Referred to as V167, the Mercedes-Benz GLE was revealed with much pomp at the 2018 Paris Motor Show for the 2020 model year. Come January 2023, the mid-size luxury sport utility vehicle received minor cosmetic surgery, more onboard tech, and hybrid-assisted powerplants across the board.
That being said, why is Merc testing a camouflaged GLE in Germany? The answer is yet another facelift, which – from the looks of this prototype – is a bit more substantial both inside and outside. For starters, the heavily camouflaged front end comprises a new bumper, grille, and headlights.
These pictures indicate styling influences from the 214-series Executive Class of sedans and wagons, an E-Klasse that has been met with mixed reactions due to questionable styling decisions. In any case, as long as demand for the E-Klasse is healthy in Europe and the US, the love-or-hate design is A-OK from the standpoint of the higher-ups in Stuttgart.
Out back, the rear end appears to be unchanged from the 2024 model. The bumper's valance panel is finished in black, indicating that said prototype is equipped with the Night Package. As for the wheels, make that 22-inch AMG alloys with twin five spokes per corner. In Germany, said wheels are priced at €2,261 ($2,450 at current exchange rates).
Updated side mirrors with two cameras instead of one per side can be noticed as long as you zoom in on pictures taken from the front three quarters. From the driver's side and driver-side rear three quarters, on the other hand, you might notice a new steering wheel and a larger infotainment display.
Photo: Baldauf
The latter suggests an MBUX upgrade, although it's not clear if the GLE is compatible with the MBUX Superscreen three-display setup of the 214-series Executive Class. The 214er also rocks 5G data connectivity, a third-party app store that includes Angry Birds and TikTok, as well as – get this – a selfie camera that helps prevent the driver from being distracted by the front passenger's display.
Under the hood, some changes are certainly in store. Mercedes-Benz AG has already confirmed the 2026 Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 with plug-in oomph rather than mild-hybrid assistance. In combination with the 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine, said plug-in hybrid powertrain develops 536 ponies.
Because the G 550 swapped the V8 for a six-cylinder lump for model year 2025, chances are that Mercedes could replace the 4.0L twin-turbo V8 of the GLE 580 with a sixer as well. Only the AMG GLE 63 is expected to retain the cross-plane crankshaft V8 with a hot-vee layout. For 2024, the handcrafted V8 develops 603 horsepower and 627 pound-feet (850 Nm) of torque at full chatter.
For some reason or another, Mercedes-Benz AG continues to offer a four-cylinder turbo in the luxury-oriented midsizer while BMW offers the most spartan of X5s for the US market with six cylinders. With a bit of luck, Mercedes will acknowledge that four pots in a mid-size luxury sport utility vehicle was a bit cheapo on their part.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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