If you have been following the release of the brand new GLC and GLE Mercedes-Benz models, you know that it won’t be much longer now before we get to hear a salesman say, “So what’s it going to take to get you into this car today?” Usually this is an annoying part about shopping for a new car. The difference in this case though is that he or she will be standing in front of a never-before seen GLE-Class. But what about monetary compensation? We have good news. The 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV price is not over the top. Don’t get us wrong, you can spend a lot of money on one if you want to, but there will also be more affordable versions available.
What comes before September and after July? If you guessed the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV release, then you are a good person. We are in the middle of August and the GLE should be arriving at your local dealer any day now. Don’t have a local dealer? A trip to Mercedes-Benz of Arrowhead is worth the drive regardless of the distance. The release of the GLE is a big one; A really big one. So let’s take a few moments to relax and look at what we are up against here.
2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class vs. 2015 Mercedes-Benz M-Class
Is it a car? Is it a sport utility vehicle? Is it a dinosaur-fighting machine? Is it a movie star? The answer is yes to all of the above. The 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe recently made its debut on the big screen as a character in Jurassic World. If you saw the movie, and haven’t seen the vehicle before, it’s because it is not available for sale yet. It is a redesign of the familiar M-Class SUV, which will be discontinued from the Mercedes-Benz lineup. The M-Class is a great SUV, so why get rid of it? Let’s go head to head to find out. 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class vs. 2015 Mercedes-Benz M-Class.
It appears that Mercedes-Benz is getting organized. It is changing the names of some of its vehicles so that they better match the name schemes of the sedans and coupes. The new GLC has just been released to replace the GLK, which turned out to be an improvement in every way. It turns out that the GLE is also superior to its predecessor, even if it does look a little… different.
The 2016 GLE 450 AMG Coupe will be powered by a twin turbo V6 engine to produce 362 horsepower. This is the one depicted in Jurassic World, but there will also be an SUV version of the GLE-Class that is more similar the flagship M-Class.
The differences between the two SUVs appear to be somewhat minimal. Five different engines are still offered, although the new GLE will be able to produce a few extra ponies with each one. The alterations are mostly visual ones. The GLE has been made up to look more sporty. It has a more aggressive hood, grille, and tail light configuration.
Once inside, you’ll find a larger 8-inch display screen that sits on top of the dash, similar to the E-Class and C-Class implementations. The center console now holds the touch screen command pad. This is a central port that controls the infotainment system and Dynamic Select programs. Off-road, Off-road+, and slippery will be new programs offered in the GLE, which gives it a pretty nice advantage.
So who wins? As it turns out, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class vs. 2015 Mercedes-Benz M-Class is a close match. The GLE-Class is slightly improved in most areas, but will also be a few thousand dollars more expensive than the M-Class. Is it worth it? Yes. Will you be disappointed with an older M-Class? No way. Stop in at Mercedes-Benz of Arrowhead to test drive an M-Class SUV.
