REVIEW | Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 delivers hybrid punch but misses V8 thunder

The Mercedes-Benz M Class first appeared in the blockbuster film Jurassic Park in 1993, creating the new and now mainstream premium SUV segment.

The model went on sale in 1997, four years after the Michael Crichton epic, and it hasn’t shaken off that legacy. In 2000 the company launched the ML55 AMG, powered by a 5.4l V8 engine, creating the niche known as the performance SUV.

The M Class was renamed the GLE and the GLE 53 AMG channels a high-performance spirit with visibly less AMG trimmings, and using an electrified and turbocharged six-cylinder engine as dictated by the times of environmental consciousness. The GLE 63 AMG models with the bombastic V8 are still available, with a new model expected here in 2027.

The GLE 53 available in the SUV version tested, or as a coupe for a R130,428 premium, has little to criticise. It is a family SUV with ample space front and back and a sizeable boot, and standard luxuries that suffice for sweetening the ownership experience, specifically the colourful digital graphics.

The capacitive buttons in the GLE 53 worked flawlessly, a welcome improvement over previous Mercedes cars fitted with them, which would not yield the desired effect every time a finger was slid across them.

The touch-operated main display screen is small by modern standards, but it has simple operation of the menus in conjunction with a mouse pad. Finding a good and low enough seating position on the comfy seats is possible for effortless commanding of the SUV. Voice-activated commands add to convenience.

The cabin is roomy and decorated with a luxo-sport theme and enough luxury and convenience items. Picture: (PHUTI MPYANE)

It is powered by an in-line six-cylinder 3.0l engine with a 48V hybrid assist that isn’t plug-in, thus is limited to self-charging on the move. With efficiency a modern essential, we sought out fuel parsimony in the first few days of living with the car rather than testing its performance credentials.

Eco mode netted us 11.5l/100km, not far from the 10.5l/100km claimed by the company while conducting itself on the road in a smooth manner more in line with the S-Class than a performance SUV. It doesn’t jitter over road imperfections, and stiffens ever so slightly when Sport+ mode is engaged.

In Sport+ the responses of the nine-speed auto sharpen, and the hybrid powertrain unleashes all of its 320kW and 560Nm to all the wheels. A 15kW over-boost function comes on when you floor the throttle for overtaking, and it sounds terrific, with dramatic pops and bangs.

Initial fears of a big body slicing through corners were expunged as the GLE 53 AMG is a tidy handler equipped with air suspension and AMG ride control. Damping levels are continuously adjusted in reply to surface changes.

A selectable AMG dynamic select allows drivers to tailor the attitude of the car, including a Pro setting that relaxes the traction control intervention, and which we didn’t have the courage or the track to explore.

Off-road mode is another potential we didn’t try out as the tester was fitted with sporty Michelin rubber. The vehicle depends on the standard fitment 4Matic+ all-wheel drive system to vary the torque distribution between the front and rear axles to maximise traction. The air suspension aids in this pursuit.

An optionally available off-road package brings underbody protection and a transmission with low-range gearing, but there are Land Rover and other alternatives in the segment which offer real mud-plugging if that’s the ultimate goal.

Most of the rivals are equipped with six-cylinder engines, with only the Audi SQ7, BMW X5 M60i and Land Rover Defender 130 offering eight-cylinder motors for similar money.

It is a road-biased projectile that can also duke it out off-road with the right specification ticked off. Picture: (PHUTI MPYANE)

Perhaps the pressing question is whether the down-sized internals offer enough of the legendary AMG V8 blitzkrieg? Not entirely. The available performance delivery is good if not explosive, though the claimed 5.0 seconds from 0-100km/h and a 250km/h top speed are more than ample speeds for most.

This model is in run-out mode in South Africa in anticipation of a newer GLE series expected to launch here in 2027.

The updated model comes with numerous improvements, including a power hike to 330 kW and 600Nm and a 17kW short-term boost function.

It exits the market a compelling and accomplished buy, and with customary AMG V8 owners the likely individuals who’ll step away wishing it had more power.

Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 vs rivals