Bahn-stormer

Mercedes’ new strategy is to use the ‘GL’ badge on all its SUVs - not just the legendary G-Wagen - with the third letter signifying a model’s place in the range hierarchy; so the GLE is the same size as the E-Class saloon and occupies the same relative position in the SUV market as its sensible cousin does in the premium car segment.

That pitches the GLE against some pretty formidable competition, not least the Range Rover Sport, the Audi Q5 and the Lexus RX450h.

The US-built ML needed more than a mere facelift to make it good enough to trade blows with that lot, so does the GLE have the right stuff?

ON THE ROAD:

There are four engine choices - two diesels and a brace of petrols. The entry-level four-cylinder 250d makes up for its lack of horsepower with a hefty amount of grunt and low running costs. The GLE 500e hybrid looks interesting - it combines a petrol V6 with an electric motor a la Lexus, enough to give it an official tailpipe emissions output of just 78g/km.

But the smartest buy in the GLE range is probably the 350d, with its sweet V6 diesel engine and swift turn of pace. Buyers with cash to burn should taje a look at the AMG GLE 63 with its 577bhp twin-turbo 5.5-litre gas guzzling V8.

There are four trim levels, too: Sport, AMG Line, designo Line and AMG bonkers performance line.

Mercedes expects the 350d to be the most popular choice in the UK. It isn’t hard to see why. The 3.0-litre TDI is a pretty spectacular unit. It produces 258 bhp and, more importantly, a stump-pulling 620Nm of torque.

Even allowing for the GLE’s rather portly 2,465kg kerb weight that makes for impressive performance (and great towing capability).

Bury the accelerator in Sport mode and 62mph comes up just seven seconds later. The 350d’s top speed is a largely academic 140mph. Academic, that is, unless you spend a lot of time in the Mercedes motherland, where it will command the outside lane on the autobahn with majesty.

Here in the UK it feels rock solid at 70mph. At that speed the engine is barely breaking a sweat thanks, in part, to the new nine-speed automatic gearbox which has a ratio for every occasion. Those extra cogs help the GLE’s acceleration, too, because Mercedes can pack a couple of lower ratios in the ‘box for added urge off the start line. In ‘Comfort’ mode it sometimes needs a good stab of the accelerator to get a shift on but, otherwise, the powertrain is smooth and sophisticated.

The GLE’s standard 4Matic all-wheel-drive system normally splits the power 50:50 between front and back but it can shuffle things around as it sees fit. In extreme circumstances it can shift 100 per cent of the output to the front or back wheels.

There’s no evidence of the usual diesel gruffness and impressive levels of refinement. My wife, who isn’t easily impressed by cars these days, was moved to comment that the GLE was “a very relaxing way to travel” and I couldn’t have put it better.

Switching the Dynamic Select knob into Sport mode tightens up the handling at the expense of a more restless ride, particularly on poorly surfaced roads when washboard surfaces find their way into the cabin more easily creating an irritating chatter. ‘Er Indoors didn’t like it one bit. Sport is best left for smooth roads or when you’re driving alone.

The test vehicle was fitted with the optional AirMatic air springing system which brings sophisticated variable adjustment and automatic self-levelling to the table. This is part of the Off-road Package which costs £1,985 and throws in ride height adjustment, an Off-road + driving mode, a centre diff lock, a low range gearbox and extra underbody protection. If you are planning on venturing off the beaten track it should be £2k well spent.

ON THE INSIDE:

Externally, the GLE has been brought into the family fold with the latest corporate face, which is much better looking than the rather square-jawed look of the outgoing ML.

Inside, the cabin is better finished from higher quality materials. The centre of the dashboard is dominated by a new tablet screen, which is flanked by a couple of large fresh air outlets. The main instruments are still strictly analogue, but in a nod to modernity the LCD between the speedo and rev counter can display the vehicle’s speed as well. There’s a third, much smaller, speed display sitting next to the temperature display on the top line of the instrument binnacle, too. If you get pulled by the cops for speeding you can’t blame the car.

Naturally with such a big machine there’s stacks of room in the front and the back. Long journeys pose no problems, even for lanky rear seat passengers, although anyone sat in the middle has to plant their Size-10s either side of the transmission tunnel.

WHAT DO YOU GET:

Active safety assistance features are everywhere on the GLE. There’s an adaptive bonnet which helps cushion the blow to a pedestrian’s barnet if you’re unfortunate enough to run someone over and the usual steering wheel nudges and audible alerts if the car thinks you’re nodding off or about to crash. Collision Assistance Plus will apply the brakes if it thinks an incident is imminent and you’re not doing enough about it. Crosswind Assist helps keep the GLE on the straight and narrow if it is hit by a sudden gust of wind - handy on windswept stretches of motorway or when you’re passing a lorry.

The tester was also fitted with Distronic Plus active cruise control - which maintains a set distance from the vehicle in front by slowing down when they start to dawdle - and Active Blind Spot Assist which lights up if it detects a vehicle in the GLE’s blind spot (which is pretty big, thanks to hefty B and C-pillars).

Naturally, as befits a luxury 4x4 the GLE is very well equipped. The review car featured more than £3,500 of extras, though, including a simply wonderful Harman Kardon Logic 7 surround sound system. I’m no great fan of Logic 7 - which uses psychoacoustic audio tricks to recreate surround sound - and I can’t say I noticed a genuine surround experience, but the quality of the sound was terrific, with wonderful definition and depth. The 830-watt amplifier (yes, really) pumps your music through 14 premium quality speakers for a true hi-fi experience.

HOW PRACTICAL IS IT?

There’s a massive boot - all 690 litres of it - and, when required, you can drop the rear seats down for serious transportation jobs.

The wide opening doors make access to the rear seats a simple job but the elevated ride height does mean you step up to get in and jump down to get out - young children and older passengers take note.

RUNNING COSTS:

Company drivers will be drawn to the hybrid thanks to its very low CO2 figures but real-world motorists will prefer the diesels. Mercedes claims the 350d has a combined consumption of 42.8mpg and I managed to achieve high-30s per gallon during the test. Rivals may claim greater economy, but the Mercedes lives up to its results beyond the lab.

VERDICT:

If you want a luxury SUV with imposing looks, a great cabin and terrific refinement then the GLE fully deserves its place on your shortlist. And should you fancy taking a shortcut to the gymkhana, ticking a few choice options will give it genuine 4x4 cajones to go with all that sumptuous refinement.

SPEC: Engine: 2987cc V6 turbodiesel. Max power: 258bhp Max torque: 620Nm Top speed:140mph 0-62mph: 7.1 seconds Fuel consumption: 42.8mph (official combined) CO2: 179g/km.