Mercedes improves the GLE for the 2019 model year, growing the SUV in size while adding three-row seating as an option. The design is smoother with the German automaker packing its new SUV with the latest and greatest technologies. But it does have stiff competition from the redesigned 2019 BMW X5 and 2018 Audi Q7, which debuted for the 2016 model year.
Now that the GLE comes with an optional third row, it can better compete with the X5, which also has the option, and the Q7, which comes with three rows of seating as standard. That’s why the Q7 has a smaller cargo area compared to the X5 and GLE. All three offer wheelbase lengths that are less than three centimetres apart.
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE | 2019 BMW X5 | 2018 Audi Q7 | |
| Engine | 3.0-Liter Inline-Six | 3.0-Liter Inline-Six | 3.0-Liter V6 |
| Horsepower (bhp) | 362 | 335 | 333 |
| Torque | 369 | 330 | 325 |
| Transmission | 9-Speed Automatic | 8-Speed Automatic | 8-Speed Automatic |
| All-Wheel Drive | Standard | Standard | Standard |
Under the bonnet, the GLE sports a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline-six engine augmented with a mild-hybrid electric motor. This is for the GLE 450 4Matic trim. It's the only GLE trim Mercedes released information for. It produces 362 bhp and 369 pound-feet of torque with the electric motor adding 21 bhp and 184 lb-ft. It’s paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission.
| 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE | 2019 BMW X5 | 2018 Audi Q7 | |
| Length | 4,935 mm | 4,935 mm | 5,070 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,995 mm | 2,974 mm | 2,995 mm |
| Cargo Room (2nd row) | 825 litres | 960 litres | 420 litres (3rd-row standard) |
| Cargo Room (2nd row folded) | 2,055 litres | 2,047 litres | 2,027 litres |
The GLE is more powerful than its competitors. The X5 xDrive 40i has a turbocharged inline-six engine making 335 bhp and 335 lb-ft. The Q7 makes slightly less power from its supercharged V6 – 330 bhp and 325 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is standard across all three.
There is a GLE 350 trim coming that makes all-wheel drive an option. The GLE will come with a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder, which will compete with the 2.0-litre option of the Q7. Mercedes hasn’t released any information about that powertrain yet.
The redesigned Mercedes GLE, with its sleek aesthetic and improved performance, should give both the new X5 and aging Q7 stiff competition. We may even see some high-performance AMG models down the line, too.
Learn more about the 2019 Mercedes GLE
Gallery: 2019 Mercedes GLE Versus Audi Q7, BMW X5