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Voted by many publications and journalists as one of the biggest flops from Mercedes-Benz, the GLE has not had a good run. Older models, like the 2020 and 2021 versions suffered from several issues with the engines, electronics, and performance. According to some experts, the car will lose 47% of its value within three years of ownership.
No brand hatred here, I've demonstrated my commitment to Mercedes and will likely continue to, however not with any of the entry level crap they peddle as the best or nothing. There is a reason I won't own one of these, too risky and I have better things to do with my time than spend it in the service lane. As a long time consumer of this brand I think I have earned the right to make any comments I like.
If you think the 167 is comparable to other Benz launches or most any other German SUV's take your head out of the sand. It's clearly been one of, if not the most flawed vehicles ever built by MB. The problems witnessed on this forum alone are comical at best.
Will be running after 10 years? No, but they should. Mercedes used to break in at 100K miles, obviously not anymore. As for comparing to other brands, that's a fail. The classic, it's no different than or better than a mediocre standard. Expectations have been lowered, tolerance and acceptance for sub par performance/reliability is normal, and that's sad.
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.
Voted by many publications and journalists as one of the biggest flops from Mercedes-Benz, the GLE has not had a good run. Older models, like the 2020 and 2021 versions suffered from several issues with the engines, electronics, and performance. According to some experts, the car will lose 47% of its value within three years of ownership.
The poor folks at JD Powers are eating crow. And Forbes is probably pretty embarrassed about quoting Consumer Reports, the least reliable source for automotive information.
JD Powers top picks have had abysmal reliability records, with 200 to 300% of their cars recalled in the past couple years.
Another of the Powers top picks, Tesla, was somehow second from the bottom in their initial quality, and had more recalls than most of the EVs, yet it's their top pick for initial quality. Go figure.
I have had cash offers of $10,000 over MSRP for my 1-year-old, 15,000 mi GLE.
Not interested, because finding a comparable quality vehicle would cost yet another 10 to $20,000.
Can you link the article or share the entire list?
Every car has teething problems. I walked into the BMW G05 during its infancy and it was littered with issues and forum complaints: AC units exploding (literally), coolant leaks and coolant corrosion, sunroofs leaking, forward collision going haywire, wireless charging overheating phones, etc, etc., etc.
In fact if you goto NHTSA’s website for this model, it’s filled with complaints and manufacturer’s communications that absolutely dwarfs the GLE. No joke.
Simply put, the grass isn’t always greener. I walked into this knowing the issues, but one thing about forums is that it isn’t necessarily representative of the general population. It’s a natural place for people to grind their proverbial axe, and one of the only places people can actually complain. For every complaint, there are probably hundreds or thousands out there without issue. I would say the ratio is probably greater here at MB vs BMW simply based on overall forum activity, it’s low here. There seems to be less enthusiasts, which to me means there are a lot of owners of this car that don’t even know MBWORLD exists versus BMW’s mammothly active forum.
For me the biggest objection is the 48V system which still isn’t solved after almost 4 years. Terrible.
Then come the MBUX rebooting issues and unknown piston cracking nature of the M264 four banger.
The comes MB-Tex cracking. Come on. Really? MB-Tex is new tech, or old tech? Big fail on what should be a flawless product feature.
It’s a nice looking car, but I want reliability. 167 doesn’t offer that as a feature. Sadly.
That’s simply not true about the 48 volt battery being a problem for 4 years. There were no problems with it Feb of 19 until the Dec 2020 builds through Spring of 2021 had issues. There have been none since, except for those from about that 4-6 month window. By none I consider a random failure of any Component normal. I had my AGM battery replaced on my 2020 GLE. My 48 volt from a December 2020 build also failed. It’s more likely the chips in the battery controller were causing the problem. A VAG vehicle, probably an EV, sank a ship. Ford just announced a huge recall with a notice to park those affected outside. Tesla has occasional vehicle fires from other than collisions.
The GLE is a fantastic vehicle and if it’s a little like JLR products reliability it’s still worth it, IMO. My 53 will be going away in a few months but I’ll probably be driving the next Gen GLE when it’s introduced.
One thing certain, the usual suspects will be first to jump at any opportunity to bash a car they don’t own and hate so bad that they hang on this Forum like stink on *****.
For me the biggest objection is the 48V system which still isn’t solved after almost 4 years. Terrible.
Then come the MBUX rebooting issues and unknown piston cracking nature of the M264 four banger.
......
You are correct about one thing here. The Piston cracking is unknown.
I haven't heard a complaint about the 48 volt system, but there were some battery problems after Tesla bought the supplier, stole the technology and canceled the contract to supply batteries to Mercedes and BMW. The system is exemplary, class-leading and reliable. So I guess that problem is unknown also.
GLE looks awesome and cars in general today are all full of issues. My Land Rover experience was not ideal. I like MB and a warranty - not sure I'd love it without a warranty. Plus my service guy is awesome and my dealership experience is WAY WAY WAY better than LR service was. LR had so many issues their people kept quitting from stress. Appointments 4-8 weeks out. I do like the looks of their vehicles though. Its 2022 - everything comes with some compromise.
