Family feud, Mercedes-Benz GLE 300d and 400d

Since then the segment has grown considerably and today it can be considered one of the most popular, as well as demanding segments, within the automotive marketplace. Ryno Fourie and I were given the keys to the latest generation offering now called the GLE in both 300d and 400d guise.

The design

Both cars were fitted with the brand’s more attractive AMG-line body kit which adds larger wheels with a sportier design. Upfront you will notice more aggressive-looking bumpers with large air-intakes and vents to aid with the sporty theme. The GLE also come with new headlights which feature double blade-like LED daytime running lights. The bonnet sports two power bulges which add to the cars overall muscular look and feel. Down the side, the GLE retains its iconic rear side window, introduced on the first model, and the rear wheel arches have been somewhat flared which adds to the overall sporty theme, a look which both Ryno and myself really like.

Inside the GLE

Both cars featured a similar-looking interior however the GLE 400d which I piloted did feature a few more buttons here and there. Both cars, however, did feature two large 12.3-inch screens which are placed side-by-side. One screen functions as a customizable instrument cluster and the other, the infotainment system which houses the brand’s latest user interface software known as MBUX. A unique feature of MBUX is its learning capability which uses artificial intelligence to anticipate the driver’s wishes. The centre console features a large touchpad which lets you control the functions of the infotainment display but can be a bit finicky to use at times, I will admit that I prefer a rotary dial.

The new GLE features a wheelbase that is about 80mm longer than its predecessor, this means more space. Rear passengers can expect a legroom increase of about 69mm. As for luggage capacity, the GLE now boasts an impressive 825-litres behind the rear seats and up to 2 055-litres when the second row of seats is folded flat.

300d vs 400d

You can’t really trust the badge on the back anymore. Many manufacturers are placing badges on the back of cars that have absolutely nothing to do with the engine capacity. Take the GLE 300d for example, one might imagine that there is a 3.0-litre under there, right? Wrong. It is, in fact, a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine that develops 180 kW and 500 N.m which is impressive when you consider the engine capacity.

The 400d is unfortunately not a 4.0-litre diesel, it is, in fact, a new, 2.9-litre in-line six-cylinder turbo-diesel that develops 243 kW and 700 N.m. Initially, Ryno and I struggled to tell the difference in driving performance between the two but changed when we employed a bit more right foot flex. The 400d can be considered somewhat of a performance diesel SUV, at least, that’s what it wants to be. Both cars returned a fantastic driving experience, the GLE 400d benefited from air suspension which could be raised or lowered which comes in handy when you select the Off-Road function. Both cars were fitted with 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system which gives the cars better traction on and off the road. I wouldn’t recommend an off-road excursion, particularly in the case of the 400d which had 21-inch rims but, it’s nice to know that both cars will cope when the road ends.

Verdict

As much as I enjoyed the 400d, the relentless power and effortless cruising ability of the 300d just makes more financial sense to me. It offers an equally compliant ride quality, looks identical both in and out but it will cost around R71 500 less. That’s money that can be spent on a few optional extras. Ryno, who piloted the 300d even got a better fuel consumption figure than me so that’s another plus for the Mercedes-Benz GLE 300d.

Mercedes-Benz GLE300d 4Matic AMG Line: R 1 289 699

Mercedes-Benz GLE400d 4Matic: R 1 361 194