2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE facelift bulks up on stars and screens

The Mercedes-Benz GLE large luxury SUV and the GLE Coupe have both given an extensive facelift inside and out, with Australian sales confirmed to commence some time in 2027.

Visually, the GLE range adopts the front-end design of the latest E-Class sedan. There’s a new grille that has a field of stars and a thick frame in either shiny chrome or dark-tinted metal trim. The grille surround is black, and blends into the larger new headlight units, which now feature star graphics and improved coverage range.

An illuminated grille frame and three-pointed star logo are available on the options list. Black also features prominently in the lower part of the revised bumper, and a strip of black plastic links the lower air intakes.

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The redesigned tail-light clusters also feature star lighting graphics. On the regular GLE the tail-lights are now joined together by a band of black plastic topped with a chrome strip.

Other changes include sculpted dark grey sills on the GLE SUV, plus new alloy wheel designs, and a slightly less aggressive look for the rear bumper.

Inside, the upper dashboard has been completely reworked to include the standard Superscreen setup, which consists of three 12.3-inch displays, including one instrumentation screen, a central touchscreen, and a touchscreen for the front passenger. This is bookended by new round air vents, and underscored by a pair of slim vents in the centre.

The computing platform now runs MB.OS, which can be updated via over-the-air software updates, while user interaction still happens through the MBUX interface. The updated Virtual Assistant is said to be able to complete more complex tasks than before.

For those optioning the 15-speaker Burmester sound system, there’s a new pair of 3D speakers in the roof, and an amp that’s rated at 710W, up from the current unit’s 590W. The base sound system now has a 150W amp mounted in the rear of the car.

A panoramic glass roof is now standard, while an air suspension system with cloud-based predictive damper modulation and an improved 360-degree camera system are available.

All of the GLE’s engines have been updated, but some, like the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 in the GLE 580 4Matic, have had a more substantial makeover.

The V8 gains a new flat-plane crank “in preparation for future emission standards”, as well as revised injectors, ports, turbos, and exhaust to boost power and torque to 395kW and 750Nm, respectively. That’s an increase of 15kW and 20Nm from the existing 580.

Down a step on the ladder, the 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six in the GLE 450 4Matic has a new electric compressor and other tweaks to boost torque from 500Nm to 560Nm. The plug-in hybrid GLE 450e 4Matic boasts a more powerful electric motor, and a 106km WLTP EV range.

There are two AMG-fettled models in the revised GLE and GLE Coupe lineup. Both feature a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six petrol engine making 330kW and 600Nm, which is hooked up to a nine-speed Speedshift TCT automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive.

In the AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ this engine is aided by a mild-hybrid system with an electric compressor and integrated starter-generator that can provide an extra 17kW/205Nm when needed. This enables the SUV to complete the 0-100km/h dash in a claimed 4.9 seconds.

At the top of the AMG pile for now is the GLE 53 Hybrid 4Matic+ plug-in hybrid that includes a 135kW/430Nm electric for a total system output of 430kW and 750Nm. The extra power and torque reduces the claimed 0-100km/h time to 4.5 seconds, which is on par with the V8-powered GLE 580.

MORE: Explore the Mercedes-Benz GLE showroom