Actually the piston cracking is old news. The new Achilles heel on their 4 cylinders are faulty valve seats requiring replacement of the complete cylinder head. This is affecting all 4 cylinder models including the GLE, GLB, A, CLA, GLA and GLC. These failures seem to occur between the first 20k and 30k miles.
The 48V system, and all components within it, is an epic fail for MB. From soup to nuts, it's rubbish.
Loose wires and corroded ground points? Isn't that something a 1978 Yugo suffered? Evidently also in 48V Mercedes vehicles (read recent posts on this site).
Cracked vinyl? Yep on a 1982 Granada. And a 21st century Mercedes.
Engine life less than 100k miles? Definitely in a 1980 Cutlass Brougham diesel. And in a number of modern Mercedes.
I get a kick out of reading "all cars have problems" comments. Doesn't the higher price paid for an MB rid the consumer of preschool-level fails? Evidently not.
The 48V system, and all components within it, is an epic fail for MB. From soup to nuts, it's rubbish.
Loose wires and corroded ground points? Isn't that something a 1978 Yugo suffered? Evidently also in 48V Mercedes vehicles (read recent posts on this site).
Cracked vinyl? Yep on a 1982 Granada. And a 21st century Mercedes.
Engine life less than 100k miles? Definitely in a 1980 Cutlass Brougham diesel. And in a number of modern Mercedes.
I get a kick out of reading "all cars have problems" comments. Doesn't the higher price paid for an MB rid the consumer of preschool-level fails? Evidently not.
Would love to see how many if these "best or nothing" junk suv's are still around in 10 years and operating with all features, not to mention the MB Tex still in tact. Of course fanboys minimize any negative reviews or articles, yet when a positive one is written it's 100% accurate. LOL.
There’s some god honest brand hatred here; I’ve never experienced anything like this at other enthusiast forums, especially from people who don’t even own the car that is being discussed. How can you hate something you’ve never tried? It’s like writing a restaurant review based entirely on other people’s reviews and using only the bad ones. Don’t knock it until you tried it.
Places, do you honestly believe any German Brand’s SUV will still be running like a Lexus tens years after they were produced? I sure as heck don’t and if you are expecting MB to do just that, maybe there’s some naïveté going on here. Buying a 10-year-old BMW, Audi or MB is risky no matter which brand. I see no difference among any of them, yet here you knocking MB like it’s worse than any other German brand. They’re all equally after-warranty nightmares.
Would love to see how many if these "best or nothing" junk suv's are still around in 10 years and operating with all features, not to mention the MB Tex still in tact. Of course fanboys minimize any negative reviews or articles, yet when a positive one is written it's 100% accurate. LOL.
Leatherette MB-Tex for sure is garbage. My previous MB, a 2012 C-Class Sport needed the driver bottom replaced after 3 years. Wasn't cheap. In the Florida sun, it basically turned into a paste (windows were tinted as most cars in FL are). Later, my 2015 ML-Class had both the driver and front passenger bottom outer portions peeling from rubbing (getting in and out) after 3 years!!!
In contrast, my 1990 MB 190e 2.6 which I recently sold and regret it every second, had MB-Tex that after 30 years looked like no one had ever sat on, no exaggeration. Quality definitely went down at some point and I suspect it was in the 2010s.
As for the rest of the SUV, I cannot opine as mine only has 6000 miles on it and has been trouble free. I can say, however, that when there's much innovation in one vehicle, some things will definitely need revisions. I for one don't trust any of the articles from Forbes or JDP when I see Acura and Infinity products being bashed and not a Land Rover or Jaguar in site.
Last edited by djgiovanni; 07-12-2022 at 08:28 AM.
There’s some god honest brand hatred here; I’ve never experienced anything like this at other enthusiast forums, especially from people who don’t even own the car that is being discussed. How can you hate something you’ve never tried? It’s like writing a restaurant review based entirely on other people’s reviews and using only the bad ones. Don’t knock it until you tried it.
Places, do you honestly believe any German Brand’s SUV will still be running like a Lexus tens years after they were produced? I sure as heck don’t and if you are expecting MB to do just that, maybe there’s some naïveté going on here. Buying a 10-year-old BMW, Audi or MB is risky no matter which brand. I see no difference among any of them, yet here you knocking MB like it’s worse than any other German brand. They’re all equally after-warranty nightmares.
No brand hatred here, I've demonstrated my commitment to Mercedes and will likely continue to, however not with any of the entry level crap they peddle as the best or nothing. There is a reason I won't own one of these, too risky and I have better things to do with my time than spend it in the service lane. As a long time consumer of this brand I think I have earned the right to make any comments I like.
If you think the 167 is comparable to other Benz launches or most any other German SUV's take your head out of the sand. It's clearly been one of, if not the most flawed vehicles ever built by MB. The problems witnessed on this forum alone are comical at best.
