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2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE Gets the Video Presentation It Deserves

Have you seen Abu Dhabi Police Department’s presentation video? If not, click on that link and go check it out right now. Then come back and watch the GLE clip below. Spot any differences?
2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE 1 photo
Photo: Screenshot from YouTube
The 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE is an old car, and it can’t hide it. The M-Class replacement has just come out of a facelift operation, but the results are just dirt in the eyes. It is still the same old car that wasn’t particularly exciting the moment it first came out back in 2011.

Sure, put it on an off-road track and no other premium SUV will be able to keep up with it (ironically, maybe just the Porsche Cayenne would stand a chance), but who actually buys these cars based on their rough terrain performances?

That’s right, about two people in the whole world. The rest are more interested in stuff like ride comfort, handling, interior and exterior design, finish quality and the overall image the car projects on its owner. And this current 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE has “pensioner” written all over it. Alright, “rich pensioner.”

First of all, the designers haven’t worked nearly enough on the car’s rear end. But it’s a facelift, so we weren’t expecting any major changes. On the other hand, the interior could have received more attention, with only minor adjustments concerning the infotainment system and its display. Other than that, the dashboard uses the same hard plastic and is still cluttered with way too many buttons.

And then there’s the way it drives. It’s natural for the car to weigh a lot, but you would also expect it to try harder and do a better job of hiding that weight behind a clever suspension setup. The GLE comes with the AIRMATIC air suspension, but with all the adjustable ground clearance tricks, the SUV becomes very wobbly. The steering itself is light and has an artificial feeling, so there’s nothing there to connect you with the road.

It’s not all grey news for the 2016 GLE, though, with the SUV offering a very comfortable ride on the open road and more than decent engine options.

Now, given this short description and what I said in the title, how exciting do you expect the clip below to be? Click play and find out.

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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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