Mercedes-Benz updated the entire GLE-class lineup for 2024. Updates include styling tweaks, a 48-volt hybrid system, and a more intelligent digital dashboard. Sitting in the middle of the lineup is the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4Matic. This third-row available luxury mid-size SUV is referred to as “well-rounded” by Mercedes-Benz on its website. To find out why I spent one-week putting miles on its digital odometer and searching for the perfect interior ambient lightning color.

New Look for 2024 on the GLE 450

The most noticeable changes on the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE450 from its predecessor are the new bumpers and redesigned front grille, headlamps, and taillights. The updated styling is further complemented by two new exterior colors, Twilight Blue metallic and the nonmetallic MANUFAKTUR Alpine Grey shown here. 

The newly shaped headlamps house Ultra-Wide LED lighting that offers standard automated high beams. This is a common feature in 2023-era vehicles, but Mercedes-Benz stands out in how these automated LED high beams operate.

Instead of merely flicking on like a typical high beam, the Ultra-Wide LEDs illuminate outward like curtains on a Broadway show. I was surprised when I saw these lights work for the first time. This subtle aesthetic creates a more elegant experience when driving down dark roads. 

Another new feature is touch-sensitive controls on the steering wheel for managing audio volume, adaptive cruise control, and navigating specific dashboard controls. These buttons work like a touchscreen in which you merely need a light thumb press to activate and scroll through options on the screen(s). If you opt for the new optional AMG Line interior package, these touch controls are housed in an AMG-branded flat-bottom steering wheel along with sports seats dressed in Nappa leather. 

Instead of merely flicking on like a typical high beam, the Ultra-Wide LEDs illuminate outward like curtains on a Broadway show.

There’s also an AMG Line exterior package which adds AMG branded brakes, wheels, a sports exhaust system, and more aggressive styling front and rear bumpers with larger air intakes and vents. 

New Interior Tech on 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE

Noteworthy tech on the 2024 model year GLE is the Transparent Hood feature to aid the driver during uneven terrain or off-road conditions, using the SUV’s exterior front cameras to display the road ahead on the central screen. Moreover, real-time graphics show the driver where the front wheels are heading while steering. This is in addition to a standard 360-view backup camera. 

An optional integrated dash cam can record the road ahead and warn you via a connected app on your phone if a careless pedestrian or motorist bumps into the SUV when parked. The cabin of the SUV offers more USB-C ports than cupholders in the front, second, and third rows to ensure nobody sees the dreaded 20% battery notification while on the road. Standalone options include heated seats for the second row and four-zone climate control. In addition to new two-tone interior colors: Catalana Beige/Black and Bahia Brown/Black.

The updated MBUX digital dashboard consists of dual 12.3-inch screens surrounded by tasteful metallic toggle switches and new chrome air vents. Users can operate the center screen controls using the touch controls on the steering wheel, the center console touchpad with a mouse-like mount to rest your wrist, touching the screen icons or using the MBUX voice recognition system. Wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a mobile WiFi hotspot are standard on the Mercedes-Benz GLE. The Burmester Surround Sound audio system comes standard in the Exclusive and Pinnacle trim levels. 

Users can operate the center screen controls using the touch controls on the steering wheel, the center console touchpad with a mouse-like mount to rest your wrist, touching the screen icons or using the MBUX voice recognition system.

Switching through drive modes like Sport, Eco, and Off-Road, using the Dynamic Select feature also allows the driver to tailor the SUV’s throttle feel, shifting, and suspension to their desired setting. Or you can select Sport mode and floor it. However, you’ll find that the engine in the GLE450 4Matic provides satisfying performance no matter the drive mode.

Mild Hybrid Turbocharged Drivetrains 

This 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE450 4Matic features the upscale 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six engine with a 48-volt hybrid system. 4Matic All-wheel drive (AWD) is standard on the GLE450 and provides metallic paddle shifters to operate the nine-speed automatic transmission. Power is rated at 362 horsepower and 396 lb.-ft of torque. With the aid of 4Matic, the GLE450 moves quicker than it looks while providing a subtle but pleasing straight-six rumbling exhaust note. 

New for the Mercedes-Benz GLE lineup is the GLE450e Plug-In hybrid which incorporates a 23.3-kWh battery pack to the GLE350’s entry turbocharged 255 hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The battery pack bumps the combined output to 381 hp. However, the 48-volt hybrid system is standard on the GLE350 and GLE450, in addition to an advanced air-suspension system allowing the SUV to literally lean into the corners and adjust to different terrain conditions. This option is available on any GLE variant over the standard steel springs and anti-roll bars. 

Driving Impressions 

The road test consisted of both city and long-distance highway driving. Throughout my nearly ten years of road-testing vehicles, this was the first time driving a product of Mercedes-Benz without supervision and not in a closed course setting. I tried not to let the novelty of the experience cloud my professionalism as I scrolled through the 64-color settings for ambient lightning. 

This GEL450 came equipped with exterior and interior AMG Line packages offering a distinctive appearance that other GLE drivers noticed on the road. Particularly the 20-inch five twin-spoke AMG wheels wrapped in Michelin rubber. Furthermore, everyone commented on how they liked the SUV’s nonmetallic MANUFAKTUR Alpine Grey exterior color matched with the espresso brown leather interior, real wood trim, and chrome accents. 

I admire how Mercedes-Benz designs interior seats that feel firm to the touch but plush when you settle into them. Moreover, the state-of-the-art digital dash and the center screen looked and felt daunting initially, but I quickly became accustomed to navigating the controls through a method that worked best for me. 

Because this is a mid-size SUV, the available third row does not offer business-class style seating. The two jump seats in the third row look better suited for people of compact stature and measurements. 

Nevertheless, the easy-to-fold-down seats provide a cargo space to haul a family of four’s luggage to the airport for a month-long vacation while ensuring everyone’s electronic device is fully charged. Moreover, I averaged nearly 22 mpg over a 500-mile road test, which is not bad for a three-row family SUV with plenty of power on tap and a surplus of luxury.  

Pricing

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE450 4Matic starts at $69,500. Of course, options like the AMG Line exterior and interior package, Ultra-Wide LEDs, Natural Grain Brown Walnut wood trim, heated armrests, and the Burmester premium sound system add up to a mid-size luxury SUV with an $81k MSRP. 

However, what the GLE450 4Matic excels at is offering style, comfort, and performance evenly without feeling like a compromise. So, if you’re looking for a luxury SUV that can seat five to seven passengers, looks at home in a five-star hotel parking lot, and isn’t afraid to tackle a road less traveled, the Mercedes-Benz GLE450 4Matic is the king of mid-range.