Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe review

We covered over 500 miles in a GLE 400d, mostly on the motorway, and never saw more than 32mpg as a long-term average. Given the car romps along at the national limit using just 1,500rpm, that’s perhaps disappointing, but our test car’s engine was less than 1,000 miles old, and would’ve likely benefitted from loosening up a tad. Still, low 30s is better than you’ll ever see from the GLE 53 petrol, let alone the V8 AMG. Brim the 89-litre tank and you’ll see a range of around 600 miles. 

All UK GLE Coupes wear AMG-line Premium Plus trim, and come with a heap of kit. The 12.3-inch screens, Burmester hi-fi, adaptive cruise control and steering assist, a truly vast and excellent head-up display, adaptive matrix-beam LED headlights and a glass sunroof. The AMG models add a dubious AMG racetrack data function into the mix, and clever Active Ride Control suspension that can lean into corners. We’ll report back once we’ve tested it to see if it irons out the UK’s crinkled roads better than the standard air suspension. Perhaps, on a machine running 22-inch rims, such tech ought to be standard-fit. 

At launch, the only two GLE Coupe models on sale are the GLE 53 AMG and the GLE 400d. The latter weirdly costs £95 more than the seven-seat GLE 400d SUV, when matched spec-for-spec, with prices starting at £72,530. The hotter petrol will set you back just over £80k.