a handful of design tweaks. Mercedes-AMG offers its GLE-class models in both SUV and fastback body styles, as well as in GLE53 and GLE63 S guises. The former packs a 429-hp forced induction straight-six under its hood, while the latter relies on a 603-hp twin-turbocharged V-8 for motivation. Both come standard with all-wheel drive. Despite their lesser cargo capacity, the hunchbacked Mercedes-AMG GLE53 and GLE63 S Coupes sticker for more than their squareback counterparts. What’s New for 2023? This year marks the 55th anniversary of the AMG performance brand. To celebrate this, Mercedes-AMG is offering the GLE-class in a limited-run Edition 55 guise for 2023. The special-edition model includes distinct cues such as side-mounted Edition 55 graphics, matte-gray 22-inch wheels with Edition 55-exclusive center caps, and a steering wheel with commemorative badging. Pricing and Which One to Buy AMG GLE53: $78,100 AMG GLE63 S: $121,150 We’d save our money and stick with the more conventional and boxier GLE-class SUV. Black and Polar White are the only no-cost paint options, and we’d pair the more sinister color with the AMG Night package that includes blacked-out exterior trim. The illuminated three-pointed star emblem is a neat option. The optional heated steering wheel will keep our hands warm, and the Acoustic Comfort package helps keep the cabin further isolated from the noise of the outside world. The Multicontour front seats with massage and rapid heating function are also must-haves. The soft-close doors and four-zone climate system round out our selections. Engine, Transmission, and Performance The GLE53 features a nine-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. Its engine is supplemented by an electric supercharger that’s powered by a 48-volt electrical system. Combined with the GLE53’s turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine, the SUV’s powertrain produces 429 horsepower and 384 pound-feet of torque. That setup helped catapult a GLE53 Coupe we tested to 60 mph in 4.7 second and through the quarter-mile in 13.4 seconds at 103 mph. Compare that with a Benz-branded 362-hp GLE450 we tested, which did the deeds in 5.3 seconds and 13.9 seconds at 100 mph, respectively. The GLE53 also features a trick suspension consisting of an air-bag system coupled with active anti-roll bars that’s said to provide corner-carving capabilities without sacrificing ride quality. The GLE53 Coupe we drove felt smooth even on uneven roads. Switching its drive mode to Sport or Sport Plus stiffened up the suspension enough to help keep the heavy family hauler stable when the pavement coiled. Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG Regardless of body style, the GLE53 carries a city rating of 18 mpg, but the squareback is rated at 23 mpg on the highway, while the fastback is rated at 22 mpg. On our 75-mph fuel-economy route, which is part of our extensive testing regimen, a GLE53 Coupe delivered an impressive 26 mpg. For more information about the GLE’s fuel economy, visit the EPA’s website. Interior, Comfort, and Cargo Inside, two giant digital displays dominate the dashboard of every 2023 GLE-class. The interior environs are sportier than the standard Benz models, though, as the AMG versions come with sport seats with red contrasting stitching, a sport steering wheel, red seatbelts, and aluminum accents. The cabin is spacious, too, even in the back seat. A third row of seats is optional with the SUV’s wagon body style. The GLE53 offers the same cargo space as the GLE450, which means it has space for a whopping 11 carry-on suitcases behind the second row of seats and, with the rear seats stowed, room for up to 26 cases. However, the GLE53 Coupe’s sloping roofline results in a loss of 5 cubic feet of cargo space, and the area held two fewer suitcases with all seats in place and five fewer with the rear row stowed. Read More 📌 Instagram ▶ 📌 Tiktok ▶ @cartvpress