[Glen]

I saw that there is a first drive review of the Mercedes GLE Coupe by CarScoops, so I decided to take the time to write up a little summary of it for you guys.

The GLE Coupe is Mercedes-Benz's response to the BMW X6. it is a bit of a late response considering the X6 has been on sale since 2007, but here it is. It is built for families looking for a premium vehicle.

CarScoops has an interesting way of describing the looks of the GLE Coupe.

Seeing it in person and living with it for a couple of days made me realize that if you take the S-Class Coupe, make it taller, bulkier and get it to hunker down, you end up with the GLE Coupe. It's pretty sensual from most angles. It's got those muscular wings, upright grille, forward sloping hood and of course the Coupe silhouette and S-Class Coupe rear end going for it.

Another interesting thing to notice about the looks of the GLE Coupe are the all-LED headlights. A nice detail is how the light bars turn blue before white as you unlock the car. Details like these really give customers the luxury feel.

The interior is described as "pretty nice," but its not at the same level as an S-Class or a C-Class.

A bright spot for the GLE COupe is its cargo space compared to its main competitor, the X6.

- 2008 BMW X6: 570 liters (20.1 cu.ft) or 1,450 liters (51.2 cu.ft) with the rear seats folded
- 2015 BMW X6: 580 liters (20.4 cu.ft) or 1,525 liters (53.8 cu.ft) with rear seats folded
- 2015 Mercedes GLE Coupe: 650 liters (22.9 cu.ft) or 1,720 liters (60.7 cu.ft) with rear seats folded

The GLE Coupe actually has just as much cargo space as the X5, and that is quite the feat for an SUV with a coupe roof.

Similarly, the GLE Coupe manages to provide excellent space for passengers in both the front and rear.

I’m about 1.81 m (5’11), and while sitting more than comfortably in the front, I was able to move over behind the driver’s seat and realize that there was still a full palm’s length (fingertip to wrist) between my knees and the back of the front seat. That’s the type of knee room you expect to have in something like the Volvo XC90, not a Sports Activity Coupe. And yet there it is.

Compared to the X6 and the Porsche Cayenne, the GLE Coupe offers a higher ride position, and indeed, the GLE Coupe is taller than these two rivals. This, however, does not translate to better rear visibility. Rear cameras have been added by Mercedes-Benz to make up for this though.

Standard features include: the multi-functional steering wheel, 9G-Tronic 9-speed transmission, Thermatic climate system, 4-way lumbar support, full-LED lights, rain & light sensors, active hood, Agility Control, and plenty of safety features.

Options inlcude: the Harman Kardon Logic 7 audio system, Distronic Plus, parking pack with 360 panoramic view, panoramic sunroof and the Airmatic suspension.

The interior received top marks:

All in all though, this is one of the best interiors available on any SUV today. The fact that you can buy this car and not sacrifice as much practicality or interior room as you would expect compared to regular SUVs like the BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne, is definitely worth noting.

Some final facts and figures for you. The GLE 350d Coupe can accelerate from 0 - 62 mph in 7 seconds. Fuel economy comes in at 34 mpg US, but that is driving conservatively. And the price for the GLE 450 is $65,100.

Bottomline?

If you've always liked the BMW X6 and you want something with a Mercedes badge, but with more style than you get in the regular GLE, then yes, it's hard to say no to the GLE Coupe - unless you’re biased against Mercedes cars for some reason. Maybe one ran over your cat when you were little, I don’t know. But other than that, this thing looks like a slam dunk in the Coupe SUV segment.

 

[Benzinator]

Is the rear view camera going to be included in the standard GLE model?

 

[Glen]

Yes, believe so. I think that they are kinda necessary because the rear visibility is so poor.

 

[stephen]

Yes, believe so. I think that they are kinda necessary because the rear visibility is so poor.

I've been noticing a growing number of vehicles coming out like that, which makes sense, if design must be done a specific way they have to fill in some how.

Even some pillars are getting in the way too much.

 

[Glen]

I am looking forward to the invisible pillars coming out. Jaguar projects onto the pillars to make them "invisible".

 

[HDGFND]

That's a smart move to make since these days with the growing complexity of design it's hard to design a vehicle with pillars that don't take away from visibility.

 

[GLEE]

That looks amazing but it could be distracting when you have a blue car in front of you while driving. And the red warnings doesn't seem necessary but that's assuming people are aware of their surrounding while driving. Has it been tested in a real car or was the video CG?