Test Mercedes GLE Coupé 350de (with video)

Mercedes is committed to electrification , and in this transition we're all seeing with plug-in hybrids, the German brand is offering a combination that's quite striking at first glance. It involves combining a diesel engine with a large battery , creating a plug-in hybrid diesel model . So we decided to test a GLE Coupé 350de with this engine.

The unit tested today is a GLE Coupé 350de that offers a combined maximum power of 320 hp and 700 Nm of torque , a 9-speed automatic transmission of the torque converter type and an AMG aesthetic finish both inside and out.

Very attractive and imposing, this is the GLE Coupe 350de

Aesthetically, it's incredibly striking thanks to its aggressive styling. It's a design without overly defined lines, but it's instantly eye-catching. Being an E-segment car, its dimensions certainly don't help it go unnoticed while driving.

At the front, we find a large grille with a prominent logo, full LED headlights with a very attractive light signature, gloss black details included with the night package, and a muscular hood. All of this creates an imposing front design that will likely make drivers ahead want to move aside.

Moving to the side , we see large 21-inch wheels with staggered tire sizes . The front axle boasts 275/45 tires, while the rear axle is fitted with a whopping 315/40 tires. The pronounced and widened wheel arches give it a sporty look, which, combined with the coupé style, makes you fall in love with this design. We can also find running boards that will make getting into the vehicle easier.

Finally, we move to the rear end, where a kind of ducktail spoiler stands out, giving it better aerodynamics, along with the beautiful, well-defined rear light cluster and a plastic bumper with a slight diffuser in between, theoretical exhaust outlets which, as is customary lately, are fake.

Elegant design and good qualities

Inside the GLE Coupé, the design is quite elegant, but the level of quality and finish is outstanding . It's clearly an expensive car, and you can tell when you sit in it.

The first thing that catches the eye is its dual 12,3-inch screens for the digital instrument cluster and infotainment system, each featuring Mercedes' renowned and comprehensive MBUX system. I really appreciate the extensive customization options available for the instrument cluster and the completeness of the infotainment system. Another highlight of this GLE Coupé is its head-up display . Furthermore, physical buttons for climate control remain below the central screen.

Moving to the center console, we can see that it's quite wide and has two grab handles that will likely be very useful, as there aren't any on the roof. There are also several buttons for quick access to various infotainment system functions and a touchpad for controlling it. The driving mode selector and another button for adjusting the suspension height are also visible. In the cupholder area , there's another button for activating the ventilation or heating function , so you can always keep your drinks at your preferred temperature.

In terms of connectivity, it features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto ( when connected via cable) and a wireless charging pad . All charging ports are USB-C.

In habitability it is a ten

Turning to the topic of interior comfort , the Mercedes GLE Coupé features seats that exude a leather scent, reminding you that you're in a high-end car. These seats are electrically adjustable for both the driver and front passenger, and include a memory function, as well as ventilation and heating.

In the rear seats , the ample legroom is remarkable, theoretically enough for three people to travel comfortably. As you know, I'm a tall person, 1.94 meters (6'4"), and in this GLE Coupé, I haven't had any space issues, even with the driver's seat adjusted to my height. Legroom is outstanding, and although this is the coupé version, I also have enough headroom to avoid hitting my head on the roof, which is also retractable, something that's always a drawback.

However, I definitely don't recommend traveling in the central seat . The cushioning is quite hard due to the armrests, and on a long journey, your back will start telling you to get off. But two people will travel very comfortably.

In the rear, there's an independent climate control system to adjust the temperature as desired. It also has two USB-C ports for charging devices. Unfortunately, the test vehicle didn't have heated seats.

Trunk with 510 liters of capacity

Because this Mercedes GLE Coupé is a plug-in hybrid, the trunk capacity is significantly reduced. It offers "only" 510 liters of space compared to the 655 liters of the traditional combustion engine version . The difference is considerable, but let's not kid ourselves, 510 liters is still a decent amount of space.

