Anthony on Autos: 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLE53 4Matic+

by   Anthony Fongaro  - photos by Mercedes-Benz  - 10/27/2023

Wait, this car isn’t a Mercedes-Benz? What gives and who is “AMG”? Well, AMG used to be just the internal tuning company for Mercedes-Benz. It’s similar to Audi’s RS vehicles and BMW’s M Division. What you’ll find now is that AMG has a more significant role in the company, hence the name-dropping “Benz”. They make some genuinely powerful and great-sounding vehicles. This time, they got their hands on the GLE, did some magic, and turned it into the AMG GLE53. I’ll get into the powertrain differences between the regular GLE, but for now, it’s time to check out those looks!

Eagle-eyed viewers, such as yourselves, can notice the differences to the GLE53. Take a look at the rear and you’ll see quad tailpipes, two on each corner. The regular GLE’s tail lights still adorn the rear, which are quite angular and joined by some metal trim. The biggest difference between the regular GLE? The badging. On the left of the tailgate is an AMG badge, while the right says GLE53. If you don’t notice those, there are other subtle clues. Although this was painted in Cirrus Silver paint, it also sported 21-inch AMG silver with black wheels. An exterior AMG Night Package paints the front splitter, various trim, exterior mirrors, and roof rails in High-Gloss Black. This extends to the AMG Exhaust System and Twin Tailpipes in Black Chrome. Menacing. 

To let you know this has a turbocharged engine, there is a turbo badge on the side. If you’re used to a Mercedes-Benz badge, this does have one on the grill. It’s the AMG Panamericana slatted grill. However, on the hood, you’ll see a special badge. It’s AMG’s badge which says Allafterbach, home of Mercedes-AMG. Changes in the front are a little more subtle but the AMG Night Package brings a good balance of black trim and front splitter with the silver paint. GLE53 isn’t a sleeper, but it is handsome and more aggressive than the regular GLE. This is a good thing since AMGs should be mad.

Hop inside, and you get a very luxurious black Nappa interior with carbon fiber trim pieces. The first thing that sticks out is the steering wheel. This isn’t your normal steering wheel. AMG steering wheels have two dials to quickly go through various sports settings. You can individually set the steering, exhaust, suspension, and AMG Dynamics on the left. The right dial is for your various drive modes including extremely aggressive Sports settings. There are haptic buttons on the steering wheel which I found quite annoying, especially since you use them to control the digital dials and infotainment system.

Mercedes’ new infotainment system is very responsive, easy to use, and pairs with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Want to have a G-meter? It’s there! Although slightly integrated with the infotainment system, there are physical buttons for the steering wheel with a few USB-C ports. Luxury continues with heated and ventilated front seats with Seat Kinetics, which will adjust the bolsters and lumbar support to keep your body awake. Beautiful ambient lighting is present in the overall larger handles near the center console. It has a beautiful interior and feels high-class, except for the turn indicators and shifter. They just feel like cheap plastic that came from an A-Class. Because they did.

Some cheap plastics wouldn’t turn me off, because of that engine. It’s quite an interesting engine. AMG is known for shoe-horning V8s into their vehicles, but those are labeled as 63s (for now). As a 53, this has a 3.0-liter inline six. Which is supercharged. And turbocharged. And has 48-volt technology. So, this is a supercharged and turbocharged 3.0-liter hybrid inline six which produces a very healthy 429 horsepower/316 kW and 413 lb-ft/560 Nm. Combined with a nine-speed automatic and AMG’s 4Matic+ AWD system, the GLE53 gets from 0-60 MPH in 4.4 seconds. Put everything in maximum and you get up to speed quickly. I appreciate the option of having a quieter exhaust when you’re on the motorway or driving around at 6:00 AM.

GLE is a tall SUV, but the chassis tuning and suspension make it pretty good around the bends. Air suspension also helps on bumpy roads and makes this GLE53 very comfortable. With a great engine, you get less than 20 MPG. You can get around 20, but don’t be surprised if 18 is the highest you get. Or 9 if you want the GLE53 in its most powerful and playful mood. As a Mercedes, the GLE53 gets a large amount of safety tech. These include a 360-degree camera, lane keep assist, attention assist, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, and a few other features.

2024 Mercedes-AMG GLE53s start at around $87,000. Surprisingly, this only had a few options. These were: $1,750 for the carbon fiber trim, $500 for the AMG performance steering wheel in Nappa leather and microsuede, a $450 Cold Weather package, $1,300 for the wheels, and $700 for the appearance package. All in, you’re looking at $93,000. That’s only $6,000 worth of options on a Mercedes. I say only…but this is well-equipped and has all the options you would want in your GLE53.

Should you get one? I would ask: inline-six or V8? The GLE63 exists, but it’s a whopping $30,000+ more. The thing is, unless you like the sound, you don’t need it. You don’t need a GLE53 but it is desirable. It’s a handsome SUV with a lot of power, a lot of personality, and plenty of luxury. The thing I would change on this spec is a blue exterior. Otherwise, it’s an excellent machine. It might not be often, but in this case, picking the inline-six is the better deal. If you like the GLE but want more power, take a look at the GLE53. It’s one of my favorite performance SUVs.