New 2023 Mercedes GLE spotted in AMG 53 form

Mercedes will also continue to offer a coupe version of the GLE

Mercedes is in the midst of giving its SUV lineup a refresh. The new GLC (the firm’s best-selling car globally) will be with us in the coming months, and the GLS is receiving a mid-life refresh. The GLE sits between these models in terms of size and is also about to undergo a revamp. We’ve caught it testing once again.

We expect the newly revised Mercedes GLE to be launched in 2023, alongside the new GLC and GLS – perhaps serving as a reminder that Mercedes hasn’t forgotten about its all-important internal-combustion engined SUVs in the face of its rapidly growing EQ electric brand.

The GLE is getting some new rivals in the shape of the Volvo EX90 and the new Range Rover Sport – which means Mercedes’s current offering, first launched in 2019, is starting to look less fresh.

On this latest test car we can see the new front bumper with very limited camouflage. It incorporates the same blade-like lower bumper design seen on the facelifted A-Class and new C-Class. The slatted radiator grille and LED headlights have also been redesigned.

Changes at the rear aren’t as noticeable, with the only major update being a set of new tail lights. Even the current car’s lower valence – a usual candidate for a facelift – appears to have remained unaltered.

It’s the first time we’ve seen the GLE Coupe being tested alongside the regular GLE and unlike the upcoming GLC we could see the coupe version being launched at the same time.

Inside we’re expecting some minor upholstery tweaks and a new steering wheel, similar to Mercedes’ strategy with the recently facelifted E-Class. The infotainment system on previous prototypes looks to be the same dual-screen system found on the current GLE, although we expect Mercedes will load it with the latest MBUX software.

Mercedes shouldn’t fiddle too much with the GLE’s engines for this facelift, either. Like before, there’ll be six options for buyers to choose from, starting with the 300 d. It’s a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine with 268bhp and 550Nm of torque which, like every model in the GLE line-up, will be mated to a nine-speed automatic gearbox and a four-wheel drive system.

Above that, there’ll be the 400 d, which features a 3.0-litre straight-six diesel engine with 325bhp and 700Nm of torque. Those after zero-emission capability (or low company car tax) will be able opt for the plug-in hybrid-powered GLE 350 de, which mixes a 2.0-litre diesel with an electric motor and a 31kWh battery pack for a combined output of 316bhp.

More importantly, Mercedes says the system found on the existing GLE 350 de can cover up to 60 miles on electric power alone and return up to 353.1mpg on the WLTP cycle – and those figures will likely be carried over onto the facelifted model.

At the top of the line-up, there’ll be a trio of petrol-powered options – two of which will feature AMG badges. The GLE 450 will be the least powerful of the three, sporting a 362bhp 3.0-litre straight-six. However, the AMG GLE 53 will push that figure up to 429bhp, slashing the SUV’s 0–62mph time down to 5.3 seconds.

The flagship variant will be the AMG GLE 63 S, and we’re not likely to see the 2.0-litre, turbocharged plug-in hybrid system from the new C 63. Instead it will feature the same fire-breathing twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 as the AMG E 63 S. The engine will see the SUV’s output soar to 604bhp and 850Nm of torque, trimming its 0–62mph time to 3.8 seconds.

Now read about the Mercedes GLE’s all-electric sibling, the EQE SUV…