2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE Refresh Will Have You Seeing Stars

Mercedes-Benz isn't quite ready to redesign the midsize GLE, but another refresh certainly never hurts. After spending a little time driving a camouflaged prototype in the desert, we left with the impression that Mercedes had done a little more than just update the GLE's headlights to better match the CLA's new design language, but we also hadn't seen the final design. That wait is now over, so here you go. Meet the newly refreshed 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE and GLE Coupe. 

According to the folks at Mercedes, the refreshed version of the refreshed version of the GLE features "approximately 3,000 new or revised components." You get an updated front bumper with a larger grille chrome-framed grille and an illuminated Mercedes logo in the middle, as well as a new generation of the German automaker's side-view mirrors. There are also some new wheel and paint options, including the colors Dark Petrol and Manufaktur Patagonia Red Metallic. But as far as exterior changes go, the big story is new the new star-shaped headlight and taillight designs. 

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We've known for a while that the CLA's star-shaped headlights would spread to other vehicles, and the GLE is no exception. Personally, I prefer the look of the refreshed GLS's headlights, but and am ambivalent about how they look on the GLE. I'm sure plenty of other people will have much stronger opinions one way or the other. You should know, though, that if you do buy a GLE, you will be forever marked as someone who couldn't afford a GLS, even at night. To help differentiate the two SUVs, Mercedes gave the GLE two stars in each taillight but upped that to three on the GLS. You've got to pay up if you want a three-star Mercedes SUV.

That said, there's more to the GLE's new headlights than the stars. They also feature Mercedes' latest generation of lighting technology, reducing weight by about 25% while also decreasing energy usage by a claimed 50%. They should be brighter and help you see better at night, and oncoming drivers will appreciate that the GLE now offers a partial high beam function that promises to avoid blinding them while still illuminating the road better than more traditional headlight designs. Additionally, the cornering light should also be more effective now.

Inside, the GLE now gets the MBUX Superscreen treatment, which means the driver display, center screen, and new passenger screen are all combined into what initially appears to be a single panel spreading from one side of the car to the other, with round air vents also nicely integrated on the left and right sides. If you don't like screens, this probably isn't the midsize luxury crossover for you, but if screens are your thing, you'll be in heaven. Not everything is a screen, though, and Mercedes is proud to include a physical volume control on the steering wheel. 

Much of the rest of the cabin is pretty much the same, although the seats on the base model have updated upholstery, and you can order a few new color combinations. Instead, Mercedes put most of its effort into updating and improving its infotainment system. For 2027, the GLE gets Mercedes' new MB.OS operating system powering its MBUX infotainment system. Sadly, that does mean there's more AI nonsense, but apparently luxury customers really are looking for a rolling supercomputer that can act as an "intelligent companion that thinks, learns, and evolves with customers." 

That said, the AI nonsense does supposedly make the GLE's voice assistant software work better, now that it "unites the collective knowledge of the internet." And you have multiple new options for avatars. You also get other, cooler tech, even if not all of it's brand new, such as the optional augmented reality navigation display, the latest generation of its driver-assistance software, and optional E-Active Body Control suspension. We'll have to drive it sans camouflage before we can say whether the updated GLE is more comfortable or not, but it doesn't look like it'll be any less comfortable, and the SUV it replaces was already pretty darn comfy.

Under the hood, your options are all updated, with the GLE350 getting a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 making 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, now with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, while the GLE450 has a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six making 375 hp and 413 lb-ft. The GLE580 is still around, packing a new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with a flat-plane crank that puts out 530 hp and 553 lb-ft. Those looking to save money on gas will also have the option of choosing the GLE500e, a plug-in hybrid capable of a combined output of up to 429 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque, now using an inline-6 instead of a four-cylinder.

The GLE580 is going to be the quickest of the bunch, knocking out a 0-to-60-mph run in only 4.4 seconds, but despite not having quite as much power as the PHEV, the second-quickest GLE is the six-cylinder GLE450, coming in at 5.0 seconds. The PHEV GLE500e finishes third with a time of 5.5 seconds, significantly ahead of the base model and its 6.8-second time. Notably, the press release doesn't mention the word "transmission" even once, even though they're all stuck with Mercedes' nine-speed auto.

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Mercedes says the plug-in hybrid's battery is large enough to provide 67 miles of range on the WLTP cycle, so expect an EPA rating in the mid-to-low 50s. That's not enough to road-trip across the country without using the engine, but it should be plenty for most daily driving, while still not requiring a Level 2 charger to fully recharge overnight. Finally, Mercedes will continue to offer a version of the GLE with more coupe-like styling. At launch, the only non-AMG Coupe model available will be the GLE450, which gets the same inline-6 found in the non-coupe, but the price of style is a slightly slower 5.2-second 0-to-60 time. 

Finally, there's the Mercedes-AMG GLE53. Back at the end of 2023 Mercedes announced that the GLE53 would be gaining a plug-in hybrid system in 2026, and it seems the automaker has decided to wait for this facelift to do so. The basis of the powertrain is the same turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 as in the GLE450 and the old GLE53, now with an exhaust gas turbocharger. It's augmented by a 400-volt PHEV system with an unknown-sized battery pack an electric motor with 181 hp and 354 lb-ft. The engine makes 443 hp and 443 lb-ft on its own, but with all the hybrid stuff added in you get a total system output of 577 hp and 553 lb-ft.

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The automaker says both SUV and Coupe versions of the GLE53 will reach 60 mph in 4.4 seconds, half a second quicker than the old GLE53, and go on to a top speed of 155 mph; in electric mode it'll do 87 mph. You get a 9.6-kW onboard charger, but the battery can also be DC fast-charged at 60 kW, taking it from 10% to 80% in 20 minutes. Other AMG-specific features include specially tuned air suspension, unique drive modes, AMG styling inside and out, and even more Manufaktur options. (Expect the facelifted version of the V8-powered GLE63 to debut later.)

Mercedes hasn't said when the refreshed 2027 GLE lineup will go on sale here in the U.S., nor has it revealed pricing. Odds are, we'll have to wait at least a couple more months to get that information, even if it's a reasonable guess that the new GLEs will be a bit more expensive than the old ones. The current GLE450 and GLE450e are priced the same, and the GLE580 and GLE53 are priced the same. Hopefully that stays true with the 2027 models.