2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE450e 4Matic PHEV First Drive: If Not AMG, Why Not PHEV?

We like the GLE around here, even if Mercedes did take away the bouncy bounce, our favorite feature. Unfortunately, the refreshed 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class doesn't bring that back, but it does pack a compelling new item: the GLE450e 4Matic plug-in hybrid (PHEV) setup.

Technically, the entire GLE lineup got a refresh for the somehow-already-here '24 model year, but most of the changes are so minor you'd have to be a Mercedes-Benz salesperson to spot them. The headlights, taillights, grilles, and wheels all got relatively minor updates. On the inside, the new steering wheel is a lateral move, both in that it was pulled from the S-Class and its touch-sensitive controls are no less infuriating than the ones on the old steering wheel. There's also a software update for the powerful but wildly overcomplicated MBUX infotainment system, which, like the exterior treatments, no one will notice except when they get the option to connect Apple CarPlay or Android Auto wirelessly. Everything else is the same, inside and out.

The real story here is that new PHEV drivetrain. Consisting of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine (248 horsepower, 295 lb-ft) and an electric motor (134 horsepower, 325 lb-ft) that together produce 381 horsepower and 479 lb-ft, the 450e is more powerful than the turbocharged six-cylinder mild hybrid 450 and bound to get significantly better fuel economy when official figures are released.

Despite producing more power and torque, Benz does estimate the 450e will be slower to reach 60 mph than the 450, at 5.8 seconds versus 5.3. We presume this is because the 450e is heavier, but after driving both back to back we can't say you'll notice the difference. Half a second looks a lot bigger on paper than it feels behind the wheel.

The additional weight (how much exactly, Benz hasn't yet said) certainly won't help fuel economy, but it's certain to be offset by what it facilitates. Thanks to a 23.3-kWh battery pack, the 450e can go dozens of miles purely on electric power. As with other critical stats, Benz hasn't said how far yet, exactly, but we coaxed more than 30 miles out of the battery in hilly terrain before the gasoline engine first kicked over. We hadn't missed the gas portion of the powertrain to that point, as the electric motor's big torque was more than enough to move the 450e around nicely, even uphill.

It's an experience you'll easily replicate if you have somewhere to plug the car in at home. Benz hasn't released charging times, either, but with an 11-kW onboard charger it should easily charge overnight before you head out the next morning. With the average American driving 39 miles per day, you can likely knock out most if not all of your commute without ever firing up the gas engine.

Although we didn't miss the gas engine, we did miss the quiet. Outside noise is so well suppressed in the GLE, the nearly silent electric motor made for a very quiet and pleasant drive. The gasoline engine, by contrast, is a bit loud and coarse for such a quiet car and could stand to be better isolated from the cabin.

It's not the only area with room for improvement. The brake pedal could also use some work, which is odd because this is far from the first time Benz has had to blend regenerative and mechanical braking. It's very sensitive at first press, so you have to be very delicate with it lest you give everyone in the car whiplash. Once you're past the initial bite, it's suddenly very soggy in the midsection, and you have to press it nearly all the way to the floor to get strong, forceful braking.

Also in need of further calibration is the nine-speed automatic transmission. It works perfectly fine under hybrid power, but when shifting between reverse and drive in pure EV mode, it occasionally clunks hard into gear in a way quite unbecoming a Mercedes-Benz.

None of this is enough to not recommend the PHEV, though, and with a newfound ability to accept over-the-air (OTA) software updates, there's hope these concerns could be addressed before the 450e hits dealers this summer—or perhaps soon after. With the suggested refinements, it would be hard to recommend any other GLE over the PHEV, unless you really want an AMG badge on the back. For now, though, the standard non-hybrid 450 is the best all-around GLE you can get.