The Mercedes-Benz GLE is a large luxury SUV offered with petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid power, five or seven seats and all-wheel drive on every version. This page explains what the GLE is good at, and how to choose between the Urban Edition, AMG Line, AMG, AMG Night Edition and AMG Platinum Edition trims.
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View dealThe Mercedes-Benz GLE is a large luxury SUV built around comfort, space and long-distance refinement rather than sharp handling. It's the car for people who cover motorway miles, carry a family and want a premium cabin at the end of it.
In Mercedes-Benz's SUV line-up the GLE sits in the upper half: bigger and plusher than the mid-size models, below the largest and most opulent ones. At roughly 4.93 metres long it's substantial without being unmanageable, and every version drives all four wheels through an automatic gearbox.
The choice is simpler than it looks. One body style, three powertrains - petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid - and five trims, from Urban Edition through AMG Line to the AMG, AMG Night Edition and AMG Platinum Edition. These are the outgoing versions of the GLE, available while stocks last.
Mercedes-Benz GLE key facts
| Body style | SUV |
|---|---|
| Powertrains | Petrol, Diesel, Plug-in hybrid (265–604 bhp) |
| Seats | 5–7 |
| Boot | 490–630 litres, up to 2,055 litres seats folded |
| Economy (WLTP) | 22.2–41.5 mpg |
| Braked towing | up to 3,500 kg |
| Manufacturer warranty | 3 years, unlimited mileage |
| Euro NCAP | 5 stars |
Manufacturer data for the versions we currently offer. Last updated 5 October 2026.
The GLE is a five-door SUV available with five or seven seats, sold in this form since 2023 and covered by a three-year, unlimited-mileage manufacturer warranty. Boot space runs from 490 to 630 litres with the rear seats up, depending on version.
Its ancestry goes back to the M-Class, one of the cars that created the premium SUV class in the 1990s, and the modern GLE has kept the same brief: quiet, cosseting, unhurried.
Reviewers consistently praise the motorway manners, the air suspension ride and the sheer plushness of the cabin, while noting it feels big in town and isn't the most agile thing on a twisty road. If you want a sports SUV, look elsewhere. If you want to arrive fresh after 300 miles, this is the right sort of car.
Because the standard specification is genuinely generous, so you can lease a well-equipped GLE without hunting through the options list. Every version gets adaptive suspension, a 360-degree camera, heated front seats, keyless entry and start, built-in navigation, wireless phone charging and a hands-free tailgate.
The safety kit is standard too: autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, front and rear parking sensors and self-steering parking. Euro NCAP awarded the GLE five stars, with 91% for adult occupant protection and 90% for child occupant protection.
On the practical side, roof rails and privacy glass are standard across the range, towing capacity runs up to 3,500 kg braked on the petrol, and servicing falls due every 12 months or 15,500 miles. Adaptive cruise control and a retractable towbar are factory options on every trim - worth deciding before you order, because they can't be added later.
All three are automatic and all-wheel drive, so the real question is how you'll use the car: long motorway runs, short commutes with a charger at home, or outright performance.
The performance end of the range, with 429 to 604 bhp from 3.0 to 4.0-litre engines and 0-62 mph in 3.9 to 5.0 seconds. WLTP economy of 22.2 to 26.7 mpg is the trade-off. It also tows the most, at 3,500 kg braked, and keeps the 630-litre boot.
The sensible high-mileage choice: 265 to 362 bhp, WLTP economy of 34.0 to 41.5 mpg and no charging to think about. Braked towing is 2,700 kg and the boot stays at 630 litres seats-up. If most of your miles are motorway miles, start here.
A 25 kWh battery pairs with a 2.0 or 3.0-litre engine for 328 to 537 bhp. Charging is AC only at up to 11 kW, which takes around 2.8 hours from 10-100% on the best version. On the plug-in hybrid the boot is 490 litres, smaller than the petrol and diesel's 630 litres. Best if you can charge at home.
| Diesel | Petrol | Plug-in hybrid | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boot | 630 litres | 630 litres | 490 litres |
| Power | 265–362 bhp | 429–604 bhp | 328–537 bhp |
| Seats | 5–7 | 5–7 | 5 |
| 0–62 mph | 5.6–6.9 s | 3.9–5 s | 4.7–6.9 s |
| Braked towing | 2700 kg | 3500 kg | 2700–3300 kg |
| Economy (WLTP) | 34–41.5 mpg | 22.2–26.7 mpg | – |
| Battery | – | – | 25 kWh |
Every trim shares the same core equipment, so the differences are wheels, cabin materials and a handful of comfort features.
The diesel starting point, from 265 bhp, on 21-inch AMG 5 twin spoke alloys in black. It brings Multibeam LED headlights with adaptive high beam assist plus, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leather upholstery, air suspension and dual-zone climate control.
The Urban Edition is currently available from £1,148.09 a month.
The plug-in hybrid trim, from 328 bhp, on 21-inch AMG multi spoke alloys in himalayas grey. Over the Urban Edition it adds a panoramic sliding sunroof, a heated nappa leather steering wheel, a head-up display and four-zone climate control. Heated rear seats are an option here.
The AMG Line is currently available from £1,226.50 a month.
The petrol entry point, from 429 bhp, on 21-inch AMG 5 twin spoke alloys. Compared with the Urban Edition you gain the panoramic roof, heated AMG Performance nappa steering wheel, head-up display, four-zone climate control and electrically adjustable rear seats.
The AMG is currently available from £1,494.73 a month.
An edition of the AMG, also from 429 bhp, on 22-inch AMG cross spoke alloys. It adds multicontour front seats with massage and a nappa leather/MICROCUT AMG Performance steering wheel - the pick if long stints behind the wheel are the norm.
The AMG Night Edition is currently available from £1,603.13 a month. Against the AMG, that is currently £108.40/mo more expensive.
Also an edition of the AMG, starting at 604 bhp. It's mostly about presentation: 22-inch AMG cross spoke forged alloys in himalayas grey, plus a dashboard and door beltlines in nappa leather with contrast stitching.
The AMG Platinum Edition is currently available from £2,246.12 a month. Against the AMG, that is currently £751.39/mo more expensive.
If you're weighing up the GLE, it's worth a look at the Audi Q7, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, the more rugged Land Rover Defender and the utilitarian INEOS Grenadier. Other options sit on our Mercedes-Benz leasing pages.
Specifications from Mercedes-Benz's UK data and Euro NCAP; equipment and availability vary by version, so check the individual deal before you order.
Page updated 5 October 2026 by First Vehicle Leasing. Prices and availability shown on this page are live and change as deals are refreshed.
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