Review: 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53

The GLE SUV has always been a team favourite. The perfect size for both small and large families, what used to be known as the ML-Class has spawned countless iterations, as well as piqued the interest of competitors like the BMW X5, Volvo XC90, and Lexus RX. We’ve tested the new 2020 non-AMG iterations last year, with the GLE 350 and GLE 450 both sporting polished powertrains and demonstrating excellent road manners. Their seven-seater capability is useful as well. But before the hardcore GLE 63 AMG gets released with the full fury of its 600-hp V8 engine, we’re here to evaluate arguably the sweet spot of the GLE line up, the new GLE 53, the replacement of the GLE 43. It aims to balance both comfort and performance into a fully formed SUV without overkill performance or an overkill price tag.

As such, the GLE 53 follows in the footsteps of the E 53 and CLS 53, bringing to the table a 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six engine that produces 429 hp and 384 lb-ft on its own, but Mercedes has also paired it with EQ Boost, a fancy term for an electric supercharger and a 48-volt electrical system. Much like in the CLS 53, this mild hybrid system serves multiple purposes. It powers the car’s electronics, acts as both a starter motor and alternator, allows the car to disconnect from the transmission while coasting at speed, and dishes out 21 hp and 184 lb-ft of supplementary torque that serves as an intermediary to eliminate turbo lag. Mercedes quotes a 0-100 km/h time of 5.3 seconds, a far cry from the rivaling X5 M50i that dishes out 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds instead, a full second quicker. It’s not much quicker than the GLS 450 (5.5 seconds) either that essentially uses the same engine but without the mild hybrid system. 

The GLE 53 is one of the slower AMGs we’ve driven. Keep in mind that it clocks in at 2,373 kg, the exact same as a Range Rover with a V8 engine. Yeah, the big Range. Stomp on the throttle and you get some decent acceleration from the inline-six, but nothing earth-shattering to throw you into your seat back. Most customers will find the thrust sufficient. For street duties, I wholeheartedly agree. It’s just the right amount. After all, this is just the replacement of the outgoing GLE 43.

Unlike the CLS 53, the GLE 53 carries the new Panamericana vertical-slat front grill, and it looks meaner here than in any other AMG application, due to the massive silver star badge and the way the grill protrudes outwards as if it's reaching out to swallow you. Amplifying the GLE’s bold and muscular shoulders, unique lines, and deep sockets, if there was one reason to upgrade from a GLE 450, it would be for the aesthetics alone. The flashy grill joins an AMG-specific front spoiler, larger air intakes, unique wheel designs, and a restyled rear bumper with quad exhausts finished in chrome. A side note: skip the optional running boards unless you seriously have trouble hopping into a mid-size SUV. Their odd placement and over-extended width make them more of a hindrance than anything else.