Will be running after 10 years? No, but they should. Mercedes used to break in at 100K miles, obviously not anymore. As for comparing to other brands, that's a fail. The classic, it's no different than or better than a mediocre standard. Expectations have been lowered, tolerance and acceptance for sub par performance/reliability is normal, and that's sad.
That’s not a fail, that’s reality. Maybe your expectations are unrealistic. I’m not comparing the 167 to anything, but you sure as heck are; maybe you should remove your head from the sand. Think about it.
Better yet, move on. It’s obvious this brand doesn’t meet your expectations. Instead of crying and whining about it like a five-year-old child, find another brand.
That’s not a fail, that’s reality. Maybe your expectations are unrealistic. I’m not comparing the 167 to anything, but you sure as heck are; maybe you should remove your head from the sand. Think about it.
Better yet, move on. It’s obvious this brand doesn’t meet your expectations. Instead of crying and whining about it like a five-year-old child, find another brand.
Don’t waste your time on these 3, their goal in life is to: impress you with their knowledge, pontificate, insult you, denigrate the product- worst Mercedes ever, bla bla bla. Apparently they hang on this Forum to fill the emptiness in their own life since they rarely add anything of value. (Exception is Chassis who can be helpful on occasion.)
Places wouldn’t buy a lowly GLE under any circumstances since he likes the clunky G Wagon, maybe for the status symbol?
I've owned the first of every ML/GLE generation, starting in 1997, and this is the best. A couple software issues early, resolved, and nothing else of note in 3+ years. Good looking, practical, high performing vehicle. I've formed my own opinion and don't need to listen to the noise.
The poor folks at JD Powers are eating crow. And Forbes is probably pretty embarrassed about quoting Consumer Reports, the least reliable source for automotive information.
JD Powers top picks have had abysmal reliability records, with 200 to 300% of their cars recalled in the past couple years.
Another of the Powers top picks, Tesla, was somehow second from the bottom in their initial quality, and had more recalls than most of the EVs, yet it's their top pick for initial quality. Go figure.
Tesla has never done well in JD Power's Initial Quality survey. The only JDP survey that shows Tesla in a positive light is the APEAL study, which has everything to do with image and nothing to do with quality or reliability.
The Initial Quality and Reliability data JDP provides is real, it's the methodology that should be questioned. Who in their right minds thinks a transmission failure is equal to faulty bluetooth? Yet they are both reported as just one problem in JDP results. The data needs to be weighted so severe mechanical and electronic issues standout.
Exactly ^^. The most common luxury SUV I see in the SF bay area are the Teslas, GLE and Volvo XC90. Yet, these are the least reliable as per these "surveys".
CR will blacklist anything that doesn't have cup holders that fit their Pet Cups. They'll use two v-logs just to discuss how horrible the cup holders are.
If the Brand survives the Cup Holder Challenge, we move on to accent light color selections. The GLE does well there, but it just didn't make it past the first challenge, so it's not even in the competition.
CR will blacklist anything that doesn't have cup holders that fit their Pet Cups. They'll use two v-logs just to discuss how horrible the cup holders are.
If the Brand survives the Cup Holder Challenge, we move on to accent light color selections. The GLE does well there, but it just didn't make it past the first challenge, so it's not even in the competition.
I agree, but those CR reviewers have strangely shaped cups. I think Hyundai must provide those cups, because they rave about Hyundai cup holders. I think that's their limit of Automotive insight.
Pretty comical discussions.
We've owned many Lexus throughout the years because reliability is always a concern for us. We attempted to switch to German several times but ended up staying with Lexus in the end. My wife one day said, "you don't keep your car long. Why don't you get something different that you like? We still have my Lexus in case yours breaks down." We took the plunge and did more research on the X5, a vehicle I always want since its introduction but not comfortable to get. Waited two years for the G05 to settle and took the plunge. Damn... it was the best decision ever. While I had some minor things here and there but nothing major or to the point to be a concern. From that day, wife started to change her mind about her love, aka RX. The vehicle that she has eyes on is the GLE with AMG line. I read a lot here and also know where it stands on the reliability ranking. The big one was 48V which is not on 350. That and the fact that we see it everyday around us and that we don't keep cars long, we decided to take another plunge. As you know, I had rattle on first day and issue with the sunroof. At some point, we kicked ourselves in the behind for switching. Fast forward a few weeks, she is now comfortable driving and used to it, she wonders why she didn't make the switch sooner. I'm sure we may have to deal with some issues in future and this is not a vehicle for those who plan to keep long or have reliability as priority zero, but if you're not in that group, this is a dawn sexy car, esp with AMG line and in Diamond White. Lol.
07-11-2022, 12:36 PM
Wheels Contributor WHEELS
Forbes27. 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLE (CR Score: 45) 
While I had some minor things here and there but nothing major or to the point to be a concern. From that day, wife started to change her mind about her love, aka RX. The vehicle that she has eyes on is the GLE with AMG line. I read a lot here and also know where it stands on the reliability ranking. The big one was 48V which is not on 350. That and the fact that we see it everyday around us and that we don't keep cars long, we decided to take another plunge. 
