The Mercedes-Benz GLE was the original luxury SUV that paved the way for a whole new type of vehicle. The latest 2022 model impresses as much as ever, and here’s why.

Assertive Exterior Design

The GLE might operate in the mid-size league, but its assertive exterior design lends it a road presence to match any full-size SUV on the highway today. The high and chunky hood hints at the power lurking beneath, while the upright cabin provides spacious comfort within. And while the overall design is bold and confident, the generous amounts of sculpted angles and chrome accents give the GLE all the high-end air you’d expect from one of Mercedes-Benz’s most luxurious models.

Choice of Powerful Engines

The 2022 GLE is available in Canada with a choice of two powertrains. At the entry level, the GLE 350 4Matic model boasts a 2.0L inline-4 turbo engine pushing out 255 horsepower and 273lb-ft of torque, reaching all-wheel drive via a nine-speed automatic transmission.

This configuration offers an excellent balance between power and economy, with a 0-100km/h acceleration time of 7.1 seconds and a fuel economy of 12.1L / 100km in the city and 8.9L on the highway.

Moving up a level, the GLE 450 4Matic increases the turbo engine size to 3.0L, which naturally gives the power and performance a healthy boost. The output of 362 horsepower and 369lb-ft drives the 0-100km/h time down to a searing 5.7 seconds, pushing the GLE into genuine high-performance territory.

Surprisingly, the extra agility doesn’t come at the cost of high fuel consumption, with the city rating improving to 11.4L / 100km, and the highway figure growing slightly thirstier at 9.3L.

But whichever powertrain option you choose, the combination of 4Matic all-wheel drive and selectable driving modes delivers smooth and confident handling even when conditions get tough.

Wall-to-Wall Digital Interior

Climb behind the GLE’s wheel and you’ll be met with a stunning amount of digital real estate. A 12.3″ colour instrument gauge offers customizable data display, with selectable modes to vary the style of graphics and amount of information that’s shown.

A 12.3″ infotainment touchscreen is sitting alongside, offering access to in-built navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a full set of multimedia functions. If touchscreen control isn’t to your liking, other input methods include a console-mounted touchpad, a touch-control steering wheel, and advanced voice recognition that can understand conversational language.

Optional upgrades include augmented reality navigation, which overlays directions, street names, and more on a camera image of the road ahead, plus a head-up display that projects driving data and navigation instructions onto the windshield for distraction-free driving.

Luxurious Touches

The GLE is also available with a wide range of extras to boost cabin comfort to your liking. Choose from heated and cooled seats with a massage feature, leather upholstery, noise cancellation technology, 64-colour ambient lighting, and many other features to take interior luxury to the next level.

Advanced Safety

As a final flourish, the GLE offers the last word in advanced active safety tech, with available features including traffic sign assist, automatic evasive steering and braking, active lane-change assist, adaptive cruise control, and much more.

Every area of the GLE boasts an impressive set of features on its own, but together the result is an exceptional all-round package that truly deserves the luxury SUV description. If you’re interested in experiencing the 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE for yourself, please book a test drive by clicking on the button below.

Please Note: The details of this article were accurate at the time it was written. Manufacturers may change the details of any vehicle’s specifications, at any time, without notice.