Mercedes is a manufacturer that really seems to love its high-riding SUVs, so much so that it basically has one for every size class of vehicle it sells, from A-Class-sized to S-Class, and its second largest offering is the GLE. An all-new GLE was recently revealed, and journos have had a chance to try it out. While most seem to just spend a bit too much time playing with the bouncy, active suspension, the new GLE is a serious contender in its segment.

It is touted as the single most advanced vehicle in its segment, with more features and gadgets that could be listed here without boring you to death reading them all. Basically, Mercedes gives you pretty much its entire breadth of bells and whistles on the GLE and some features completely unique to it.

The GLE is, unlike some rivals, a vehicle designed primarily to be comfortable, so it has a softer ride than some rivals with more lean in corners. According to some reviewers, the standard suspension is a bit fidgety, but the optional air suspension setup fixes most of that.

Probably the coolest suspension-related novelty here is what Mercedes calls E-Active Body Control, which is a new hydropneumatic system (traditionally associated with the Citroen brand which no longer uses such a system in its cars). It has a 48-volt electric system in place to control the ride height of each wheel individually. Unlike many adjustable suspension systems, this one moves the car really quickly.

Inside the GLE boasts one of the best interiors in its class, complete with the twin-screen Mercedes MBUX infotainment system. It reportedly looks and feels great, and it’s also ever so slightly more spacious than before, thanks to the fact that its wheelbase has been extended by 80 millimeters or 3.1 inches.

Further reading

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

Read our full speculative review on the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GLE63.