- Refreshed GLE and GLE Coupe arrive with more potent and more efficient powertrains.
- All GLE models now have standard 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD).
- New light signatures bookend the exterior, and screens cover the dash on the inside.
The refreshed 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE midsize SUV rolls into the new year with starry-eyed light fixtures on either end, as well as revised inline-6 and V-8 powertrains under the hood, Mercedes revealed Tuesday. All-wheel-drive (AWD) will be standard across the lineup for both the GLE SUV and GLE Coupe body styles, and the interior of both models features an array of screens in triplicate across the dash.
In its reveal at the New York Auto Show, Mercedes boasted 3,000 new or revised components to its best-selling model, which is made in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The five-seat SUV has more sound-deadening material that promises a quieter ride, a “supercomputer” running over-the-air updates, three 12.3-inch display screens under a seamless pane of glass, and tri-star shaped LED headlights and taillights.
Top engines on both models are more powerful and more efficient than the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE and all powertrains now use a 48-volt starter/generator to help power the SUV off the line and to shut off the engine while coasting to conserve fuel.
Here’s a look at the changes to both the 2027 GLE SUV and 2027 GLE Coupe.
What’s New in the 2027 GLE SUV
- GLE 500e rated at 429 horsepower, 502 lb-ft of torque, up from 381 hp and 479 lb-ft in the 2026 GLE 450e.
- GLE 580 V8 rated at 530 hp, 553 lb-ft, up from 510 hp and 538 lb-ft in the 2026 GLE 580.
- Supercomputer enables more sophisticated driver assistance
In essence, the revised powertrain lineup features more responsive engines with quicker sprint times. Mercedes claims the revisions make the powertrains more efficient, but there was no available data to back that up at press time.
With standard AWD, or 4Matic in Mercedes-speak, Mercedes no longer offers the base GLE 350. The entry-level GLE 350 4Matic mostly carries over with a 255-hp, 295 lb-ft rating from its turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4, but a new electric compressor boosts responsiveness and acceleration. Mercedes estimates a 0-to-60-mph time of 6.8 seconds, down from 7 seconds in the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350.
The GLE 450 uses a revised turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 that boosts torque from 369 to 413 lb-ft. The 375-hp rating remains the same, but 0-to-60-mph times drop from 5.3 to 5 seconds.
The GLE 500e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) replaces the 450e and uses the inline six-cylinder instead of the old model’s four-cylinder engine. It generates 429 hp (from 381 hp) and 502 lb-ft (from 479 lb-ft). It’s not as fleet-footed as the GLE 450, but at 5.5 seconds it’s 0.3-seconds quicker to 60 mph than last year’s GLE 450e.
The range-topping GLE 580 gets the most significant changes. The twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 uses a flat-plane crankshaft instead of a cross-plane one, and additional revisions ensure more efficiency. It now makes 530 hp (from 510 hp) and 553 lb-ft (from 538 lb-ft), with an estimated 0-to-60 mph of 4.4 seconds. That’s actually one-tenth slower than the 2026 GLE 580.
The GLE 580 also has a new available air spring suspension utilizing the supercomputer’s processors to predict and control spring and damper forces at each wheel. This should help adventurers seeking to off-road their six-figure SUV. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but the outgoing GLE 580 started at about $92,000. For more domestic demands, the air suspension can also lower the rear 2 inches to unload groceries or load dogs.
What’s New in the 2027 GLE Coupe
- GLE Coupe offers a single turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 rated at 375 hp and 413 lb-ft.
- GLE Coupe has a larger grille fronted with an illuminated star.
- Available tri-star headlights use 50% less energy than its predecessor.
The GLE Coupe carries over with a mostly similar turtle-back design that is more aerodynamic but also pinches rear headroom compared to the GLE SUV. Otherwise, the changes to the GLE SUV apply to the GLE Coupe, except the Coupe only comes with one powertrain.
The GLE 450 Coupe uses the SUV’s revised turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 that boosts torque from 369 to 413 lb-ft. The 375-hp rating remains the same, but 0-to-60-mph times drop from 5.3 to 5.2 seconds.
Mercedes claims that this engine, like those in the GLE SUV, is designed to meet future emissions standards.
The Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Hybrid also arrives with revisions, but we cover that separately.
The 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV and GLE Coupe are slated to arrive at dealerships in the second half of 2026.
