Natalie MerolaI've driven some tasteful, luxury PHEVs in my time, but the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE 500e's powertrain may just be the best I've tested.When I first laid eyes on the new 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE 500e at the global reveal, I already pictured myself behind the wheel of one. With a new plug-in hybrid electric, or PHEV, powertrain, an updated and tech-forward interior and plenty of family-friendly features, I knew I'd see them cropping up all over my neighborhood in Dallas, Texas. And I knew I needed to be behind the wheel of one.Starting at $68,400, the Mercedes-Benz GLE lineup is fairly accessible to a wider range of buyers—bringing true, top-tier luxury to people who window shop similar SUVs but find many too pricey. To find out what's new and how it feels on the road, we drove the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE 500e across mountains and valleys, in wet and dry conditions, from desert-type landscapes to high altitudes between of up to 10,100 ft above sea level.I was lucky enough to test the PHEV model, which starts at $81,000 and features a powerful gas/battery powertrain that generates 429 HP, has over 50 miles of all-electric driving and depending on how often owners charge it, has potentially incredible fuel economy. Our test drive took us through the Colorado mountains, a great place to test the all-wheel drive capability, range, and critical changes to the ride quality.Our stories, inboxed. Subscribe here!This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks. I was a guest of Mercedes-Benz, but all opinions and impressions are my own.First, My Favorite: The Bold, New LookA side view of the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE 500eThe overall muscular, boxy style 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE showcases a refined silhouette with the two twin-stars on the headlights and two on the back distinguishing it as a GLE. The GLS, the gas-only model, has stacked twin-stars on the front and three on the back.On the 500e, the illuminated grille with the center illuminated Mercedes-Benz star is standard. These lights are adaptive, so you can have your high beams on while it adjusts to movement and oncoming traffic that are designed to work without impeding visibility for the other driver. Not only do the lights also reduce the power used by 50%, but these efficient lights look great, too.Our Mercedes-Benz GLE 500e SUV is offered across various colors, but this one looked woodsy and luxurious in its Ireland Mid Green metallic paint. The GLE SUV has the rectangular exhaust tailpipes, while the Coupe has the angular ones. With standard 19" wheels, there are many new wheel designs to choose from, as well as optioning up to 20", 21", and 22" wheels.Women are changing the car biz. Meet them hereMercedes Gives Us a Lot More Powertrain Options for the GLEThe Mercedes-Benz GLE 500e fits right into the Colorado aestheticIronically enough, I see a lot of debates happening online arguing that "no one" wanted a PHEV version of the 5-seater GLE. Well, Mercedes-Benz has survey data that proves those naysayers wrong. A PHEV is a great way to kick down the doors of fuel efficiency by offering an electric-drive option to those who are EV-curious, but letting them feel confident with an inline 6-cylinder gas-powered engine, too.The Mercedes-Benz attitude of, "Why not have it all?" adds other options to the PHEV with a few different gas-only flavors:GLE 350 4MATIC: a 4-cylinder engine delivers 255 HP and 295 pound-feet of torqueGLE 450 4MATIC: a 6-cylinder engine generates 375 HP and 413 pound-feet of torqueGLE 580 4MATIC: a new V8 engine increases horsepower from 530 and produces 553 pound-feet of torqueAnd here's what the plug-in hybrid on the new GLE 500e 4MATIC's inline 6-cylinder engine plug-in hybrid delivers:Gas engine output: 322 HP, 395 pound-feet of torqueElectric: 181 HP, 354 pound-feet of torqueCombined: 429 HP, 502 pound-feet of torqueWe love PHEVs because they are a great way to ease into an EV lifestyle, as they help you adjust to charging the battery and adjusting to the drive style, quiet ride and efficiency. From a performance perspective, they are a lot of fun. Because of the electric motors, the power delivery is so effortless that you don't realize you're transitioning from using the battery power to the gas-powered acceleration. I couldn't believe it, so I had to keep an eye on the display to confirm that yes, it was that seamless.Watch: The ultimate luxury is found in the Mercedes-MaybachThe Interior Changes Showed Themselves ImmediatelyThe front seats and extra cushy head rests of the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE 500eRide quality and comfort is a huge part of Mercedes-Benz's brand identity, and it starts with the heated, powered, and ventilated front seats that have 4-way lumbar support and memory. The contrasting stitching and quilt-stitched seats visually signify refinement and top-notch details you'll not just notice, but feel every time you're behind the wheel.Having that extra cushy pillow on the headrest is more than just for style points. It made me feel supported and relaxed when driving the twisty, turning roads. When I first get into my seat, I turn on the massage feature. It is worth the splurge as an optional multi-contour front seats with massage feature upgrade package.Read: The 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e Is Fun, Fancy and … Free? With Plug-in Hybrid Power, It'll [Almost] Feel Like ItThere's Not a Bad Seat in the HouseThe interior of the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE 500eDon't forget to look up from any seat, and you'll find the panoramic roof gives you all the views you need to enjoy a starry-night sky or fluffy clouds in the day. There's not a bad seat on the drive, and you can opt for the third row seat package to seat up to 7 passengers (though we tested the two-row version).With the option to have soft-close doors and the AIRMATIC package featuring air suspension with intelligent damper control, you can quietly close the doors without much effort and drive without feeling every bump in the road. Softening your day and how your drive feels literally is the ride comfort you'd hope for in a luxury SUV.Mercedes-Benz is Leaning Heavily into Luscious TechThe new interior of the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE 500eThere are three 12.3" screens: driver display, center multimedia, and the passenger side. This is known as the MBUX "Superscreen," which creates an almost spaceship-like mission control upfront and we love how futuristic it feels with the interior materials.The driver display is high-resolution and helped me figure out unfamiliar highways and scenic routes, while also personalizing the head-up display with the arrows and turn-by-turn mapping. I love the customization aspect, so you can set your favorite features in Mercedes-Benz your way. It's also easy to refresh the software on your Mercedes-Benz GLE with the MB.OS receiving automatic over-the-air updates.With the voice assistant, you can navigate Google Maps and set the climate temperatures, among many helpful features. While you can set the temperature to your liking on each front seat, don't worry about the passenger distracting you. When in motion, the screen appears blank and essentially activates a privacy screen so only the passenger can see the screen. This is helpful, so your passenger can stay engaged and entertained when needed and you can drive without any additional distractions.Plug in, Charge, and Ride Like You Know Your WorthThere wasn't much I didn't like about the new Mercedes-Benz GLE 500eThrough the fall-colored leaves, wet roads, and sweeping mountains on the horizon, the varying terrain and ecosystems made for the perfect testing grounds in the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE 500e. I felt like I was floating on a cloud while driving with the air suspension softening each turn or curve with great ease and softness. We could barely even feel bumps in the road, especially when the potholes were pretty deep.I enjoy the tech in this SUV. The screens are nice and big, so the interior layout emphasizes its intentional space and gives it such a stylish and futuristic aesthetic. It is easy to drive hands-free while prompting with 'Hey Mercedes' and managing texts and calls, or even navigating around the mountains and into the forest.From the over-the-air updates, technology to keep us on point or entertained, and extra range on the battery, overall the GLE makes it so enticing to take the next step in electrification. Although you can go over all terrain, tow up to 7,700 lbs, and navigate through the mountains, even if you're driving your family around flat roads and never tow a thing, it's important to know your what you have available on your GLE SUV. While we do not have an exact arrival date, you can expect to see dealers receive them in late 2026.
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