Driver Power Award 2025: Mercedes GLE
It topped half of the 10 main categories and reached the podium places in several others, while it was the elegant interior and exterior design that impressed owners the most.
The model is offered with petrol, hybrid and diesel engines, making it one of the very few cars on sale available with the latter fuel type. Our case study, Norman Eaton, loves the smooth and prodigious power delivery from
his GLE 450 d's 3.0-litre diesel. He even returns 40mpg on the motorway, where the GLE thrives given its cushioned ride, slushy nine-speed automatic gearbox and fine sound deadening. Advertisement - Article continues below
On the inside, owners love the Merc's superb quality, with plush leather, wood veneer and metal wrapping almost everything you touch. Even in its most basic form, the GLE is fully loaded with equipment and luxurious materials, negating the need for buyers to climb up the range and spend more. All cars get dual-screen displays as standard, with owners – including Norman – saying they like the GLE's balance of digital and physical controls.
It's not often a premium car does well in Driver Power – having spent extra, customers usually expect a lot more from a car with a posh badge – but in this case, the GLE has fulfilled buyers' expectations commendably, even managing to wiggle its way onto the podium for the value section – no mean feat for a car starting from almost £80,000.
Configure your perfect Mercedes GLE through our Find A Car service now. Alternatively, check out the best deals out there on a new Mercedes GLE from stock or top prices on used Mercedes GLE models...
Find a car with the experts Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal
Car Deal of the Day: 717bhp BMW M5 Touring super-estate on a tasty lease deal
The BMW M5 Touring is M car royalty, with a thoroughly impressive PHEV powertrain. It's our Deal of the Day for 29 June Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019
Electric car appeal is at its lowest since 2019
From poor electric car sales to crashes in F1, Mike Rutherford thinks its been a crazy few weeks in the automotive world New Skoda Epiq vRS to headline brand's hot-SUV onslaught
New Skoda Epiq vRS to headline brand's hot-SUV onslaught
Every future Skoda will get the go-faster treatment, with the brand also working on making cars sharper and more engaging
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Auto Blog
2 hours ago
- Auto Blog
There's Only One V10-Powered BMW M5 Wagon On Sale, And It's Going Cheap
A Homemade Unicorn During the E60 generation of the mid-2000s, Europeans got access to an E61 M5 Touring. Here in America, the wagon was never sold, but we did get access to the sedan with a manual transmission rather than the single-clutch automated manual that most markets had to deal with. With the arrival of the G99 M5 Touring, American buyers now have access to a BMW M wagon for the first time, but it still doesn't have a manual, and it certainly doesn't have a naturally aspirated engine. Fortunately, someone has taken it upon themselves to make such a thing a reality, using the bones of a BMW 535Xi. Now for sale on Cars & Bids with one day to go, it's currently bidding at just $50,000. 0:07 / 0:09 Rivian R1T delivers on this EV feature that Tesla forgot Watch More How This E61 M5 Wagon Was Made The N54-powered, all-wheel-drive wagon was reportedly purchased by the current seller in September 2024, but the last service entry on its Carfax report was only in August 2020, when the car had 189,165 miles on it. There was also damage sustained in May 2022, though what is not listed. Clearly, this car was rough to begin with. To turn it into something special, the 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six engine was pulled, with the S85 5.0-liter naturally aspirated V10 taking its place. The automatic transmission was also ditched in favor of an E6X M5 six-speed manual transmission, and the AWD system was deleted to power the correct axle only, which is assisted by an M5-sourced limited-slip differential. Even the M5's electronic damping control suspension system was fitted, and the car's systems all appear to be in fine working order. That includes the retrofitted night vision system. 19-inch Style 166M wheels make the wagon look more authentic, but keen-eyed observers will recognize that the brakes come from an F87 BMW M2. Genuine M5 bodywork painted in the 535Xi's original Deep Green Metallic completes the package. Far From Perfect Inside, the black leather and Carrara wood trim give the wagon a very classy, upmarket feel, and the M5 gauge cluster and steering wheel (also painted to match the car's original color) give it a touch of sportiness. However, there are some issues to address or overlook. The odometer has been rolled back to 65,300 miles following the fitment of the M5 cluster, so there's no telling how much mileage the car truly has on it. It's also unclear if that mileage corresponds to the engine under the hood or if the S85 was sourced from another donor vehicle. Other small issues include stone chips, misaligned passenger-side exhaust tips, some curb rash and scratches on the wheels, and a few other signs of wear interior upholstery and switchgear. Still, the listing also says that the engine oil and filter, clutch, thermostat, spark plugs, wheel bearings, front and rear control arms, tires, rear shock absorbers, and driveshaft support have all been replaced, and the transmission and coolant systems have also been cleaned out and refilled with fresh fluids. Of course, buying a project such as this will always be risky, but with the G99 M5 Touring setting buyers back well over $120,000, owning an M5 wagon of any sort is never cheap. About the Author Sebastian Cenizo View Profile
Auto Blog
2 hours ago
- Auto Blog
Mercedes-Benz Confirms EV Pricing Cut Ahead
