Re: Mercedes Benz GLE Class 250D Driven.
Mercedes Benz GLE 250d is equipped with a in-line 4 Cylinder engine that churns out 500Nm torque and 204 HP power. As stated in the spec sheet in 1st post It does the 0-100km/h speed in 8.6 secs having a compression ratio of 16.2:1 and top speed of 212 km/h. Further, the 250D GLE comes equipped with 9 Speed G-tronic transmission in order to compete against the Discovery Sport. In the 250 D version which I drove, though the transmission was responsive and considerably smooth yet the drive wasn’t as peppy as I had expected it to be. There is a feel of drag in it when you drive it and I specifically pointed it out to the executive and as per his word, when driving a big SUV of GLE’s size with a diesel engine and such a AT Box, this slight drag is inevitable. However, I did not feel the statement to be justifiable. When I drove this SUV today it was in the comfort drive mode which is the default mode that is set after the car is re-started every time. Speaking of the drive modes, let me also state that there are 5 modes to choose from for driving this SUV as per your preference. The 5 modes inclusive of Comfort mode are Individual mode, Sport Mode, Slippery and Off-Road.
So, as the SUV was in comfort mode, the performance was not really peppy. The comfort mode is the fuel efficient and balanced ride mode and in that the gear shifts are pretty fast in comparison to all other modes. I achieved 60 km/h speed but the engine performance in this mode was not really exceptional. The engine in this mode felt lazy to be honest. As I never touch 3 digit speed, so I would say being diesel, the GLE’s engine was a very silent one at 60-70km/h range in terms of the NVH. The noise transmission to the cabin was nil. I would certainly suggest this SUV for long drives on Highways if one wants to enjoy a peaceful and comfortable ride.
The kind of responsiveness which I had felt in Discovery Sport, was missing in the 250 version GLE. Talking of the suspension, I would say it is nicely designed and with recent increase of speed bumps in my sector, I could test its suspension to a good extent. The jerks in the cabin are not much and the passenger doesn’t feel them much as well. However, if I speak of its ability to take sharp turns, then, let me be clear, GLE takes its own sweet time. It is not that agile at least I can say this for the 250D version. Just in case someone wants to consider a viable alternative to GLE before buying it, I would say, have a look on the Discovery Sport.
If I speak of the steering input, then as my test car was in comfort mode, thus, the steering felt quite well balanced. The steering is responsive but GLE being a comparatively big SUV, it does show its own tantrums. The steering is a 3 spoke multifunction steering wrapped in Nappa Leather and is equipped with gear shift lever, paddle shifters and other utility buttons being placed within the reach of driver.
The GLE 250 having 4 in-line with a eagerly projecting macho look is not a really fast SUV. In simple words, with the size and evident body roll, at best this can be a disciplined highway drive vehicle. Moving on the Tyres, my test car had 18 Inch Alloys with all disc brakes and 255 section Tyre. Coming to the braking part, the disc brakes are responsive and the braking is very good and the SUV stops in a balanced way. To the executive’s dislike, I tried braking all of a sudden on a service lane and let me tell you, GLE did not disappoint at all. Also the 4 Matic enhances the overall ride feel with features like ESP and traction control. Hence, in an emergency, driver does not need to panic at all because this SUV is very much capable to handle uncalled situations on our roads.
So, if I give my verdict on the driving manners of the GLE, then the 250D version has a balanced ride with decent driving manners. You’ll not feel strained after driving this SUV. I wasn’t disappointed neither really overwhelmed after driving it. I had mixed emotions to put it in easy words.