The bad thing is that we don't have a false bottom to even leave the car's charging cables.

At the wheel of the Mercedes GLE Coupe 350de

This 350de electric motor develops 320 hp and 700 Nm of torque, provided there is sufficient battery charge . Otherwise, it would only produce 194 hp and 400 Nm of torque from the 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder combustion engine. It is always paired with a 9G-Tronic 9-speed automatic transmission with a torque converter and 4Matic all-wheel drive . The top speed is 210 km/h , and it accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6,9 seconds , a fairly good figure considering it weighs almost 2,7 tons. Its official combined fuel consumption is 0,8 l/100km, a figure that is largely theoretical.

The Mercedes GLE Coupé 350de offers an impressive level of comfort . It's clearly designed for long journeys, where you can barely feel the road; the air suspension gives you the sensation of floating on a cloud. But you can always press the Sport button and enjoy a firmer suspension that reduces body roll and provides a sportier driving experience. Despite its nearly 2.700 kg weight , the GLE Coupé 350de handles quite well on winding roads , but it's not a sports car.

Soundproofing, steering and engine

On the road, we can appreciate its excellent sound insulation; you can barely hear anything, and it's very well filtered, which is quite important in a model of this size. Even the road noise, despite the large tires, is almost nonexistent.

Its maneuverability is excellent ; we'll have no problem navigating the city and making tight turns. The steering is quite light, which is very helpful for daily use, but not for sporty driving as it's rather filtered. However, we'll appreciate it for parking and maneuvering, thanks also to the 360-degree camera system.

The engine always delivers a thrilling and powerful performance at any time , until the electric battery is completely depleted. At that point, the GLE Coupé 350de seems to struggle considerably on inclines and needs to rely on the combustion engine to maintain speed. It's worth remembering that it only has 194 hp and 400 Nm of torque, so the power feels a bit insufficient to move its 2700 kg.

The torque converter automatic transmission is quite quick and smooth . You barely notice any gear changes, and it's sufficiently fast for sportier driving. It has nine gears, which will help us achieve lower fuel consumption on the highway.

Consumption in electric mode, hybrid and without electric range

We're almost finished with the test, but before we wrap it up, we need to talk about fuel consumption , another important aspect of this plug-in hybrid. It delivered quite good fuel economy figures considering its weight, dimensions, and tires.

The Mercedes GLE Coupe 350de allowed us to cover 95 km in mixed driving in 100% electric mode , a pretty good figure thanks to its 31,2 kWh battery . In combined driving, letting the car manage itself with the combustion engine and electric motor, we achieved an average fuel consumption of 2,2 l/100km over 100 km , while maintaining almost a quarter of the battery charge.

If we run out of electric range, the GLE 350de functions as a conventional hybrid car , so its fuel consumption remains very good. In the city, I've been averaging around 7,5 liters per 100 km , while on the highway, consumption has been around 8,5 liters per 100 km.

This is where the great advantage of having a plug-in hybrid diesel is seen, since these figures in a hybrid gasoline GLE would surely consume about 4 liters more than the 100 on average without electric autonomy. I am a clear supporter of using plug-in hybrid diesel mechanics in this type of car.

Electric battery charging time

Regarding the electric battery charging time , our test vehicle didn't have the fast-charging capability, which is a worthwhile addition. With AC charging, we'd be charging at 7,4 kWh , meaning it would take 4 hours for a full charge. With DC fast charging, the GLE 350de offers a maximum power of 60 kWh , so in just 30 minutes we could reach 100% charge and travel almost 100 km in electric mode.

Conclusions of the Mercedes GLE Coupe 350de

The Mercedes GLE Coupé 350de is a very spacious car , designed to offer maximum comfort and with a level of finish appropriate to its segment and price, of course.

