Mercedes GLE - MPG, CO2 and Running Costs
Expensive to buy and expensive to run – the Mercedes GLE is not a cheap SUV
Predictably, the 300 d will offer the lowest running costs, but the GLE won’t be a cheap car to run. Prices start from around £77,985, increasing to a not inconsiderable £93,265 for the 400 petrol, although the cost is offset by the standard kit, up to a point.
Compared with its predecessor, there are some incremental fuel economy improvements, with Mercedes improving the car’s aerodynamic properties in order to improve efficiency. These changes extend to revised door mirrors, redesigned rear lights, changes to the underside and aerodynamic wheels.
The result is a car that’ll return a fairly respectable economy in mild-hybrid form and barely-believable figures in plug-in hybrid form. The entry-level 300 d is claimed to offer 39.8mpg with CO2 emissions of 187g/km. The more powerful 450 d will return 35.8mpg and emit 207g/km. With any of the GLE versions, these figures depend on the choice of wheels and optional extras fitted.
As for the mild-hybrid petrol 450, that’s rated at 28mpg and 229g/km. The plug-in hybrid, however, turns in figures of 256.9mpg and just 25g/km of CO2 on the WLTP combined cycle - this obviously requires plenty of electric-only running and if you don’t charge very regularly, you won’t achieve anything like those figures. The GLE’s electric range stands at a maximum of 60 miles – which beats the Audi Q7 TFSIe and BMW X5 PHEV - so if you never drive further than that the plug-in GLE could be a very economical premium SUV.
The AMG 53 variant understandably fares worse for efficiency with 27mpg and 239g/km. The 63, with its V8 engine, can provide 22.3mpg and 288g/km.
Insurance groups
The Mercedes GLE is not a cheap car to insure, with even the entry-level 300 d slotting into group 45. Things get more costly as you progress through the range, with Premium and Premium Plus models moving up a group, with the 450 d sitting in groups 47 and 48.
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Depreciation
Premium SUVs usually have strong residual values, but the GLE is decidedly average when compared to some models. Buyers can expect to lose around 54 per cent of the GLE’s list price in three years and after 60,000 miles. That’s not as good as the Q7 which averages 59 per cent and the BMW X5 which averages 57 per cent.
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