This weekend, it’s over the mountain and through the woods to the grandparents’ house we go. Our “horse and sleigh” is a brand-new 2026 GLE 350 4MATIC, loaded with Christmas presents for a holiday reunion. While the mid-size Mercedes SUV is easily up to the task of carrying my loved ones and luggage to grandma and grandpa’s, the GLE ultimately disappoints. Why? Well, the GLE 350 doesn’t feel fully sorted.
Before I get into the good and bad, let’s explore my GLE 350 4MATIC’s price and build. The cheapest GLE 350 starts at $62,250 and is a two-wheel-drive SUV. My loaner’s MSRP starts $2,500 dearer on account of its 4MATIC AWD.
When it comes to options, gray is the color of the day! My GLE 350 4MATIC has Selenite metallic paint and gray oak trim, which add $750 and $160 to the build, respectively. Locking wheel bolts, a load sill protector, rubber floor mats, and a first-aid kit push the price up by another $625. After the unavoidable $1,250 destination charge, the grand total is $67,535.
That’s a big bill, but this GLE 350 4MATIC does come standard with many features to sweeten the deal. For the passengers up front, there’s dual-zone climate control and heated seats. The driver will appreciate the 360-degree cameras and sonar sensors that aid parking, as well as the wireless smartphone connectivity. Everyone can enjoy the sunroof, attractive cabin lighting, and generous interior space.
Of course, as a Mercedes, the Stuttgart SUV is as solid as they come. There are no squeaks or rattles, and the GLE 350’s hefty doors and numerous airbags should keep us safe in the unfortunate event of an accident. The GLE 350 is quiet and comfortable; it hushes outside noise and coddles the driver in a highly adjustable, wonderfully supportive seat.
All of the above are good. So let’s continue on to the driving impressions and uncover the bad.
Our Christmas trip is overnight, but thanks to the GLE 350’s spacious trunk, we can be luxuriously undisciplined in our packing. We loosely stuff our clothing into a large 26-inch suitcase and a smaller 22-inch rollaboard. The suitcases, a Costco-sized box of presents, two backpacks, and several bags of groceries fit easily in the GLE 350’s hold.
There is no problem approaching the GLE 350 with arms full of groceries or gifts and the key fob in my pocket. A sensor under the bumper detects air kicks and opens the hatch. The GLE 350’s trunk floor is level with the door sill for easy loading. (Hidden under the elevated floor is a spare tire.)
My kids can load themselves into the SUV, and when they do, they discover business-class levels of legroom; even if my girls grow to WNBA heights, they’d be comfortable on the GLE 350’s back bench. That improbable pro-baller day is a way off, as my five-year-old still uses a child seat. Installing her seat is a cinch thanks to the prominent LATCH anchors in the seat bite.
I find a comfortable position behind the steering wheel. The front seats are excellent and will make my hour-long journey painless. My seat is heated, but not cooled, which is fine for this wet, chilly day. In a moment, I start the GLE 350, and we’re on the way!
I’m a steering snob and love to talk at length about the nuances of steering feel, but the GLE 350’s helm is light and lifeless. Like many modern EPAS systems, it builds recentering force as I crank the wheel, drawing back to center with elastic force. While I’d personally prefer more tire communication and road feel in my steering, the GLE 350’s tight-lipped and highly boosted steering seems appropriate for a large luxury SUV.
Unfortunately, as we make our way through town, a ceaseless stream of mild jitters and bumps disturbs the cabin’s calm. The standard shocks and springs work like supermarket-brand paper towels, absorbing a bit of the road mess but not wiping it clean. I’d recommend picky buyers (like me!) try the pricier GLE 450 with air suspension; it should deliver the absorbent Bounty-quality ride I want!
A 2.0L I4 turbocharged engine motivates the GLE 350. This mill makes 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, sips premium fuel, and delivers 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. Driving in town, I find the 255 hp to be plenty of poke as I scoot the GLE 350 away from stop signs.
