Roughly one year after Stuttgart unveiled the 2020 GLE, it’s time for the sloping-roof, coupé-wannabe version of the SUV to officially show its face online as the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé. It is also joined by its AMG-badged brother with a heftier affinity for performance, so let’s see what exactly are they bringing to the table.

Before we do that, however, it’s worth mentioning that the new GLE Coupé arrives at a time when the SUV-coupé niche is heading to a boiling point. BMW has just released the new-generation X6 and so did Porsche with the first-ever Cayenne Coupé; both or them are coming to join the likes of Audi Q8 and Ranger Rover Velar - with the mention that the classy Velar is by far the least hunchbacked of the bunch.

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé - Exterior

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Visually, there’s not that much we could comment on except the change of shape in the rear and in all honestly, we’d be playing Caption Obvious by addressing that. At the same time, we’re pretty sure you’ve spotted that shape a lot on other cars as well (BMW X6, I’m looking at you), so we wouldn’t want to force the issue.

Moreover, the GLE Coupé’s wheelbase stretches to 2,935 mm, which is 60 mm shorter than the standard GLE’s wheelbase (2,995 mm). Compared to the outgoing GLE Coupé (2,915 mm), the wheelbase did get longer by 20 mm. These changes also affect the new GLE Coupé’s interior geography, but we’ll get to that in a minute.

The new GLE Coupé will ride on wheels with sizes ranging from 19 to 22 inches and give the increase in width, we expect a more planted stance on the road, both in terms of grip and ride but also visually, even more than the current GLE Coupé, which already sported an elephant-esque aura when viewed from the back, especially thanks to its burly rear end and chunky tires.

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé - Interior

Since we mentioned how stretching the GLE Coupé’s wheelbase affects its cabin coordinates, here’s the thing. Theoretically, those sitting in the back seat of the new GLE Coupé should enjoy more room than before - after all, the new model has 20 mm worth of wheelbase on top of the soon-to-be-old model. Mercedes-Benz says the width of the rear entrance grew by 33 mm, which is enough to make getting in and out a tad less athletically demanding.

With the rear seats in position, the trunk offers 655 liters (23.1 cubic feet) of cargo space, but that can be extended to a hefty 1,790 liters (63.2 cubic feet) - 70 liters (2.47 cubic feet) more than the outgoing GLE Coupé - by simply folding down the seats. In addition, the cargo area width has been taken up a notch by 72 mm compared to the current GLE Coupé and now stands at 1,080 mm, while the optional AIRMATIC suspension setup allows you to lower the rear end by 50 mm.

Other than the said changes, there’s not much to write home about as far as the GLE Coupé’s cabin is concerned. It does get the MBUX user interface spread across two large screens measuring 12.3 inches (31.2 cm) each. The Coupé also gets the regular GLE’s sports steering wheel wrapped in Nappa leather as standard equipment, joined by the likes of ARTICO leather and sports front seats.

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé - Powertrain

The unit of choice here is the OM 656 inline-six turbodiesel decline into two outputs: 268 horsepower and 600 Nm (443 pound-feet) for the GLE Coupé 350 d 4MATIC and 326 horsepower and 700 Nm (516 pound-feet) of twist in the GLE Coupé 400 d 4MATIC. Both variants get the 4MATIC all-wheel-drive setup as standard fitting, just like they get the silky-smooth 9G-TRONIC nine-speed transmission and a transfer case that allows for free torque transfer between the two axles.

The 2020 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé

Together with the regular GLE Coupé, Mercedes-Benz announced the Affalterbach-treated version of the SUV, namely the Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé. The Mercedes-AMG variant sits on larger wheels (20 to 22 inches in size) and if also fitted with the AMG RIDE CONTROL+ air suspension setup as well as the usual bits and bobs that distinguish it from the run-of-the-mill GLE Coupé.

In this setup, the Mercedes-AMG GLE Coupé needs 5.3 seconds to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill on its way to a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). Drivers can also choose one of the seven chassis settings that alter the SUV’s composure according to the surface it is tackling and the user’s preference: Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual, Trail, and Sand.

2020 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 4MATIC+ Coupé Tech Specs

Engine

inline-six, turbocharged

Displacement

2,999 cc

Combustion engine output

430 hp @ 6,100 rpm

EQ Boost output

22 hp

Combustion engine torque

520 Nm (384 lb-ft) @ 1,800-5,800 rpm

EQ Boost output

250 Nm (184 lb-ft)

0-100 km/h (62 mph)

5.3 seconds

Top speed

250 km/h (155 mph)


Further Reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe.

Read our full review on the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE.

Read our full review on the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GLE53.