Frenetic

I still can’t find that article. Can anyone link it?

Wolfman

I think most would simply enjoy a balanced viewpoint from a longtime owner, recognizing the pros/cons of various models. This would be of great value to other members.

The launch of the V167 was definitely poorly executed, combined with some bad timing related to the pandemic. Interestingly though, the GLE is highly successful in the market place. Inventory has not been able to catchup with sales or its sales potential. Pinging our dealer on reliability has also not flagged the car, rather the 48Volt issues for a while and MBUX/software issues, neither which were specific to the GLE.
That said, I assume that you have a somewhat selective memory when it comes to MB quality problems as you owned some of the most flawed models MB ever built, namely the W220. The amount of crap that Mercedes produced from 2000 to 2006 pales anything in comparison; I can speak from experience. The V167 is a non-issue car in comparison and the issues laughably minor to those of the past.

The Forbes info listed here is obviously non-sense; our 2020 GLE is coming off lease and is worth more than what we paid new. Nothing beats the G-Wagon is resale value but no S-Class could get there, even in this market.

bkushner

I had a 2020. I had a couple of issues, nothing crazy for a new Model. Liked it enough that I traded for a 2021. The 2021 has been impeccable. Not a single issue to date 20K Miles and 1 simple recall. Matter of fact I've been buying Mercedes since the early 90's and have owned most models and this is the best one I've owned. With that said, I already have an order in for a 2023.

js_cls

Just curious but why an order for a '23? The Facelift won't be until '24 and that will likely be more worthy to hold over for, although with the current chip shortage it could restrict options you may want.

bkushner

I had originally thought the facelift was going to be this year. I am trying to cash in on optimum trade value and I'll probably get the 24 when it arrives :-)

Bryce1023

I have enjoyed my GLE 350 4 Matic for 16 months. I’ve had minor issues such as a whistling sound from driver’s side mirror, and the fuel filler door not being perfectly flush when closed. These issues have not really detracted from the enjoyment I’ve had owning my GLE , even though I am a very fussy person I chose not to address them with my dealership, perhaps somewhat leery they will do more harm than good. After following this site and reading of all the issues owners are experiencing with their GLEs , I was very hesitant in driving my GLE from NY to FL last winter, I was contemplating taking my 2017 Honda CR-V. Well I took my GLE and it was flawless, I put on about 4k miles while away. The only minor issue I had was a false alert from my TPMS , this occurred on the drive home while on I 95.
As many contributors have pointed out significant mechanical problems, as well as questionable fit and finish, I would never want to own my vehicle off of warranty. I am quite sure that the majority of these complaints are legitimate, even though there seems to be contributors whose enjoyment is to just despise MB. I strongly believe that the Lexus product is a more reliable vehicle than MB, as is most Japanese vehicles. Believing this, I still chose the GLE and do not regret it. Based upon a couple of friends with a Jaguar, we have nothing to complain about.
Assuming that the premise is correct, that Lexus is a more reliable vehicle than MB, why can’t the engineers at MB see what Lexus is doing to make their vehicles more dependable and start to engineer these changes into the MB without sacrificing the styling and fun factor, if that is possible, or is it just a cultural thing.
In summary I have no buyer’s remorse, looked at the Lexus RX , BMW x5 , and 16 months later I am more convinced than ever that I made the right decision.

chassis

Great post.

It's a cultural thing. A head in the sand thing. A flat earth thing.

All automakers are 100% aware of what other automakers are doing with their models, features and engineering details. It's an everyday occurrence in automakers that competitors' vehicles are torn down to bits, weighed, measured, photographed, tested, you name it. Nothing is left to the imagination.

HotRodW

Part of it is the manufacturing/assembly process. Toyota is really good at it. But build quality is only part of it, obviously. The other part is design, and here is where the two brands differ greatly. Benz is an innovator. They love to pioneer new technologies, and with any new technology comes a risk of teething problems. Generally speaking, Benz customers are willing to take the risk to have the latest and greatest. Lexus is much more conservative, being very cautious with new tech, and often lagging well behind the Germans. They also tend to hold onto models longer, allowing the few problems they have to be addressed early on then milking the model for as long as possible. But they aren't perfect. Concerned about getting left behind, Toyota and Lexus have recently started getting a bit more aggressive with tech, and the result has been more-than-typical problems with recent launches. In fact, Toyota was barely above average in the most recent JD Power Initial Quality Study. With a wave of new models coming, I predict things will only worsen for the brands. They will probably always be built better, however. That is a culture thing.

Pappachoppers

I gotta go by what’s happening in the world. In Amsterdam a great many taxis are Tesla. Talked to many drivers, and they have went well over 150-200K kilometers.

Ron.s

HotRod is spot on…We have had several Toyota/Lexus vehicles and even as recent as 10 years ago quality wasn’t stellar without a lot of Tech. They are nice looking cars but had old Tech, no performance engines and no fancy suspensions. The Mercedes GLE has options from basic to very advanced. You can customize a GLE but an RX has far less choices.
Sometimes the difference between 1st place and the Middle isn’t much. My wife’s 2015 Lexus had several annoying issues like a steering column rattle and infotainment going blank. The leather seats felt good around town but crappy on an all day drive. Adjustments limited!