Mercedes GLE hybrid interior & comfort
A luxurious and high-tech cabin is one of the GLE 350 de's best features
Aside from the powertrain, the GLE's interior is probably the number-one reason to consider buying one. It’s as luxurious as cars get at this price, with high-quality materials, a very modern look and lots of space. It’s packed with technology as well, thanks to the good level of standard kit.
Mercedes GLE hybrid dashboard
We reckon the GLE has one of the best interiors of any car of its type. It features a widescreen 12.3-inch display that dominates the dashboard and bleeds into the digital dials on a second screen behind the wheel.
Even the entry-level spec includes Nappa leather and oak wood trim, and material quality is very high. It’s all put together very solidly and feels as luxurious as you could want. It’s more traditional-looking than the BMW X5, which has a more modern, Germanic feel, but there are plenty of modern touches in the Mercedes, too. The Volvo XC90 has a more minimalist look that some might prefer.
Equipment, options & accessories
AMG Line cars come with 20-inch alloys, LED lights, parking sensors, a reversing camera, heated seats, sat nav, DAB and climate control as standard. They also have wireless phone charging, ambient lighting, automatic high beams and those twin display screens in the dashboard.
AMG Line Executive gets 21-inch alloys as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone connections, while AMG Line Premium adds 22-inch wheels, upgraded 'Multibeam' LED lights and a 360-degree parking camera.
It also gets augmented reality sat nav, which overlays direction arrows on a camera display of the road ahead. AMG Line Premium Plus has keyless go, a panoramic sunroof, a Burmester stereo and the Driving Assistance Package (which brings extra safety kit) as standard.
Infotainment, apps & sat nav
The 12.3-inch display screen in the dashboard, linked to the digital dial display behind the steering wheel, uses a system called MBUX. This is the latest Mercedes infotainment system, and it’s the best yet – easy to use, smart-looking and full of features.
Higher-spec cars get Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, plus augmented reality for the sat nav, but even in the basic model this is a great system that’s responsive and looks very modern. There are clever voice commands if you like that sort of thing, and the screens themselves look very sharp and high-res, so it’s all very impressive.
