2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43 Coupe

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Rating7.6

Ranked #10 in 

Midsize SUV
Write Review
$71,350
Estimated Price 
Amratya Nigam's image
Amratya Nigam 

Automotive Journalist,

Updated on November 3, 2023

ProsConsWhat's New

Spacious and comfortable cabin

Sub-par cargo space

A new AMG Performance Studio Package for the GLE 43 AMG

Blistering performance

Limited rear headroom

Plethora of active safety features

Specs & Features

$71,350

price

TBD

horsepower

TBD

torque

9-Speed Automatic

transmission

3.0L 6cyl 9A

engine

-

basic warranty

Overview

Designed by some of the best German designers and tweaked by the pompous AMG factory, the AMG GLE 43 is what you get when a big engine meets a big body. It might look like a beefed-up GLC but Merc narrates a completely different story here. Everything is great about this rugged SUV except, for one thing, it follows the same tire marks as last year iteration and is in a desperate need of an upgrade, visually. Mechanically? It's still a monster.

Buying Advice

Away from its crazy cousins, the AMG GLE 43 offers a smooth ride but in a way that doesn't hamper the AMG vibe. We recommend you to buy the GLE 43 as it is offered, but give a thorough look at the Premium optional packages, you will find a multitude of appealing features you may want to add in your GLE.

Comparative Analysis against Competition

The GLE 43's AMG-tuned motor and styling will cost you a fortune, 12 grand to be exact. However, the 30 horsepower bump added with the sporty DNA is worth the money. While Mercedes offers a lot of quirks and features, other brands are not far behind. The market is brimming with other performance SUVs like BMW X5, Land Rover Range Rover, and Porsche Cayenne. With prices set above the $70k mark, let's move ahead and find out if the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE 43 AMG poses any threat to the rivals in the segment.

Features
8.5/10

The performance version of the GLE is either offered as a GLE 43 or GLE 63. The GLE 63 is powered by a 3L V6 engine paired to a 9-Speed automatic. Despite the engine difference, both cars can tow a similar amount of weight. The GLE 63 is equipped with a 360-degree parking camera, sports steering, tire upgrade, collision warning and more.

Trim

Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43

MSRP

$71,350

Key

Features

AMG-enhanced 3.0L V6 biturbo engine

 

Sport-Tuned Direct steer

  AMG Sport Exhaust System
  AMG Dynamic Select
  ECO Start/Stop system
  AMG-enhanced 9G-TRONIC transmission
  AMG Performance 4MATIC all-wheel drive

We Recommend

Away from its crazy cousins, the AMG GLE 43 offers a smooth ride but in a way that doesn't hamper the AMG vibe. We recommend you to buy the GLE 43 as it is offered, but give a thorough look at the Premium optional packages, you will find a multitude of appealing features you may want to add in your GLE.

Engine and Performance
8.0/10

The 3.0 L V6 engine might not share the similar beastly sound like the GLC, but on a long road it's vibrant blare isn't inferior to any other. The 7-speed automatic transmission channel a smoother ride while engine muscles up a 385 hp of power and 384-pound-feet of torque.

Models

Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43

BMW X5 xDrive 35i

Land Rover Range Rover Sport SE

Porsche Cayenne

MSRP

$71,350

$60,495

$66,750

$65,700

Engine

3.0L V6 Biturbo

3.0L TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder

3.0L V6 Supercharged

3.6L V6 w/Direct Fuel Injection

Transmission

7-Speed Automatic

8-Speed Automatic

8-Speed Automatic

8-Speed Automatic

Horsepower

385 hp

300 hp

340 hp

340 hp

Torque

384 lb-ft

300 lb-ft

332 lb-ft

331 lb-ft

Marked with the highest price the GLE 43 also features the highest power. The Range Rover Sport SE ties with the Porsche Cayenne on 340 horsepower. However, the BMW X5 is the lager with the lowest price and power output.

Acceleration

The AMG GLE 43 SUV might seem like a car you would drop your children to school or get groceries from the supermarket in, but the power says otherwise. This SUV can pin you back with its monstrous 5.6-second acceleration, which is a phenomenal number for a car of carrying that much weight. It reaches a quarter of a mile in roughly 14 seconds, which gives soccer moms some new ambitions.

