Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4Matic+ Coupe : Observations after a day of driving

The engine gets a 48V onboard electrical system with an integrated starter generator which provides additional power and torque at low speeds and low rpms.

Driving the 3.0L Turbo Petrol AT

The 3.0L, inline 6-cylinder turbo petrol engine makes 429 BHP @ 5,800-6,100 rpm and 560 Nm @ 2,200 - 5,000 rpm. It is mated to a 9-speed torque converter AT:

Driving an AMG is always special, and this GLE 53 AMG is no different. While it doesn’t have the howling V8 engine from the 63 S, it still makes 429 BHP and 560 Nm from the 3.0L, inline 6-cylinder turbo-petrol unit which is more than enough for Indian roads. The engine gets a 48V onboard electrical system with an integrated starter generator which provides additional power and torque at low speeds and low rpms. It is mated to a 9-speed AMG Speedshift TCT 9G torque converter AT.

With your foot on the brake pedal, press the engine start stop button and the engine comes to life and purrs silently. Nothing exciting about startup. If you want something special on startup, keep one of the paddles pulled and then press the start-stop button. What you’ll be doing is activating the AMG “Emotion Start” in which the engine revs while starting and you get a nice growl from the exhaust. You will never get tired of starting the car this way, as it will leave people wondering if you have some modified car.

Start driving with a light foot in Comfort mode and you will notice how easy and smooth the car feels to drive. The throttle response is good. You get a smooth and linear power delivery and the GLE doesn’t feel like it’s going to jump with the slightest of throttle inputs. At slow speeds and while driving around in the city, it is best if you stick to the Comfort mode as the car feels just right. There’s enough low-end power for you to make those overtakes and close the gap to the vehicle in front quickly. Even the gearshifts are smooth and the gearbox can quickly upshift to higher gears when needed. All in all, with a commanding driving position and easy controls, the GLE 53 is comfortable to drive around in the city. Only in some areas, you might have to be careful because of the size of the car (almost 5 m), but otherwise, you won’t have any trouble manoeuvring this coupe SUV around town.

Flex your right foot and that’s when you get to know the real potential of this engine. The way this big SUV moves will shock you. Put your foot hard down and you will find yourself pinned to the seat. I tried a couple of hard acceleration runs from a standstill and I can tell you that the claimed 0-100 km/h time of 5 seconds is believable. The 4Matic+ all-wheel drive system with fully variable torque distribution efficiently distributes the power to the four wheels for maximum traction. There’s barely any wheel spin at launch and the car just blasts off the line. The engine revs till the redline and upshifts are super quick. The car just keeps pulling till you back off the throttle. Hearing the engine and the exhaust at high revs surely does get addictive. Downshifts on the highway for overtakes are extremely quick and while cruising, you barely will have to use 50% throttle.

The GLE 53 AMG comes with an AMG Performance variable exhaust system that alters the exhaust note based on the drive mode selected. The exhaust note isn’t as loud as the V8, but it’s still good and something enthusiasts will enjoy. It has all the pops and bangs on lift off and while it sounds great on the outside, you don’t hear it as much on the inside.

The GLE 53 AMG rides on 21-inch wheels as opposed to 22-inch wheels on the GLE 63 S. You also get air suspension with an adaptive damping system which means that the car can automatically control the damping depending on driving speed, driving program and payload. In Comfort mode, the ride isn’t very stiff and the car manages to tackle small potholes and bumps comfortably. You do hear the suspension working though. Over bad roads, the ride is wallowy and you do move around in the cabin. It’s not unbearable though and very much liveable. As you get up to speed, the ride flattens out and the car feels a lot more stable and planted. High-speed stability is great and you or your passengers won’t feel that you’re cruising at 120 km/h.

Get on some twisty roads and you can have some fun. The handling is precise and predictable. The front end is responsive and the car feels planted in the corners. There is body roll, but it’s very well controlled. The way this car handles, you will forget that it weighs around 2.3 tonnes. It’s just very nimble and balanced throughout. What helps is the Active Ride Control which has active anti-roll bars on the front and rear axles that counter body roll. With the AMG high-performance composite brake system, the braking is sharp and precise.

All in all, the GLE 53 AMG is an all-out fun-to-drive car. It has got the power and sorted handling characteristics as well. It even has all the bits that make an AMG car feel special.

The GLE 53 gets air suspension with adaptive damping:

Here's a look at the difference in ride height when in Sport+ mode (lower) vs Comfort mode (higher):

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