2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE

MY2018 belongs to the W166 generation (2012–2019). The volume GLE 350 4MATIC uses the naturally aspirated 3.5L V6, which is adequate but not strong for the class. The AMG 43 and 63/63 S trims sat above it.

273 lb-ft from a non-turbo V6 is modest for a vehicle of about 4,750 lb.

At about 7.5 seconds the volume trim is unhurried against turbocharged rivals, but the AMG trims are very quick.

The naturally aspirated V6 is smooth and lag-free, but it has to be worked hard to move a heavy SUV and feels dated next to rivals' turbo sixes. There is no turbo lag to speak of.

The GLE 350's 7G-Tronic 7-speed shifts smoothly and quietly, but it is slow to kick down and has fewer ratios than the 9-speed on the 2019 GLE 400 and the AMG 43.

A 7,200-lb rating is near the top of the mid-size luxury SUV class.

4MATIC AWD is standard on every trim except the base GLE 350, which is also offered with RWD. DYNAMIC SELECT includes off-road modes, and an optional package adds low range.

With optional AIRMATIC ride-height adjustment and off-road drive modes, the GLE manages light trails. It has no dedicated off-road trim or locking differentials.

MY2018 offered four distinct powertrains: the 3.5L V6, the GLE 550e plug-in hybrid, the AMG 43's twin-turbo V6 and the AMG 63's twin-turbo V8. The plug-in hybrid gave the lineup an electrified option that was dropped for 2019.

This is the EPA combined figure for the volume 3.5L V6 4MATIC trim, below average for a gas mid-size luxury SUV.

This is the EPA city rating for the GLE 350 4MATIC.

This is the EPA highway rating for the GLE 350 4MATIC, held back by its 7-speed gearbox.

EPA publishes no range for gas vehicles, so this is EPA combined MPG times the W166's 24.6-gallon (93 L) tank.

This is EPA's current annual fuel-cost estimate for the GLE 350 4MATIC, driven up by 19 MPG combined and the premium-fuel requirement.

EPA lists premium gasoline for the GLE 350, which raises running costs over regular-fuel rivals. An E85-capable flex-fuel version of the 4MATIC was also certified.

NHTSA never ran frontal or side crash tests on the W166 GLE, so the 2018 model has no overall star rating. It was rated only for rollover, where it earned 4 stars.

The 2018 GLE rates Good in every IIHS crashworthiness test, including both small-overlap tests, and earned a 2018 Top Safety Pick+. The award only covers cars built after March 2018 with the optional front crash prevention and the updated LED headlights, so most 2018 cars on the road don't qualify. That keeps the score at the bottom of the top band.

The standard suite is just a basic Active Brake Assist plus Attention Assist. Blind-spot monitoring, lane departure warning and prevention, and DISTRONIC PLUS adaptive cruise all cost extra, which makes a thin standard suite for a 2018 luxury SUV.

The optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function rates Superior in IIHS vehicle-to-vehicle tests. The standard system was never tested, and this generation has no pedestrian AEB rating.

Blind Spot Assist is optional, not standard. Active blind-spot intervention and cross-traffic braking come only with the optional driver-assistance packages.

With the optional package, DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist provides hands-on lane centering, and Active Lane Keeping Assist corrects drift. The system is an older generation and less polished than the one in the 2020 redesign, and base cars have no lane departure warning at all.

DISTRONIC PLUS is a full-speed-range adaptive cruise with stop-and-go, and reviewers found it smooth. It loses points for being an extra-cost option and for lacking the route-based speed adaptation of the 2020 redesign.

The 2018 GLE has no hands-free highway mode, because Steering Assist requires hands on the wheel.

IIHS rated four headlight variations from Good down to Poor. Only the curve-adaptive LED projectors with high-beam assist on Premium 2/3 cars built after March 2018 rate Good. Earlier LED versions rate lower, and the base halogen projectors rate Poor.

The upright greenhouse gives good forward and side sightlines, but thick D-pillars limit the rear-quarter view. A rearview camera is standard, and parking sensors and a 360° camera come in option packages.

IIHS rates the LATCH hardware Good for ease of use, with two full LATCH positions plus a tether-only center seat. Wide rear doors and a roomy second row make two child seats easy to fit.

The 2018 GLE is a W166 carry-over and seats five in every US trim. A third row came only with the 2020 W167.

Front headroom is generous without the sunroof. The panoramic roof that many GLE 350s carry costs about 1.5 in.

Front legroom on paper sits near the bottom of the SUV band, though the seats adjust widely.

Rear headroom is ample for adults in the two-row cabin.

Second-row legroom is generous for a two-row mid-size luxury SUV.

No third row was offered on the 2018 GLE, while rivals such as the Audi Q7, Volvo XC90 and Infiniti QX60 seat seven.

Cargo space behind the rear seat is large for a two-row SUV.