Models

Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43

BMW X5 xDrive 35i

Land Rover Range Rover Sport SE

 Porsche Cayenne

0-60 MPH

5.6 sec

6.0 sec

6.8 sec

5.9 sec

Quarter mile

14.1 sec

14.6 sec

15.5 sec

14.4 sec

Engine

3.0L

3.0L

3.0L

3.0L

Emission

(Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)

9.3

8.4

9.2

N/A

The competition is filled with decent performance SUV's but none of them matches up to the GLE 43's acceleration. The Porsche Cayenne is the nearest delivered a 5.9-second performance. On the other hand, the Range Rover sport being the heaviest took 6.8 seconds to propel from 0 to 60 second.

Ride and Handling

The AMG GLE 43's handling could be summed up in two words "Impeccable Stability" though that comes during the middle of the drive. Behind the wheel, the first impression you encounter is the well-adjusted steering wheel. You won't feel the dramatic downsides of body roll, a phobia of any SUV under the same category. Also, there is a good amount of road communication you can, literally feel the road and what the car is doing below all the time.

The drive modes are a real bliss, the car instantly changes character going from Sport to Sport plus. But one thing remains the same, you can really sense the car's weight at high speeds, at last, it's an SUV.

Braking

Despite the humongous weight, the AMG GLE 43 comes on a grinding halt from 70 mph in 172 feet. The wider footnote adds the extra grip and the brakes have a decent bite. The pedal feels confident and shares a sense of predictability too.

Model

Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43

BMW X5 xDrive 35i

Land Rover Range Rover Sport SE

Porsche Cayenne

Brake Front (in.)

13.8

13.7

15.0

13.7

Brake Rear (in.)

13

12.6

14.4

12.9

Curb Weight (lbs.)

4987

4791

4839

4377

70-0 MPH (ft.)

172

178

NA

N/A

The Mercedes Benz AMG GLE 43 braking fits right into the buyer's demands. All performance crossovers in this lot perform well in the braking territory. However, in a dead competition, the BMW took some extra distance to stop.

Maximum Towing capacity

The fine size and power are not for show, the AMG GLE 43 puts up a show with its 7200 pounds of towing capacity. The SUV can trailer 15 fully grown grizzly bears with that much power. The All-Wheel-Drive helps the SUV torque it's way through the tarmac and exceeds the normal norms of practicality.

Model

Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43

BMW x5 xDrive 35i

Land Rover Range Rover Sport SE

Porsche Cayenne

Weight (lbs)

7200

5952

7716

7700

Drive Train

AWD

AWD

AWD

AWD

Engine

3.0L

3.0L

3.0L

3.0L

In power play the GLE 63 stands right next to the competition. However, the Range Rover Sport and Porsche Cayenne offer more power than the GLE 43. The X6 was the lager with 5952 pounds of towing capacity.

Fuel Economy
8.0/10

Well with more horses comes stronger thirst, the V6 on the GLE 43 underperforms on the ground of efficiency. The car delivers a 17 mpg city and 22 mpg of highway mileage. So, be prepared for occasional stops at the gas station.

Model

Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43

BMW X5 xDrive 35i

Land Rover Range Rover Sport SE

Porsche Cayenne

MPG (city)

17

18

17

N/A

MPG (highway)

22

24

23

N/A

MPG (combined)

19

20

19

N/A

The AMG GLE 43 gives out 19 mpg of combined mileage parallel to the Range Rover Sport. The BMW X5 gives a tad more on both highway and city, overall delivering a 20 mpg of combined mileage. Well, if you demand a lighting quick car and expect it to haul your entire family, you need to compromise on the economy a little.

Interior
8.5/10

Seating and Comfort

The AMG GLE 43's interior largely resembles a typical GLE class setting. A similar luxury quotient followed by a flat bottom steering wheel and touches of carbon fiber finish. The design is synonymous to the Coupe version with the only major difference being the coupe roofline which is cramped up the rear headroom coupe variant.

The front seats get the bulk of the openness with 38.9 inches of headroom and 40.3 inches of legroom space. The rear seat passengers may need to compromise with the headroom space in the coupe but this one does not have that problem.

Model

Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43

BMW X5 xDrive 35i

Land Rover Range Rover Sport SE

Porsche Cayenne

Passenger capacity

5

5

5

5

Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)

38.9/58.5/40.3

39.3/60.5/40.3

39.5/60.7/42.2

39.6/58.9/40.2

Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)

38.5/58.4/38.4

37.2/57.9/35.6

39.1/59.5/37.0

37.3/56.2/35.7

The Range Rover Sport might be a little shorter in length but delivers more legroom and headroom. Other than that all SUV in this competitive lot is enough spacious to deliver maximum comfort.

