Mercedes-Benz GLE

Related models and history

1. Chapter 11998–2005 · W163

   The M-Class: the first Mercedes built in Alabama

   

   What changed. It replaced nothing: it was Mercedes-Benz's first modern luxury SUV. It used a frame of enclosed box sections with independent suspension at all four wheels and permanent all-wheel drive without conventional differential locks. In the U.S. it debuted as the ML 320 with a 3.2-liter V6, 215 hp and a five-speed automatic, for $33,950. The ML 430 V8 and the U.S. ML 55 AMG with 342 hp followed. The Mercedes-Benz archive records almost 648,000 first-generation vehicles produced worldwide.

   The innovation. The 4ETS electronic traction system: instead of mechanical locks, it brakes the spinning wheel and sends power to the wheels with grip. This preserves maneuverability and helps use the available grip both on and off the road.

   If you buy one usedToday it is a 20-plus-year-old vehicle; documented maintenance and frame rust matter more than anything else. NHTSA records list for the 2002 model (ML 320, ML 500 and ML 55 AMG) recall 01V290: the left front upper control arm might not meet the specified strength and could fail; the published remedy is free replacement; owner notification began September 29, 2001. Look up the VIN at nhtsa.gov before buying.
2. Chapter 22006–2011 · W164

   Goodbye frame: unibody and seven speeds

   

   What changed. Unveiled in Detroit in January 2005 and on sale in the U.S. that April. It swapped the frame for a much stiffer unibody, stretched the wheelbase 95 mm (to 2,915 mm) and gained rear room. It introduced the 3.5-liter, 268 hp V6 in the ML 350 and a 302 hp V8 in the ML 500, as rated in the U.S. brochure, with the 7G-TRONIC automatic standard. In Europe, Mercedes-Benz added the 4MATIC suffix to M-Class variants in spring 2006. The U.S. range later also offered a rear-wheel-drive ML 350. The Tuscaloosa plant expanded and doubled its workforce. In 2005 NHTSA gave it five stars in frontal and side crash tests, one of the first SUVs to earn both.

   The innovation. The family's first hybrid: the ML 450 HYBRID, shown in New York in 2009, paired a V6 with two electric motors for 335 system hp in U.S. specification. It also offered PRE-SAFE, which tightens the belts and closes the sunroof before an impending rollover.

   If you buy one usedTwo big campaigns. NHTSA lists recall 22V315 (expanded in 2024 as 24V298) for the combined 2006–2012 ML, GL and R-Class families; the cited ML records are 2006–2011: moisture can corrode the brake booster housing and reduce or eliminate brake assist; the remedy is free inspection and booster replacement as necessary. The notices advise not driving affected vehicles until the remedy is completed. In addition, 2009–2011 ML 350, ML 550 and ML 63 AMG and the 2010–2011 ML 450 Hybrid are in recall 16V081 for Takata driver-side airbag inflators. Check both by VIN.
3. Chapter 32012–2019 · W166

   More efficient, more assistants and a new name: GLE

   

   What changed. Premiered in Stuttgart and introduced in the U.S. in July 2011, with a focus on fuel economy, comfort and assistance systems. Nearly an inch longer and half an inch wider than before. The ML 350 4MATIC moved to a 3.5-liter direct-injection V6 with 302 hp, and the ML 350 BlueTEC diesel offered 240 hp and 455 lb-ft. ATTENTION ASSIST, which detects drowsy driving, was standard. In 2015 came the midlife redesign and the name change to GLE for the 2016 model year, along with the GLE Coupe.

   The innovation. Mercedes-Benz's first plug-in SUV in the U.S.: the 2016 GLE 550e 4MATIC, with a 3.0-liter V6, an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery for an estimated 18.5 miles of electric driving, with energy management that uses the navigation system to decide when to run on gas and when on electricity.

   If you buy one usedNHTSA lists recall 22V955 for certain 2012–2015 ML 350/ML 63 AMG, 2012–2014 ML 550 and selected 2016–2020 GLE variants: water collecting in the spare-wheel well can damage the fuel pump control unit and stall the engine. Also 18V272 (2012–2016 with the Active Curve System) for oil that can foam and leak from the reservoir, a fire risk, and 17V177 for control software. For 2016–2017 there are also 16V903 (seat occupant sensor) and 17V816 (door latches). All have a free remedy; check them by VIN. The 2020 endpoint of 22V955 belongs to AMG GLE 63; the 17V816 door-lock campaign has 2017 GLE records. Confirm the exact year/model/VIN combination.
4. Chapter 42020–present · V167

   48-volt mild hybrid and a third row

   

   What changed. The fourth generation reached dealers in spring 2019 as a 2020 model, with a 117.9-inch wheelbase and 194.3 inches of length, wider and with the return of an optional third row, previously offered in the first M-Class. The MBUX system with 'Hey Mercedes' debuted. Engines: a 2.0-liter, 255 hp turbo four (GLE 350), a 3.0-liter, 362 hp inline-six with EQ Boost (GLE 450) and a 483 hp biturbo V8 (GLE 580). The rear-wheel-drive GLE 350, scheduled for summer 2019, had a $53,700 base price before $995 destination. The 2024 refresh raised the GLE 450 to 375 hp, added the 381 hp GLE 450e plug-in with a 23.3 kWh usable battery and left the whole range electrified.

   The innovation. The 48-volt electrical system: an integrated starter-generator adds up to 21 hp for short bursts (EQ Boost) and powers E-ACTIVE BODY CONTROL, a suspension that controls spring and damping forces at each wheel individually.

   If you buy one usedEarly 2020 models had several manufacturing campaigns: passenger airbag inflator (19V458), body welding (19V459), fuel filler pipe (19V572) and driveshaft locking ring (20V627). For 2021–2022 NHTSA lists a steering coupling screw that can loosen (22V936) and a ground connection under the seat that can overheat (23V835). For 2024, incorrect screws on the M254 engine's high-pressure fuel pump (23V878) and the accelerator pedal bracket (24V117). All have a free remedy; look up the VIN.

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