A test drive review of the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE450 4Matic SUV with Manufaktur Edition package.
Here in the United States, Mercedes-Benz models have traditionally been all about luxury. 'The Best or Nothing' axiom may be a marketing slogan, but it represents the premium-tier image that the company is all-in on.
Sure, the three-pointed-star carmaker has tried pushing downmarket with the likes of the CLA and GLB and so forth, but those compacts always trade on the bougie brand portrayal to command high price tags for their class. But beneath all that, Mercedes-Benz built its reputation on something beyond just luxury: It became known the world over for building damn good cars. It's why Mercedes vehicles are a staple of German taxi fleets, why W123s can still be seen pounding around the developing world at 50 years on, and why early examples of the G-Wagen still command absurd prices. Buyers of Mercedes SUVs may take their first Benz home because they want to show off the badge. They keep buying subsequent ones because those SUVs are good at being the vehicles their owners need. The Lowdown:The Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, formerly known interchangeably as the M-Class and ML-Class, sits smack in the middle of the expansive Mercedes lineup of SUVs. The current fourth generation reached the streets in 2018 as a 2020 model and received a gentle update for the 2024 model year.The GLE450, in turn, sits in the middle of the wide-ranging powertrain spread, above the four-cylinder GLE350, below the V-8-powered GLE580 and AMG-tuned GLE53 and GLE63, and directly alongside the 450e PHEV, introduced with that 2024 update, at the same price point. All-wheel drive is standard on all but the base model, and a four-door SUV coupe version is also available of the regular 450 and the two AMG trims. The 450 is powered by a turbocharged inline-six that works in conjunction with a 48-volt mild hybrid system. Vehicle Tested: 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4Matic Base Price: $73,500 Price as Tested: $79,100 Location: New York/New JerseyHow Does It Drive?The GLE's M-Class roots stretch back to the days when carmakers designed SUVs as the sort of go-anywhere machinery depicted on the silver screen. The GLE may not have low range anymore, but it's still more than capable enough for plenty of beyond-pavement shenanigans, as I learned on the first drive back in 2018 when Mercedes set up an impromptu off-road course on a Texas ranch. So this time, I used it for the sort of expedition most buyers actually take on: driving to Costco ahead of a blizzard. From an enthusiast's standpoint, there's little in the GLE's package to either excite or complain about. The steering falls roughly at the industry median in terms of feel, offering just enough to remind you that there is in fact a set of wheels on the other end. The ride on the standard steel spring suspension is aimed toward comfort above all else, as you'd expect of a Mercedes with -Benz and not -AMG at the end of its hyphenated name. But when I pushed the GLE450 into a cloverleaf with vigor it comported itself with respectable aplomb for a family sport-ute. And the brake pedal is a tad soft, but that, arguably, makes smooth stops easier for the those seeking comfort over performance.There is one exception, though: the turbocharged and mild-hybridized inline-six. The engine is a testament to its layout, providing the sort of effortless, syrup-smooth power fit for a flagship like the S-Class, let alone a mainstream luxury SUV. The 450 can't drive on battery power alone, but the electric motor excels at filling in the torque curve down low until the gas engine's full 369 lb-ft arrive at 1600 rpm. You'll never confuse this GLE with an AMG-tuned one, but for everything short of attacking the Tail of the Dragon, it has more than enough power and response, especially in Sport mode, which takes the slack out of the default throttle response.The 48-volt mild-hybrid system also enables one of the best stop-start setups out there, stopping the engine before the GLE comes to a halt and starting it seamlessly when you're ready to go. I turn stop-start off as a reflexive action in most cars I drive with it, but in the GLE 450 I never even bothered looking for the button.Mercedes formerly offered the GLE 450 with Active Ride Control, its lean-fighting hydraulic suspension system, but that is no longer offered as an option. A shame, because I was hoping to try and use the Free Driving mode—a.k.a. bounce function—to shake 14 inches