Infotainment

The 8-inch infotainment mounts over the central console. Though it isn't a touchscreen the functions are controlled through a rotary nob and trackpad. The Mercedes Benz COMAND infotainment system is responsive and easy to use. Other than that, the car is packed with essential phone integration like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Other features include

  • 14-Speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system
  • Satellite Radio
  • Navigation
  • Voice command
  • Bluetooth Connectivity
  • 2 USB ports
  • Remote start

Cargo volume

Alongside the rear headroom space, another thing where the suv design eats up the practicality is the cargo capacity. Although the GLE comes with a wide opening it fails to deliver a practical perspective. The 23.0 cubic feet of cargo volume isn't that compelling for the class introduced for practicality.

Model

Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43

BMW X5 xDrive 35i

Land Rover Range Rover Sport SE

Porsche Cayenne

Behind 2nd Row (ft.cube)

23.0

35.0

24.8

27.1

Behind 1s Row (ft.cube))

60.7

77.0

56.8

60.3

The GLE's 23 cubic feet of cargo space is the lowest in the lot, however, the car matches Cayenne's 60 cubic feet cargo volume with the 2nd-row seats down.

Exterior
8.5/10

The boxy SUV roofline exudes a masculine feel which the coupe fails to capture. One could study this look and get mesmerized with every breakthrough. Frankly, it looks like a turtle hunchback just with a tad more in style. The car stretches long 192.6 inches long and 67.7 inches in width, overall the 67.7 inches of height gives it an intimidating personality.

Model

Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43

BMW X5 xDrive 35i

Land Rover Range Rover Sport SE

Porsche Cayenne

Curb weight (lbs.)

4690

4791

4839

4377

Length(in)

192.6

193.8

192.0

193.7

Width(in)

78.9

78.3

78.1

78.1

Height(in)

67.7

67.0

71.0

66.8

Ground clearance (in)

7.2

7.8

8.4

8.2

Wheelbase (in)

114.8

115.5

115.0

114.0

Track width (in) F/R

65.1/65.9

64.7/67.2

66.6/66.6

66.2/65.9

All SUV's in the lot share the same gigantic numbers, no point of competition in this territory.

Safety
8.0/10

The AMG GLE 43 is yet to be crash tested by the NHTSA and IIHS, but the car is equipped with many active safety features like Blind sport monitoring, Lane Departure warning, collision assist and more.

Safety Features

  • Dual Front Side-Mounted Airbags
  • SmartKey
  • Antitheft alarm with remote panic feature
  • Locator lighting
  • Universal LATCH system
  • Integrated 3-button garage door control
  • Pre-Collision Safety System
  • Tire Pressure Monitoring
  • Blind Spot And Lane Departure Warnings Accident Avoidance System

Competition
7.0/10

BMW X5xDrive 35i

The squabbling between the X5 and AMG GLE 43 is widely associated with a type of features it sells. Where one car is up on power the other offers practicality. Saying that the X5 offers more cargo capacity and interior features, on the other hand, the GLE 43 wins in the power and performance territory.

Choosing the ideal car largely falls on 3 things Performance, Price, and Practicality. The GLE 43 got the performance but is also offered at a higher price and low practicality than the X5.

Land Rover Range Rover Sport SE

The Land Rover is recorded on the lower half of the midsize luxury SUVs. Though the Range Rover comes with many strong points it also has some downsides too. Fortunately, AMG GLE 43 excel in the exact same areas where Range Rover is lagging in. It's backed with more power, uber interior, and more cargo volume, on the other hand, the Range Rover has a better trailering capacity.

As the Range Rover is offered on a lesser price, it is an all-out package deal for the buyer.

Porsche Cayenne

The Porsche Cayenne is the most fun to drive performance SUV in this lot. Its upmarket interior, decent trailering capacity, and practicality will win the buyers hearts. However, you get more power with the AMG GLE 43 but its also priced higher than the Cayenne. In terms of practicality, you get more boot space and a spacious and lavish cabin, which arguably is better than the Merc.

The Porsche Cayenne might be a better option from an overall standpoint but if you seek more power then the Mercedes Benz AMG GLE 43 is the right option for you.

