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The old ML had faded into obscurity and was a sensitive family car that not many people wanted. After all, if you’re spending tens of thousands of euros on a big car, it should be visible from space who the boss is in your area. And the Mercedes GLE V167 delivers exactly that.

Around 2015, Mercedes transitioned from ML to GLE, thinking it was time for a change because the old names were falling behind the competition. The GLK became the GLC, as it’s the crossover version of the C-Class. The ML transformed into the GLE because it’s the SUV version of the E-Class. The GL became the GLS because it’s the SUV version of the S-Class. 

But let’s focus on the Mercedes GLE V167 because this was the car Mercedes needed to get back in the game. The old ML was a good formula that almost nobody wanted. The old ML was like the TV show “Who do you think you are?” – a decent and modest show that didn’t catch on with the public because the public didn’t want decency. So, “Who do you think you are?” took a backseat and Mercedes offered the excess that the public craved. It sold so well that the GLE and GLC brought Mercedes back into the spotlight after being somewhat lost in anonymity.

What’s new in the GLE compared to the old ML?

• The first major difference is the width. The Mercedes GLE V167 can be almost 20 cm wider than the old ML because width matters, making you the biggest elephant in the parking lot. Land Rover understood this, BMW understood this, and now it’s Mercedes’ turn. Sure, when driving on the highway, the impressive size isn’t necessarily felt, but try a B-road or any parking lot, to be honest. Or any semi-crowded city street. But if you want to be the biggest elephant on the road or anywhere else, the Mercedes GLE V167 is finally a viable option for you.


• There’s also a Coupe version because if you want people to know you have money and size isn’t enough, then the Coupe version is for you. You can’t let the X6 take all the fame and money from clients who you don’t ask what they do for a living, where they get their money from, or why they never care about leasing offers and buy 3-4 cars in cash at once.


• Moving past the opulence that Mercedes bet all their money on, we come to the everyday version. All versions come with 7 seats as standard, except for the PHEV ones. And while it might look like a BMW on the outside, underneath, the GLE remains very comfortable. It’s not a sports car; it’s a car that takes you from A to B in great comfort, even if the distance between A and B is as vast as the distance women keep from me. By the way, do you know what a woman is? Someone who covers her drink when she sees me.

Mercedes GLE V167 Engines

Petrol

• 2.0 Turbo M264 and M274 with 258, 333, and 381 horsepower – I don’t really understand why you’d buy a 2 litre petrol to carry around the 8 tons of the GLE plus the 3 tons of air you get when you buy a GLE, especially the Coupe. But the explanation is that when you spend 40-120,000 euros on a car, those 600-2500 euros in annual taxes are too much for you. The engine itself isn’t bad, but having a 2.0 turbocharged petrol engine haul the 15 tons of the GLE is like asking Graham Norton to carry Idris Elba on his back. Possible, but tough.


• 3.0 l-6 Turbo M256 with 367, 386, 435, 441, and 544 horsepower – Now we’re talking about something else, essentially vertical engines with American eights and German figures. The idea is that you have a classic turbo but also an electric compressor that supercharges the system, plus a lot of technology that I don’t have enough bandwidth to explain. The system itself is reliable, but when something goes wrong with the ISG system or the compressor, you might consider buying another GLE.


• 4.0 V8 Bi-Turbo M176 and M177 with 489, 517, 571, and 612 horsepower – If you don’t want to go full american when it comes to engine size but still want to remain in the top tier, then the “old” M176 and its successor, the M177, are what you need because they are reliable and deliver over 500 hp. You’ll need to shell out at least 100,000 euros for pounds, as that’s the starting price of the cheapest GLE on autotrader with this engine when I wrote this article.

Diesel:

• 2.0d OM654 with 245, 273, 320, and 337 horsepower – No. Like the 2.0 turbo gasoline engine, the OM654 diesel is decent in itself but not for the 23 tons of the GLE, plus the 2-3 tons of air it gives you. The last diesel Mohican from Mercedes is reliable but very complex and difficult to work on when it breaks down, even if it has acres on space under the bonnet of the GLE.


• 3.0d OM656 with 272, 330, and 371 horsepower – I personally think they should have sold only this engine for the GLE. It’s not as reliable as it used to be, but at least it’s the only engine that fits with this body style. Issues include the AdBlue system, oil pump, and it doesn’t cope well with city driving.

Mercedes GLE V167 Reliability Issues

• You’d think a 45-ton Mercedes would chew through brakes, suspension, and tires like Scruff McGruff takes a bite out of crime. And you’d be right. Special mention for the appetite for rear tires, where the average lifespan is 10-15,000 miles. With some ambition, you’ll change the tires twice a year.


• Noisy wipers and mirrors may or may not be an issue with the car in question, so do a test drive at higher speeds and test the wipers as well.


• Electrical issues and dashboard rattles are common in modern cars, but at least with the Mercedes GLE V167, you might get a model where the interior is more solid than Trailer Park Boys : Countdown to Liquor Day.

Mercedes GLE V167 Verdict

The Mercedes GLE V167 was and is the car Mercedes needed to relaunch in the opulence market and sell again. It’s as extravagant/offensive as an X6, but it remains a very comfortable car for crossing the Panamericana and arriving at your destination as refreshed as when you started. Just avoid parking lots or narrow roads in general.

Which engines do I recommend? For petrol power I recommend the 4.0 Turbo M177 with a million horsepower, so at least you know what you’re doing. For diesel, definitely the 3.0 CDI with 272 or 330 horsepower.