of snow off the car. As you can see here, my attempt to remove snow the old-fashioned way was but partially successful.What's It Like to Live with?The GLE's size makes it a fine companion on America's roads, able to park with ease yet also hold its own among full-size pickups and mighty Suburbans and Yukons. The conventionally boxy shape of the luggage area makes it well-suited to being crammed full of packages, as my desperate trip to Costco made clear. The GLE still offers the optional pretense of a very cramped third row, but it is better off without this.The rest of the interior benefits from its age, as it predates Mercedes's current interior architecture and tendency toward door-to-door display screens. The GLE favors a simpler approach, one that means there is still a trackpad with shortcut buttons in addition to the central touchscreen. Also, dedicated physical toggles handle climate control. The upright greenhouse lets in plenty of light, and the seats are reassuringly comfortable, even if they forgo leather, as in the case of my test car. Irritants are few. The Benz-specific version of Mercedes's haptic-panel-fest steering wheel used here is better than AMG's; the controls are still finicky, but at least the layout is more sensible. The biggest annoyance is the shifter, a column-mounted Jeopardy! buzzer that requires a nudge up or down for motion or a tap of the button to shift into Park. Since Neutral lies in the middle spot between Drive and Reverse, I found it easy to under-tap while switching back and forth during parking maneuvers, leaving the engine revving fruitlessly and my cheeks flushing.For me, the GLE's exterior is growing a little stale. Mercedes has done an admirable job maintaining a familiar look across the generations, but with the downside of making it seem almost generic after three decades, especially in non-AMG guise. Another facelift is incoming to bring a bit more pizzazz, but unfortunately it reportedly also comes with a standard Superscreen tech suite, relegating the GLE to the legion of new vehicles with interiors inspired by Best Buy's TV department.My test car also came with a $4000 line on the window sticker called 'Manufaktur Edition,' which I highlight because anyone browsing the build-your-own feature on Mercedes-Benz USA's website won't find it. The star feature here is an exclusive color called Manufaktur Silicon Grey, but it also bundles features like a panoramic moonroof, natural-grain gray oak trim, the Driver Assistance package, and 21-inch AMG five-spoke wheels with less desirable ones like active speed-limit assist, traffic sign assist, and active lane change assist. Considering the wheels alone are $1100, the moonroof $1000, and the closest paint shade on the regular menu $1750, it's arguably a good deal . . . if you already have your heart set on a gray Benz. Should I Buy One?I would put the GLE high on the list for anyone considering a luxury mid-size SUV. But it wouldn't be the first one on there. The BMW X5 is a bit more fun to drive, and its straight-six is even better than the Benz's in everything but the stop-start system. The Genesis GV80 punches above its class in both luxury and style, while the Volvo XC90's Scandinavian style still exudes class over 20 years after it debuted. And no roster of high-end mid-size two-row high-riders would be complete without the Porsche Cayenne, which commands a notably higher price but delivers best-in-class driving dynamics.Still, there's something charming about the GLE450. Rather than attempt to impress with an abundance of flashy features, it's content to lean on its core competencies and simply deliver a solid performance as a luxury SUV. Whoever said 'the best' also had to mean 'the fanciest?'Highlights and LowlightsWe Love: Smooth, responsive engine is exactly what an inline-six should be. Just-right size, inside and out. Clearer and more usable infotainment than some modern Benzes.We Don't: Design is starting to look a little too familiar. Driving experience a little too laid-back sometimes. 450 no longer gets option of active suspension.Favorite Detail:The MB-Tex faux leather upholstery. It feels sturdy, like the cowskin in Benzes from the Cold War, yet still plenty soft and comfortable for what is effectively a descendant of vinyl upholstery in my parents' 1985 Jeep Cherokee that I can still feel sticking to my back 35 years on like the itch of a phantom limb. I wouldn't want it on an S-Class or E63, but for a workaday Merc like this, it feels like a good fit.
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