Page 72 - Car South Africa (February 2020)

Mercedes-Benz GLE300d

4Matic 9G-tronic

Towering in stature, if not accomplishment, the entry-level version of the new GLE is a mixed bag

Price: R1 216 699 0-100 km/h: 8,50 seconds Top speed: 225 km/h Power: 180 kW Torque: 500 N.m CAR fuel index: 7,68 L/100 km CO : 169 g/km
2

Q7, X5, RR Sport, Nowhere near as Imposing design Head-turning in
XC90 – they’re accomplished as the and the engine its appearance but
all better and/ carefully specced punches above its lacks re nement

or cheaper versions I drove on weight but lacks pol- Nikesh Kooverjee
Terence Steenkamp the global launch ish in many areas
Ian McLaren Gareth Dean

ust over 20 years ago, the the segment but, while they did for attention. Now in its fourth sheetmetal. Take a stroll around

rst-generation M-Class carry a certain weight of pedigree, generation and pitched among this car and you’ll appreciate
J emerged from the shadows they weren’t as premium as the some accomplished opposition, just how hulking it is. Seated on
of the military-grade G-Wagen, M-Class and its rivals to follow; the GLE really needs to shine to a mildly tweaked version of the
kicking off what would eventually more of a Hunter Wellington boot honour its predecessors’ strong Mercedes-Benz MRA platform
become one of the most diverse than a Hugo Boss loafer, if you will. all-round performances in the which underpins a number of its
and hotly contested territories in Since the M’s entrance, the slew luxury-SUV segment. It’s a hefty larger sedan models and measur-
the automotive sphere: the luxu- of manufacturers moving into ask and, despite it impressing in ing 4 924 mm long, 1 947 mm wide
ry-SUV segment. the luxury SUV scene has come many areas, the latest GLE isn’t and 1 772 mm high, the GLE strikes
We could argue Land Rover’s in thick and fast, with the likes without its shortcomings. an imposing gure, wearing its
Range Rover Classic and Dis- of BMW’s X models, Porsche’s One area where the GLE cer- smooth skin over a two-box frame
covery were the progenitors of Cayenne and the Audi Q7 vying tainly doesn’t disappoint is the that houses a spacious interior.

70 CAR FEBRUARY 2020 CARmag.co.za