2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE Spied on German Roads Looking Much Sportier

Mercedes-Benz will probably achieve its goal by the end of this year considering its steady growth as of late, but it owns this privilege to its excellent revamp of its compact range. With one single platform spawning cars such as the A-Class, the B-Class, the GLA-Class or the CLA-Class, the Stuttgart-based company has struck gold both figuratively and, if we're to look at its income, literally.

Then there's the new C-Class, which was an absolute hit. The car looks gorgeous - like a mini-S-Class - it drives well enough, and comes with a very broad choice of engines. The E-Class was very well received as well and follows the same recipe as the smaller C-Class, bringing forward the new modular engines as well. As for the S-Class, the range-topping limousine needs no further introduction as it's still a bit of a masterpiece.

But as recent years have shown, one of the most highly disputed segments is the often criticized one of the SUVs. The luxury off-roaders might not make that much sense to some, but they seem to appeal to a very large part of the population, making them the hottest commodity at the moment. And Mercedes-Benz is falling short here, with only the recently introduced GLC being able to claim it is indeed a modern car.

The GLE (GLE Coupe included) and the GLS are very old models, despite the name change, and you would have to really love the brand to consider buying one at this moment when there are models such as the Volvo XC90 or the Range Rover Sport out there, not to mention the new Audi Q7 (and even the not so new BMW X5).

Unsurprisingly, Mercedes-Benz is working on a replacement for its aging SUV, and this is the latest spy video showing a test mule roaming the streets of Germany. Unlike the previous clip where it was filmed exclusively from the rear, we get to see more of the car this time, and the main idea to take away from it is that it will look a lot more athletic. Think a bigger GLC and you'd be pretty close to the truth.

The car is still some time away from its launch, so the information surrounding it is pretty sketchy, but we do know it will feature engines with a very good power to displacement ratio (including four-cylinder units), as well as hybrid powertrains. It will also tip the scales at much lower values thanks to the use of lightweight material but also the new in-line six-cylinder engines.

For all Mercedes-Benz fans looking to buy a new, larger SUV, 2018 could not come soon enough, and we're sure the Mercedes-Benz sales department feels the same. It's too early to talk about a release date, but early 2018 seems like a decent bet.