Maximum cargo volume with the rear seats folded is strong for the class.

Conventional storage: a center console bin, door pockets and a split-folding 40/20/40 rear seat. The column shifter frees console space, but there is nothing innovative.

Reviewers and owners rate the seats comfortable front and rear. Multicontour seats were optional, but heated seats sat in packages on the GLE 350.

The ride is smooth and comfort-biased on standard steel springs, and AIRMATIC air suspension was optional. Firmer than the plushest air-sprung rivals on big wheels.

The cabin is quiet and refined at highway speed, with low wind noise and a hushed naturally aspirated V6.

Dual-zone climate is standard. Heated front seats came in the Premium 1 Package; ventilated seats, a heated wheel and rear heated seats were extra-cost options, which is stingy at $54k.

In 2018, the W166 GLE's second-to-last US year, the lineup started at the rear-drive GLE 350 with a 3.5L V6. That is a mid-pack entry price for a mid-size luxury SUV.

The GLE 350 4MATIC was the volume trim. Dealer stock was typically built with Premium, Lighting and Driver Assistance packages, which add about $6k over base.

Mercedes service costs (A/B service intervals) are above class norms. Repair exposure grows after the 4yr/50k warranty, although the naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 in the GLE 350 is simpler than the twin-turbo engines.

German luxury SUVs depreciate steeply. The 2018 GLE also lost value once the redesigned W167 arrived for 2020.

Mercedes-Benz USA's new-vehicle limited warranty is 4 years/50,000 miles, typical of German luxury brands.

The powertrain gets no coverage beyond the basic warranty. Lexus, Acura, Infiniti and Genesis rivals offer 6–10 years.

There is no complimentary scheduled maintenance; Prepaid Maintenance plans cost extra. Perks are roadside assistance for the warranty term and an mbrace connected-services trial. BMW (Ultimate Care) and Volvo rivals included free scheduled maintenance.

$62,000 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (45% retained, or about $27,900) leaves about $34,100 in depreciation. Add the projected $6,600 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $40,700 in total.

MY2018 is a late carry-over year of the W166 generation, which launched in 2012 and was renamed GLE in its MY2016 facelift, so the build is mature and debugged. Owner surveys are strong. Air-suspension complaints and a few 2018-only build recalls keep it out of the top band.

Mercedes-Benz sits mid-pack to lower-mid in J.D. Power VDS and Consumer Reports brand rankings. It ranks ahead of Land Rover and Jaguar but well behind Lexus and generally behind BMW.

MY2018 has nine NHTSA campaigns, and seven reach the volume GLE 350. Three are fleet-wide eCall and communication-module software fixes, and one is the W166-wide fuel-pump control unit water-damage recall. Three affect only 2018 builds: uncoated rear brake caliper pistons that reduce braking, over-cured Continental tires, and a sunroof bonding defect covering 4 units. None is systemic, but MY2018 carries more build-escape campaigns than MY2019.

The GLE 350's naturally aspirated M276 3.5L V6 and 7G-Tronic Plus automatic are among Mercedes' most widely used and best-proven combinations, with no systemic failure pattern. The known weak points are peripheral: the fuel-pump control unit recall and oil leaks as mileage builds. The optional Airmatic air suspension is the most-cited owner failure.

The materials are high quality, with real wood and aluminum trim and soft-touch surfaces throughout. But the 2012-era dash design and its small infotainment screen were aging against newer rivals such as the Q7 and XC90.

Tuscaloosa assembly was mature by the generation's seventh year. However, MY2018 had two manufacturing-escape recalls (sunroof bonding primer and brake caliper coating), and owners report scattered trim rattles, battery drain and infotainment quirks.

Mercedes-Benz has one of the densest luxury dealer networks in the US, about 380 dealers, with mature service operations. Its J.D. Power service satisfaction is competitive within the luxury segment.

Parts are plentiful because the W166 platform and M276 engine had a long run, and independent and aftermarket support is broad. Labor and repair costs are still among the industry's highest, and a 2018 is long past its 4-year/50,000-mile warranty.

The 8-inch freestanding display is small for the class and is not a touchscreen. It is driven by the COMAND rotary dial and touchpad.

The pre-MBUX COMAND system is dated by 2018 and gives four redundant ways to control things. Reviewers call it confusing next to BMW iDrive and Audi MMI of the era.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were wired only and an extra-cost option on the GLE 350. There was no wireless projection at all.

COMAND navigation was optional (Premium 1) with Linguatronic command-style voice control. It works but is not natural-language, and most owners use phone projection instead.

The base audio is adequate. The optional harman/kardon Logic7 surround system is well regarded, and Bang & Olufsen was available higher up the range.

Analog dials with a central TFT multifunction screen. No full-digital cluster was offered on the W166.

No over-the-air software updates. Navigation map updates came through the dealer or downloads, and Mercedes OTA arrived with MBUX vehicles.

