2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE First Look: More Power, More Tech, More Presence

The Mercedes-Benz GLE has long been one of the brand’s core players, blending space, luxury, tech, and real performance into a single, family-friendly package. For 2027, the luxury midsize SUV gets more of everything: power, technology, and sharper looks inside and out. The update lands in the middle of Mercedes’ aggressive product offensive of 40 new or refreshed models by the end of 2027. We previewed the redesigned GLE, GLE Coupe, and AMG 53 in Málaga, Spain, and after poking around their cabins and digging into the changes, this feels like more than the typical midcycle nip and tuck.

Very Mercedes

In recent years, Mercedes has leaned hard into its three-pointed-star branding, and the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE follows suit. Like the S-Class and GLS, it now wears star-shaped daytime running lights, while the revised grille features a subtle star pattern woven into the mesh. New for 2027 is an illuminated central emblem and a glowing grille surround, giving the front end a more theatrical nighttime presence. The AMG 53 ups the aggression with its own grille treatment and larger air intakes designed not just for show but to keep its hybridized inline-six properly cooled.

The standard GLE SUV and GLE Coupe roll on 20-inch wheels, while the AMG GLE 53 steps up to available 22-inch pieces.

Out back, all three models carry the star motif into the taillights, but the Coupe’s rear end looks especially athletic thanks to its fastback profile. The AMG 53 adds twin tailpipe garnishes, and its exhaust system delivers a noticeably louder, more aggressive note than the non-AMG GLEs’.

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Big Changes Inside

Like the GLS, the GLE’s cabin now centers around Mercedes’ MBUX Superscreen, a single glass panel housing three 12.3-inch displays—one for the driver, one for infotainment, and one for the front passenger. The setup gives the interior a cleaner, more futuristic look, but the bigger story is what’s behind it. The GLE runs on Mercedes’ new MB.OS architecture, enabling over-the-air updates so the system can evolve without a trip to the dealer. It also introduces a new AI-powered virtual assistant that can browse the internet and handle complex, multi-part conversations. Three selectable avatars add a layer of personality to the interaction.

The updated infotainment system features sharper, more modern graphics, and in the AMG 53 it adds a dedicated performance section with AMG-specific displays. Navigation now runs through a built-in Google Maps integration, blending Google’s mapping data with Mercedes’ interface. The biggest win? The Superscreen comes standard across the lineup, so every 2027 GLE gets the full-width digital setup. Front passengers can stream YouTube while the vehicle is in motion, but a camera-based system monitors the driver’s gaze and automatically dims the passenger display if there’s a risk of distraction. Our experiences in other current Benzes say the passenger screen is a solution in search of a problem, but your takeaway might vary.

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Beyond the new infotainment setup, the GLE also introduces an augmented reality head-up display, a first for the model. When navigation is active, turn-by-turn directions are projected directly onto the windshield, overlaying the real-world view to make upcoming maneuvers easier to follow. We’ll reserve final judgment until we can test it on the road, as our preview in Spain was limited to static time with the vehicle.

Inside, the air vents have been subtly reshaped to integrate the new Superscreen, and material quality takes a noticeable step up. The new Beech Brown leather stands out, while fresh trim options include birch, walnut, and, for buyers who want a sportier vibe, brushed aluminum. The panoramic glass roof is now standard across the lineup, meaning there’s no longer a steel-roof option. As before, the expansive glass panel includes a power sunshade.

Perhaps the most welcome change of all is that physical roller controls return for volume adjustment, replacing the old capacitive touch sliders that were more frustrating than futuristic.

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More Power, More Punch

Even as EVs absorbed much of the industry’s investment in recent years—a course that’s now being corrected—Mercedes is still putting real engineering effort into its gas engines. Case in point is the updated 4.0-liter V-8 in the GLE580, which now features a flat-plane crankshaft, replacing the previous cross-plane design. Mercedes has also revised components such as the turbocharger’s compressor wheel and housing for improved response and refinement.

Output climbs to 530 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, up 20 hp and 15 lb-ft over the outgoing model. The 3.0-liter inline-six in the GLE450 continues to make 375 hp, but torque rises to 413 lb-ft—an increase of 44 lb-ft. At the base of the lineup, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder carries over unchanged at 255 hp and 295 lb-ft.

The biggest mechanical upgrade, however, is reserved for the plug-in hybrid, now called the GLE500e. Out goes the old four-cylinder, replaced by a 3.0-liter inline-six paired with an electric motor. Combined output hasn’t been announced yet, but we expect it to land somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 hp and 480 lb-ft.

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The current GLE450e PHEV is smooth and comfortable, but it never felt especially punchy. The move to a six-cylinder should address that shortcoming. All-electric range is rated roughly 65 miles on the European WLTP cycle; even accounting for WLTP’s typically optimistic numbers when compared to EPA testing, that is a healthy bump over the current model’s 49-mile estimate.

If you need more power, the AMG is the one to get. For 2027, the Mercedes-AMG GLE53 switches to a plug-in hybrid setup, a powertrain new to the U.S. market. While Europe has had access to this configuration since 2023, American buyers were previously limited to a mild hybrid version.

The 2027 AMG GLE53 pairs a 3.0-liter inline-six with a 181-hp electric motor for a combined 577 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. Those figures put it within striking distance of the outgoing GLE63, which we expect to see return later this year. Mercedes estimates a 0–60-mph time of 4.4 seconds for the 53, and the company says it can travel at up to 87 mph in all-electric mode. The GLE53 Hybrid will be offered in both SUV and Coupe form.

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When Will the New GLE Arrive?

The 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE is set to arrive at U.S. dealerships in the second quarter of this year. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but given the additional standard content, it’s reasonable to expect at least a modest increase over the 2026’s starting price of $63,600. Any increase won’t be due to the tariffs afflicting some rivals, however, as the GLE is built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.