Final Verdict

The 2020 Mercedes Benz AMG GLE 43 SUV share a beastly performance with a tasteful interior. The handling is fair but not it's best virtue, while the competitors offer a more sporty ride. Price and practicality are again its biggest downsides, you can easily find more utility at a better price. Overall, Merc has put together a decent SUV and its worth your attention, but to be honest it's not the best.

Trims

    Base
    $71,350 Est. onwards
    • Cargo Space Lights
    • Day Night Auto Dimming Rearview Mirror
    • Full Cloth Headliner
    • Leather Chrome Gear Shifter Material
    • Leatherette Door Trim Insert
    • Leatherette Seating Surfaces
    • Smart Device Remote Engine Start

Compare to similar cars

Price

$71,350

Engine

Gasoline

Rating

7.61

Horsepower

-

Torque

-

Capacity

5

Read Review

$66,800- $126,500

Gasoline

7.79

335 hp @ 5300 rpm

332 lb.-ft. @ 1340 rpm

5

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$68,650- $114,500

Gasoline

8.1

355 hp @ 5500 rpm

365 lb.-ft. @ 2000 rpm

7

Read Review

$77,500- $171,500

Gasoline

7.51

345 hp @ 5750 rpm

369 lb.-ft. @ 1750 rpm

5

Read Review

$165,000- $235,700

Gasoline

7.55

542 hp @ 6000 rpm

568 lb.-ft. @ 1960 rpm

5

Read Review

$58,900- $82,150

Gasoline

7.69

335 hp @ 5500 rpm

330 lb.-ft. @ 1500 rpm

5

Read Review

$103,050- $110,200

Gasoline

6.74

550 hp @ 5750 rpm

516 lb.-ft. @ 1750 rpm

5

Read Review

$156,450

Gasoline

6.95

577 hp @ 6000 rpm

627 lb.-ft. @ 2500 rpm

5

Read Review

$89,000- $94,500

Gasoline

8.39

500 hp @ 5500 rpm

568 lb.-ft.

5

Read Review

2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43 Coupe vs competitor's 0-60

    Car Name
    0-60 MPH
    Quarter Mile
    Top Speed
    SourceCompare
    4.1 sec15.5 sec-
    4.2 sec15.5 sec-
    4.29 sec12.6 sec-
    2020 Audi SQ8

    Ranked #4

    4.3 sec12.8 sec155 mph
    4.4 sec12.7 sec-
    2020 BMW X5

    Ranked #6

    5 sec13.7 sec129 mph

    2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43 Coupe vs competitor's MPG

      Car Name
      MPG City
      MPG Highway
      MPG Combined
      Fuel Tank Capacity
      Range (C/H)
      SourceCompare
      ---24 gal.-
      2020 BMW X5

      Ranked #1

      21 mpg26 mpg23 mpg21.9 gal.459.9/569.4 mi.
      19 mpg24 mpg21 mpg27.6 gal.524.4/690 mi.
      19 mpg23 mpg20 mpg23.7 gal.450.3/545.1 mi.
      15 mpg21 mpg17 mpg21.1 gal.316.5/443.1 mi.
      14 mpg23 mpg17 mpg22.5 gal.315/517.5 mi.

      2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43 Coupe vs competitor's dimensions

        Car Name
        Length
        Width
        Height
        Ground Clearance
        Wheelbase
        SourceCompare
        189.6 in.76.2 in.69.5 in.7.1 in.114.8 in.
        202.4 in.78.7 in.68.6 in.9.7 in.117.9 in.

        2020 Aston Martin DBX

        Ranked #2

        198.4 in.78.7 in.66.1 in.9.3 in.120.5 in.
        197 in.77.5 in.66.7 in.8 in.118.3 in.
        2020 Audi SQ8

        Ranked #4

        196.6 in.78.5 in.67.2 in.8.7 in.117.9 in.

        2020 BMW X6 M

        Ranked #5

        194.5 in.79.5 in.66.6 in.8.4 in.117 in.

        2020 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLE 43 Coupe vs competitor's towing capacity

          Car Name
          Towing Capacity
          Payload Capacity
          Weight
          SourceCompare
          7200 lbs.1650 lbs.4987 lbs.
          7716 lbs.1850 lbs.5135 lbs.
          7716 lbs.1885 lbs.5264 lbs.
          2020 Audi SQ8

          Ranked #2

          7700 lbs.981 lbs.5004 lbs.
          7700 lbs.1657 lbs.4582 lbs.
          2020 BMW X5

          Ranked #3

          7200 lbs.849 lbs.4758 lbs.

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