The Mercedes me / mbrace app offered remote lock/unlock, vehicle locator and remote start on equipped cars. It was subscription-based after a trial and had no digital key.

USB-A media ports and 12V outlets only. No USB-C, and wireless charging was not a factory feature on the W166.

Push-button start and a power liftgate are standard. Full KEYLESS-GO proximity entry and HANDS-FREE ACCESS liftgate were package options, and there was no phone-as-key.

A rearview camera is standard. PARKTRONIC sensors with Active Parking Assist and the Surround View camera were package options.

No head-up display appears in 2018 GLE equipment lists. Mercedes added a HUD option with the 2020 W167.

Rear-seat LATCH anchors are easy to use (rated Good), rear legroom is generous and the cargo hold fits a stroller easily. Being five seats only limits larger families.

Crash structure is good: IIHS Top Safety Pick+, but only with optional front crash prevention and post-March-2018 headlights. Blind-spot, lane and AEB systems all cost extra on the GLE 350, and NHTSA did not crash-test it.

Comfortable for four to five, with a large cargo hold and around 465 miles of range. Rear amenities such as climate zones and heated seats were optional.

Smooth, quiet and easy in traffic, with a commanding view. The naturally aspirated V6 and 7-speed feel leisurely, and stop/start is somewhat abrupt.

A mid-size footprint with an average 38.7-ft turning circle. Surround View and parking sensors were optional, so base cars rely on the rear camera.

Expensive to commute in: 19 MPG combined on premium fuel puts annual fuel cost well above average.

A strong 7,200-lb tow rating on 4MATIC models can handle a boat or camper. It is otherwise a luxury cargo SUV with no work-focused provisions.

A luxury-oriented interior and costly repairs make it a poor fit for hard use. Air suspension and electronics wear add risk as these vehicles age.

Roof rails, cargo tie-downs and an optional trailer hitch only. There are no AC outlets and no upfit ecosystem.

Quiet and comfortable with long range. DISTRONIC PLUS adaptive cruise was a costly Premium 3 option, and highway economy is weak at 22 MPG.

4MATIC AWD (the volume configuration; RWD GLE 350 also sold), a 7,200-lb tow rating and optional AIRMATIC ride-height adjustment cover gravel roads and toy hauling well.

80 cu ft maximum with a 40/20/40 split rear seat, roof rails and a hitch option make it flexible for bulky gear.

Secure and composed but comfort-tuned, with noticeable body roll in the heavy (~4,750 lb) GLE 350. The AMG GLE 43/63 sharpen it, but the volume trim is unremarkable next to a BMW X5 or Porsche Cayenne.

Precise enough and well weighted for cruising, but light and uncommunicative.

Stopping distances are typical for the class with a progressive pedal. It is nothing exceptional given the weight.

The naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 is smooth and the 7G-TRONIC shifts cleanly, but response is leisurely (0–60 mph 7.5 s). Rivals had moved to turbos and 8–9-speed gearboxes.

The V6 is refined and well isolated. It gets audible but never coarse when worked hard.

An average turning circle for a mid-size SUV.

The elevated, adjustable driving position is good, but the column shifter, Mercedes' cluster of stalks and redundant COMAND controls take learning.

Pleasant and relaxing rather than engaging. The GLE 350's modest pace and comfort tuning make it forgettable for enthusiasts, unlike the AMG variants.

The 2018 GLE 350 came with a 302-hp 3.5L V6, power liftgate, MB-Tex upholstery, a backup camera and COMAND controls. Navigation, blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise and most driver aids sat in option packages, so it is sparser than Lincoln or Volvo rivals.

The entry price was competitive for the badge and the ride. But option-package costs and the aging W166 interior and infotainment made content-per-dollar only fair against the Volvo XC90 and Audi Q7.

The range ran from the RWD GLE 350 through the 350 4MATIC, the 550e plug-in hybrid and the AMG GLE 43, up to the AMG GLE 63/63 S, plus GLE Coupé variants. That is a wide, well-spaced lineup, though two-row only.

The GLE was one of Mercedes' highest-volume US nameplates and a top seller among mid-size luxury SUVs in 2018, even late in the cycle.

Mercedes-Benz is one of the most aspirational luxury brands in the US, and the three-pointed star carries a strong halo. This is tempered somewhat by middling reliability perception.

Late in the W166 cycle, Mercedes Financial lease support and dealer discounts on the GLE were common. They were somewhat less aggressive than the 2019 run-out.

The W166 dates to the 2012 model year and was facelifted and renamed GLE for 2016. The redesigned W167 was unveiled in October 2018, so 2018 buyers were one year from replacement.

Reviewers praised the comfortable ride, refinement and the strong AMG GLE 43. They criticized the dated COMAND infotainment and interior, and the GLE rarely beat the XC90, Q7 or X5 in comparisons.