Used 2018 Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG GLE Coupe

The 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLE Coupe is all about speed and style. It’s a high-performance all-wheel-drive SUV with a fastback body and twin-turbocharged engines cranking out as much as 577 horsepower. It’s also a sexier, sportier and more expensive version of the more conventional Mercedes GLE SUV. Think of it as the GLE’s crazy cousin that can sprint to 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds. Don’t be fooled by the “coupe” in the SUV’s name. It’s not a 2-door. It’s more of a 5-door hatchback. Engineered for performance by AMG, which is the in-house hot-rod shop at Mercedes-Benz, the AMG GLE Coupe is available as the turbocharged-V6-powered Mercedes-AMG GLE43 Coupe, and the turbo-V8-powered Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S Coupe. Prices start around $72,000, which is about $10,000 more than the base BMW X6. 

In Comfort mode the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLE Coupe isn’t as sedate as less performance-tuned Mercedes SUVs, but it’s compliant and luxurious. You can feel the road rolling under the GLE’s huge wheels and tires, but the serenity of the GLE’s interior is more than satisfactory for any luxury SUV buyer. Dial the AMG Dynamic Select system to Sport or Sport+ and head to the hills, and the GLE Coupe’s personality changes dramatically. It’s now a snarling high-performance machine with a stiff ride. Toss the GLE Coupe into some corners and there’s plenty of grip from the SUV’s big tires; however, this is heavy truck weighing over 5,000 pounds and its mass can be felt, especially over rougher roads. Power is never an issue. The AMG GLE43 offers very good acceleration, and the 9-speed automatic transmission clicks off shifts without a thought. It also responds quickly when you use the GLE’s paddle shifters.

The new AMG GLE Coupe shares much of its interior design with the regular GLE SUV, with one major difference: There’s a lot less interior space thanks to the sweeping roof and curvy shape. There’s decent cargo space behind the 2nd-row seats, but its 23 cubic feet pales next to the 38-plus found in the GLE SUV. The new AMG GLE Coupe’s cabin also features a flat-bottom steering wheel, aluminum pedals, carbon-fiber-look gauge faces and other racy touches. The seats are comfortable, if firm seats are your thing, and the fit/finish in this Mercedes-AMG is extraordinary. There’s also plenty of storage.

There are four passenger doors on the AMG GLE Coupe, so it is not, strictly speaking, a coupe. But its coupe-like roofline is a sharp contrast to the upright GLE SUV, so we’ll give it a pass here. Still, the unique look of the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLE Coupe is a study in love-it-or-leave-it. Some think the rear end can look bulbous from some angles, while others find the GLE’s carlike body style, massive wheels and tires and high-riding suspension to be the ultimate expression of muscularity. Few would call it beautiful, but it is a head-turner, it’s imposing, and it has presence.

AMG DYNAMIC SELECT
Standard on both the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLE43 Coupe and the GLE63 S Coupe, this system allows the driver to tune the vehicle’s dynamics with five settings; Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Slippery as well your own custom personal mode called Individual. With the twist of a dial, the driver adjusts the GLE’s ride, handling, acceleration and the sound of its engine.

PARKING PILOT
This optional system, which is available for $970, takes all the stress out of parallel-parking a new AMG GLE Coupe. Parking Pilot helps you identify a suitably sized parking space and then it will control the SUV’s steering and brakes as it backs into the space. Controlling the gear selection is still up to you.

Beyond the "AMG enhanced" everything — ranging from the transmission to the steering to the suspension and all-wheel drive — the base AMG GLE43 Coupe offers heated and power-operated front seats covered in MB-Tex faux leather, a power liftgate, power-adjustable steering wheel, navigation, rearview camera, dual-zone climate control and 21-inch wheels. The standard audio system includes Bluetooth streaming, USB/SD inputs and HD Radio, all operated through a Mercedes’ COMAND touch-pad control system and 8-inch display. Opt for the more powerful AMG GLE63 S and you get Nappa leather seating, active parking assist, blind-spot monitoring, and a harman/kardon premium audio system, along with the powerful twin-turbo V8.

There’s the larger, more powerful engine, of course, in the new GLE63 S Coupe, along with the aforementioned upgraded features. As for stand-alone options, there’s a cornucopia ranging from a Convenience package with soft-close doors and heated/cooled cup holders, to massaging seats. Optional safety and driving aids include active lane-keeping assist, dynamic cruise control and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. Mercedes-Benz also offers Parking Pilot, which can practically parallel-park the SUV for you and a Surround View that helps you see all around the vehicle. In addition to the standard harman/kardon premium audio system there’s an ultra-premium Bang & Olufsen system available.

The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 under the hood of the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLE43 Coupe puts out 385 horsepower through a 9-speed automatic transmission on its way to an all-wheel-drive system with a serious 40:60 rear-drive bias. However, if you really want to burn rubber, step up to the AMG GLE63 S Coupe. Its handcrafted 5.5-liter twin-turbo V8 puts out an astonishing 577 horsepower, enough to make it one of the most powerful SUVs in the world. The V8’s power goes through a 7-speed automatic. Note that this is a performance-oriented all-wheel-drive system — the AMG GLE Coupe is not intended as an off-road machine. However, you can tow with it: A Class III hitch is available, and it can pull up to 7,200 pounds.

3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6
385 horsepower @ 6,100 rpm
384 lb-ft of torque @ 1,800-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/22 mpg

5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8
577 horsepower @ 5,250-5,750 rpm
561 lb-ft of torque @ 1,750-5,250 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 14/18 mpg