I haven't found many negative points because I think it's very good in every way. The only thing worth mentioning is that I'm not entirely convinced by the trunk space, and especially the lack of even a small false floor to store the charging cables. Otherwise, it offers a good balance of fuel consumption, quality, space, and driving feel, but it is true that it's quite an expensive car.

Overall, we really liked it , and anyone who can buy it knows they're making a great purchase in every way, especially with this engine, which is the best-selling one in the GLE.

Equipment Mercedes GLE Coupe

AdvancedPlus

• AMG Line exterior
• Parking package with 360° camera (battery only)
• URBAN GUARD PLUS anti-theft protection
• smartphone integration
• Rough Leather / leather – black
• Pre-equipment for Car Sharing
• blind spot monitoring
• Premium remote access service
• AIRMATIC package
• attend traffic signs
• THERMOTRONIC automatic air conditioning with 4 climate zones
• Multibeam LED
• Heated seats for driver and passenger

Premium

• Augmented reality for MBUX navigation
• KEYLESS-GO Comfort Package
• AMG Line exterior
• Parking package with 360° camera (battery only)
• URBAN GUARD PLUS anti-theft protection
• Pre-equipment for navigation services
• smartphone integration
• Rough Leather / leather – black
• Pre-equipment for Car Sharing
• blind spot monitoring
• Premium remote access services
• Remote access and charging services Plus
• Heated seats for driver and passenger
• panoramic sunroof
• AIRMATIC package
• traffic signal assistant
• THERMOTRONIC automatic air conditioning
• MULTIBEAM LED
• Burmester surround sound system
• Dark tinted heat-insulating crystals
• heated windshield washer
• Light longitudinal-grain brushed aluminum trim
• 53,3 cm (21″) AMG multi-spoke light-alloy wheels, painted Himalayas gray
• Dashboard upper section and beltline in ARTICO man-made leather

Premium Plus

• Driving Assistance Package with Traffic Sign Assist
• Augmented reality for MBUX navigation
• KEYLESS-GO Comfort Package
• AMG Line exterior
• Parking package with 360° camera (battery only)
• URBAN GUARD PLUS anti-theft protection
• Pre-equipment for navigation services
• smartphone integration
• Rough Leather / leather – black
• Pre-equipment for Car Sharing
• Rear side airbags
• Premium remote access services
• Remote access and charging services Plus
• Heated seats for driver and passenger
• panoramic sunroof
• Head-Up Display
• AIRMATIC package
• THERMOTRONIC automatic air conditioning with 4 climate zones
• MULTIBEAM LED
• Wizard for interior MBUX
• Burmester surround sound system
• Dark tinted heat-insulating crystals
• MAGIC VISION CONTROL
• 55,9 cm (22″) AMG 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels, painted tremolite gray
• Dashboard upper section and beltline in ARTICO man-made leather
• Brake system with larger brake discs on the front axle

Advanced Plus

• Driving Assistance Package with Traffic Sign Assist
• Augmented reality for MBUX navigation
• KEYLESS-GO Comfort Package
• AMG Line exterior
• EXCLUSIVE indoor
• acoustic comfort package
• Heated multifunction steering wheel
• Heated seats in the rear seats
• Power lock for doors
• URBAN GUARD PLUS anti-theft protection
• Pre-equipment for navigation services
• smartphone integration
• Napa – Black
• Pre-equipment for Car Sharing
• Rear side airbags
• Premium remote access services
• Remote access and charging services Plus
• Heated seats for driver and passenger
• panoramic sunroof
• Head-Up Display
• AIRMATIC package
• THERMOTRONIC automatic air conditioning with 4 climate zones
• MULTIBEAM LED
• Wizard for interior MBUX
• Burmester surround sound system
• Dark tinted heat-insulating crystals
• MAGIC VISION CONTROL
• 55,9 cm (22″) AMG 5-twin-spoke light-alloy wheels, painted tremolite gray

Mercedes GLE Coupe prices

Editor's opinion

Gallery Mercedes GLE Coupe 350de