Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe review
Can a sports car be usable on a daily basis? Can an SUV be fun to drive? And can an AMG be practical and sensible? Well, to answer all these questions, we’ve got the 2024 Mercedes AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ Coupé.
Let’s start with what the GLE is like to live with The good thing is, it does come with several driver and parking aids, which make living with this car rather easy.
Drive Experience
In bumper to bumper traffic, in stop-go conditions, the throttle can feel a bit too sensitive and a bit too sharp.
However, get past that initial spikiness, and this car feels just like a regular Mercedes petrol SUV. But this isn’t your everyday Mercedes SUV.
I mean, sure, it shares its three-litre, six-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with the GLE and the GLS 450.
However, AMG has worked its magic on this one. So this one makes more horsepower and more torque.
Engine Power
It gains 55 horsepower and 50 Newton meters over the GLS 450, taking its figures up to 435 horsepower and 560 Newton meters.
And compared to before, this one gets an even more responsive integrated starter generator, the second generation, that is. So as a result, responses are instantaneous.
This car builds speed at an astonishing rate. It is deceptively quick. This engine is plenty quick.
Top Speed
Here are the numbers. 0-100 km/h in just 5 seconds. Top speed, limited to 250 km/h. So yes, the numbers are impressive.
AMG has also tweaked the GLE’s chassis to put down that power on the road with its 4Matic plus all-wheel drive system.
Amg’s ride control plus air suspension with adaptive damping and its fat tires, 275 millimeters in the front and 315 millimeters at the rear.
Sure, it feels tighter and spotier to drive compared to the GLE SUV. However, the suspension is quite forgiving, and even on these 21-inch wheels, it feels rather plush.
In the default comfort setting, it is surprisingly comfortable, and it will simply smother the smaller potholes or road imperfections in its stride.
And even when you dial it to its stiffest setting, it doesn’t get harsh or jarring at any point.
You can change the suspension settings independent of the drive modes. Well, the default setting is comfort.
However, if you encounter a smooth, twisty section of road, you can dial it down to sport or even the spot plus setting.
And quite honestly, you’ll be amazed by how well it masks its size and handles. Grip levels are astonishing. You’ll simply forget that you’re hustling a near 2.3 ton SUV.
And while hitting insane speeds is pretty effortless, you will feel this 2.3 ton SUV’s mass while slowing down. But as far as braking performance goes, that is spot on.
Credit goes to the massive 400 millimeter front ventilator with six piston calipers and the 370mm rear disks with a single piston caliper.
This being an SUV, you have absolutely no issues with regards to ground clearance. It clear most speed breakers with absolute ease speed breakers where you would normally slow down or crawl over in your other sports cars.
What’s more is that the GLE 53 gives you the option to raise the ride height even further to take this car off road. And in its maximum setting, the GLE 53 will go over anything in its path.
The good thing is the GLE 53 also gets these cool off-road screens, as well as the option of an invisible bonnet.
The GLE 53 has some serious appeal. It’s six-cylinder engine, it’s sonrish exhaust note, and it’s driving dynamics.
Exterior
They really appeal to you and connect with you emotionally. Now, let me quickly summarize all that’s new with this 2024 update.
What’s new on the outside? Well, you get new LED headlamps with four light bars on the inside, as well as an LED eye-lit atop.
You have the new AMG logo, and the front bumper has been redesigned as well. Even the tail lamps spot new LED elements within.
The GLE Coupé continues to look butch, brawny, and muscular, and its loping roof line lends it a distinct character and significantly ups its desirability.
Interior
The interiors of the GLE are all too familiar. This particular car has been specified to give you a more luxurious feel than spotty, so it gets the two-tone beige and black color scheme.
You have the wooden layers, you have the silver. It all looks really, really good.
In fact, fit finish quality and just the touch and feel of it is typical Mercedes. It’s simply top-notch.
Steering
What’s new this time around is the steering wheel itself. It’s a similar unit as the C 43 AMG.
It has the mix of leather and Alcantara, and it has the twin controllers down below, one for the drive modes and one for miscellaneous other functions.
Drive Mode
Speaking of drive modes, there are five comfort, which is the default setting, there’s spot, spot plus, individual, and snow mode.
Using the other controller, you can open or close the active exhaust, raise or lower the ride height, and change the suspension settings, among other things.
The best part about the GLE Coupet is that it is large in size, so you can seat five in reasonable comfort.
There’s an abundance of space on offer The car is wide enough so even a third passenger can sit here quite comfortably, and even the boot is reasonably sized to carry your weekend luggage without worrying too much.
What is a bit of an issue is that the seat cushioning is on the firmer so it doesn’t feel as luxurious or as comfortable as the standard GLE SUV.
Final Verdict
And before giving out the verdict, We started this review with a question, can the GLE be a good daily driver? And the answer is an emphatic yes.
If you wanted that one car to make a statement at a party or a business meeting, that one car to give you the thrill of driving in the VRs, and that one car to ferry your family and friends with reasonable comfort and a good long list of equipment, the GLE 53 Coupé has to be on your shortlist.