The GLE 350 strives to be an efficient machine, saving fuel by shutting off the engine when the SUV is slowing to a stop. It is programmed aggressively, killing the motor at 5 mph during deceleration, well before it comes to a complete stop. While the strategy works great at traffic lights, I disable the start-stop off when driving from stop sign to stop sign. I have a bad habit of rolling stop signs at 2 mph, and the half-second delay in power when I get back on the gas just won’t do!
While Mercedes makes some sweet-voiced engines, the 2.0L I4 isn’t fit for the choir. The four-banger grumbles as it works, making gritty noises like a modern diesel.
Like a diesel, the GLE 350’s premium-powered mill is tuned for low-end torque. The turbo wakes up low in the rev range, and, as it spins, the torque swells and sweeps me through town.
Soon, the highway entrance is in sight. My girls and I have a little ritual we do at the top of the on-ramp. I ask, “Do you want to go fast?” and they respond, “Yes!” and we do!
But the GLE 350’s full-throttle romp is anticlimactic. The SUV is adequately powered, but it doesn’t thrust us deep into our seats.
According to Mercedes, the GLE 350 4MATIC needs 7.0s to run 0-60 mph. For a truly quick GLE, there is the 375 hp GLE 450 (5.3s to 60 mph). If, for some strange reason, you want to go faster, the 450e, 580, AMG 53, and AMG 63 are also offered. The latter hammers to 60 mph in just 3.7s!
Regardless, the GLE 350 is happy to lope across the Bay Area in the fast lane. Cruising in Comfort mode, the GLE 350’s automatic transmission uses ninth gear and runs the engine between 1.5k and 2k rpm. The low-rpm cruising boosts our fuel economy, but it leaves me with little torque. It doesn’t take much of a pedal prod or incline to force the transmission to downshift for power. As I navigate Marin’s hills and the pulses of holiday traffic, the transmission flicks between seventh, eighth and ninth gears. The shifts are smooth, hardly felt, with the changing engine tone being the most noticeable indicator of the cog swap.
While the suspension is too stiff in town, on the highway, it is under-damped. We have a few hilarious moments when the road suddenly rises for an overpass. The quick climb compresses the springs and loads them with energy, which, when released, sends us flying out of our seats and has the GLE 350 bouncing down the road. (Thank goodness for seatbelts)! The sensation is like dropping onto a trampoline and then being sprung into the sky. It’s carnival-ride fun at 70 mph, but could be downright dangerous at autobahn speeds.
As it turns out, our low-option GLE 350 lets in a bit of highway noise. There is a shushed, but audible, rush of wind and a louder hum of tire noise over rougher pavement.
Midway through the trip, it starts to rain. I switch on the wipers and reveal an even louder noise: the blades thump loudly when they reverse their sweep. Picky buyers who want the quietest Mercedes experience should look for the acoustic package from higher GLE trims.
The rain builds into a steady stream. The GLE 350 feels surefooted on its Michelin CrossClimate 275/55 tires and 19-inch wheels, cutting through the sopping wet pavement and finding grip below.
With the storm, wind has come, and the GLE 350 feels slightly nervous navigating through the gusts at 65 mph. In these conditions, the steering is too light, and I’d prefer more on-center weight to dampen my inputs.
The last miles to my parents’ house are along wooded country backroads. My eyes scan the edges of the road for any unwanted visitors; this is deer country. The GLE 350’s brakes can be worked with a light touch, and modest pressure triggers strong braking. Thankfully, I never need to pound the brake pedal to dodge a doe.
After our hour on the road, we arrive at our holiday destination. We scuttle from the GLE 350 into the house, escaping the storm’s persistent drizzle and cold grey skies for the warmth of family, fire and home.
The 2026 GLE 350 4MATIC has brought us safely to our holiday reunion; for this, I am thankful. But the SUV has not lived up to the Mercedes promise of utmost poise and comfort. The main problem is the suspension, which is somehow too stiff in town and too soft on the highway. Thus, I recommend GLE shoppers try the optional air suspension instead. With that and a few choice options, the GLE could be the serene, composed, family luxo-hauler it deserves to be.
Mike's Steering Column 