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Take a jet ski, and/or a snowmobile and combine it with a motorcycle, and you'll get something like a Polaris Slingshot. This is a ton of fun for brief jaunts, but can it be a daily driver? Ever feel like dealers don't understand you? We break down the key complaints that show why the car buying process is broken. Mercedes EVs will get several thousand dollars more affordable Mercedes-Benz brought the EQS to market in 2021. Since then, it's been plagued by lukewarm critical reception and less-than-remarkable sales figures. The vehicle was the Stuttgart-based automaker's first foray into mainstream EVs. More importantly, its arrival heralded Benz's dramatic shift towards electrifying all its products. Both decisions might have been a bit premature, and fast-forwarding to today, we see the pendulum swinging the other way. Previous Pause Next Unmute 0:00 / 0:10 Full screen 2025 Audi S3 vs Mercedes-AMG CLA 35: the executive decision Watch More First, pricing. Information originally leaked via a dealer employee on TikTok. Still, it was later confirmed by the automaker via Motor1 that almost anything with an EQ badge is getting a hefty price cut for the 2026 model year. The 2026 Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan is now available starting at $66,100, a $9,950 reduction. The EQS sedan sees a decidedly less dramatic trim, shedding $4,150 and still starting just over six figures. By providing your email address, you agree that it may be used pursuant to Arena Group's Privacy Policy. Meanwhile, electrified SUVs see substantial slashes. The 2026 EQE SUV drops by $12,950, now commanding $66,100, and the range-topping EQS SUV sees the most significant drop of all. Its new MSRP of $91,100 is a tremendous $15,300 less than what the 2025 model year vehicle retailed for. The only Mercedes-Benz EQ vehicle left unscathed is the compact EQB SUV, which was already the entry-level model at $53,050. Mercedes-Benz EQ line becomes more competitive Aside from EV rebates, the EQ lineup becomes immediately much more competitive with a price drop. At around $90,000, the EQS SUV is a direct rival to the lauded BMW iX, offering a similar range, slightly less power, and more standard luxury features, including ventilated seats and rear seat pillows. The EQE Sedan now costs less than its direct competitor, the BMW i5. Simultaneously, the base car offers more torque and range than the standard i5. That said, we could start to see sales rise. Of course, all this is likely to tank prices on the secondhand market even further, so you might do even better there. Final thoughts While most Mercedes EQ models aren't particularly well-loved — blame their bulbous styling — a price drop might be just what the cars need to get their footing in the market. Unfortunately, it comes at a time when the path forward for electrification is murkier than ever. Assuming the EV market doesn't completely evaporate with the tax incentives, we can expect the car to sell better into 2026 as Mercedes supplements its electrified lineup with models like the EV GLC and CLA. About the Author Steven Paul View Profile
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Drivers likely to shut off EU-mandated ‘safety' features
Drivers are likely to shut off EU-mandated safety features in new cars because they are too distracting, according to new research. Half of in-car driver monitoring systems are so intrusive that they are likely to be turned off, thus defeating the point of having them, What Car? magazine found. Mandated by EU laws, such systems are supposed to prevent drivers from becoming distracted from the road ahead. Cameras and other sensors detect if the driver is not paying attention and issue audio and visual alerts. Although these EU rules do not currently apply to the UK, carmakers include the systems anyway on new vehicles because it is cheaper than redesigning their models to remove them. Under Labour's plans for closer alignment with the EU, the UK could formally adopt these EU car safety rules, which also make it mandatory for private vehicles to be fitted with breathalyser technology. During tests around a 10-mile track, the consumer magazine tested six new cars fitted with EU-compliant anti-distraction technology. It discovered that systems from Chinese carmakers Leapmotor and MG were the worst for issuing false distraction alerts, something it said would encourage drivers to disable them before setting off. In contrast, the magazine's reviewers praised Mazda's anti-distraction technology for working 'seamlessly', and also gave positive feedback about Lexus and Kia. Tests involved driving one lap normally, with the driver keeping their eyes on the road ahead. On the second lap, the driver performed four 'distracted driving' actions: they looked across at the infotainment screen; leaned towards the infotainment screen; looked out of the driver's side window; and looked downwards into their lap. Each distracted move was carried out for three seconds. Leapmotor's C10 electric SUV generated three false audio and visual warnings during the first lap while detecting just two out of the four distracted movements. MG's HS system generated two false alerts on the first lap, although it correctly picked up all four distractions on the second lap. Claire Evans, consumer editor of What Car?, called on safety testing body Euro NCAP to 'penalise' carmakers whose systems generated false alarms, potentially themselves causing a distraction to motorists. 'A well-engineered driver monitoring system is an important safety aid that should help to stop drivers from becoming dangerously distracted by focusing on the infotainment touchscreen for too long, and from breaking the law by using a handheld mobile phone,' said Ms Evans. 'Car safety organisation Euro NCAP also needs to introduce far more stringent testing of these systems, penalising those that are poorly integrated into cars instead of simply rewarding manufacturers for including the technology.' Steve Gooding, director of the RAC Foundation, said: 'This technology has the potential to save us from ourselves, but car designers have a duty not just to create such safety systems but also reduce the amount of in-car distraction that takes drivers' eyes off the road and hence sets off the alerts. 'Many of us will have spent too much time fiddling with, and focussing on, a touchscreen on the centre console when we should have been looking out of the windscreen at the road ahead. 'Ultimately though, drivers should be aware of their responsibilities without relying on the tech to tell them: don't drink and drive, don't drive while holding a phone, don't get behind the wheel while tired, and let your passenger change the music.'
