Currently own a 2021 GLE 4matic 350. Warranty ends early March 2025. I want to trade it in most likely toward the end of 2024. Lately I’ve been hearing much more regarding current MB quality issues that it has caused me to take notice. The consistent theme is lesser quality, poor fit and finish, and much more mechanical issues than most other brands. My son just leased a BMW X3 yesterday and while at the dealership with him I had the opportunity to try out the BMW X5. In terms of interior the current X5 has caught up with the GLE. Prior to the X5 using a new much larger curved screen, the GLE was a generation ahead, not any more. Although my GLE has had no real issues friends whom have had the new GLC all report issues, not just electronic issues, mechanical breakdowns. The most recent one was last week, breaking down while in one of the NYC tunnels. Even my wife and daughter’s, each own a 2022 GLC, have brakes that squeak loudly each morning, this has been an issue for the 2017-2022 GLC. How can the same issue persist for 6 years? Consumer Reports has MB at the bottom of their list of reliable vehicles. BTW, the X5 has a much more spirited engine than my 350. It seems like MB has made some errors in their recent new models, the GLC and the EQS for example. Not that I put a tremendous amount of credibility in CR, however, it may have some significance. Just bouncing some thoughts around, realizing that there are numerous well informed people who contribute to this site and may offer some insight on this topic. Prior to several months ago, I was 90% sure that I would trade in my 2021 GLE and purchase a 2025 GLE. Now I know that I need to look at other options as well. Thanks

 

There are hundreds of thousands of V167s in the US, so everything you find on these forums represents a very small sample size. Take it for what it is.

Here are the issues with V167s that I've heard about:

1. Cylinder head failure on 350s: It's not clear how widespread the issue is, but we've seen a few examples on this forum that weren't isolated to a specific geography. If you plan to keep the car beyond its original warranty, I'd recommend getting an Extended Limited Warranty to cover the period you want to keep it. It's not clear if the issue has been truly resolved in the newer 350s (2023+).
2. Issues with the 48V system, including wiring, defects, or battery issues. This doesn't appear to be very common. It's likely due to assembly or part defects and not design issues. The 2024+ GLEs are mechanically different as they feature ISG Gen 2, which Mercedes-Benz moved to the transmission; it's supposed to make it simpler and more reliable, but time will tell.
3. Rough transmission shifts: It's unclear what causes this for some owners. For some, resetting adaptations works; for others, it doesn't. Most people don't experience this.
4. New vehicles with non-Nappa leather may have noticeable stitching or appearance imperfections. If this occurs, you can refuse the delivery, fix it later through service, or just accept it.
5. Some people experience camera calibration issues that cause the rear camera to "flap," which can be noisy. It's not clear why some vehicles behave this way, and it doesn't happen for most owners; it does happen for some. Short of adding extra insulation and oiling the camera mechanism, no fix seems to exist.

From the list above, I would only be concerned about issue #1 if I were to keep the vehicle out of warranty, as my risk tolerance is on the lower side.

 

One of the reasons BMW has rated high on those "surveys" is because they were behind the curve in tech.
Now they've upgraded their tech, expect them to join the other brands with new tech at the bottom of the reliability "surveys."

Regarding the other competitor in the arena, I have a '23 Audi SQ5 rental, and it feels very primitive. Our '19 GLC is miles ahead of the '23 Audi. I was surprised at that much difference. Chassis flex is really noticeable, and at 18,000, miles, it's plagued with rattles and bangs.

The Audi sitting in the garage looks really buck-toothed. And then there's those nostrils on the BMW.

I think I'm going to look at Korean next time.

 

I'm not gonna defend Mercedes. I do think they have to step it up. There's been an obvious cheapening of materials etc. in the latest models. Hard plastic is used in places that one touches regularly that was previously covered in at least MB-Tex. The capacitive buttons are another area that just feels cheap. The interiors frankly don't look very prestigious anymore. It's mainly a large screen with a bunch of plastic trim around it. You can step it up with carbon fiber etc. depending on the model, but there just isn't much character to it anymore.

But the issue with CR etc. is that they define reliability very broadly and don't really brake it down. A lot of the issues consumers report are software and technology related. These are not issues that leave you stranded on the side of the road. Yes, it's annoying if basic things don't work. For example in every loaner I've had over the last 1-2 years, CarPlay has been largely unusable. It continuously crashes or fails to connect. That is super annoying when driving a loaner, because I'm not gonna set up the Infotainment system with my preferences for a car that I just have for a couple of days and usually the Mercedes me services aren't activated, so there's no live traffic. Connecting my phone allows me to have an instant personalized experience and since I have a smart home, I can open/close my garage door from the CarPlay dashboard instead of having to carry a remote or get out of the car.

The experience I've been having with recent loaners has definitely made me not want a new Mercedes for now. Maybe these bugs will eventually get fixed via OTA updates, but the best advise I can give is buy a car for what it does today and not what might be promised for the future. I'd encourage you to spend some time in newer models. Loaners are a good way to sample the current generation of cars. Mercedes is currently doing a major disservice to themselves with these buggy loaners they are handing out. You don't entice existing customers to replace their current Mercedes with a new one if the loaner experience is bad.

For comparison, I rented a BMW 330i for a long weekend not too long ago, and the tech while not as fancy as in the current Mercedes was actually working. This was a pre-LCI model, so the tech wasn't the latest, but CarPlay, even wireless, was actually reliable the entire time. Sometimes less is more.

 

Before going with ICE GLE, I really wanted X50e to a point where I couldn't even explain why, probably all the buzz around it. It's not apples to apples (PHEV vs ICE) and I didn't want 450e, again, probably because it didn't have this "wow" factor of I-6 + Electric combo.

It came down to practical considerations - seats, physical controls, bad taste of buggy X5 software on our rentals, bad performance of parking assist on X5 and some other things. Now, I still like the idea behind it and may still consider x50e when it's time to update our second car. Reliability wise, check this thread x50e CEL . I wouldn't want to gamble on it until next year model or until they put a durable fix in place.

 

I do very much enjoy my cars. I don’t consider myself a car enthusiast, however, when it comes time to replace either my vehicle or my wife and kid’s vehicles I’m always doing the research for them. That has even trickledown to buying new cars for our friends. Even though I don’t want to replace my current GLE 350 until closer to the end of the year, while shopping with my son for his BMW X3, I checked out the BMW X5. The interior has certainly improved, the screen is much larger, the gear shifter has been replaced with a much less intrusive shifter, the seats are extremely comfortable, and the engine is more comparable to a GLE 450 than to my 350. The local BMW dealers have large inventory on the 2024 models, and now have inventory building on the newly arriving 2025s. Larger inventories translates to more negotiable prices. I believe that the base BMW prices out higher than the base MB 350 4matic, however, it does come with the 3 years maintenance included in the purchase price. Resale value for either of these vehicles isn’t really good. About 38 months ago, before I bought my current GLE, I compared these same 2 vehicles. At that time the MB looked a generation ahead of the X5. The X5 was tired looking and in desperate need of a significant refresh. IMO this is no longer the case. BTW, I also looked at the Audi Q7, now that looks like a vehicle that is old and needs some redesigning.
I’m sure that many people that contribute to this mostly informative site have come across the same issue BMW X5 vs MB 350 ( not 450 ). There may be other aspects of this comparison that I am missing and I would appreciate any feedback that can be provided. BTW, I still very much enjoy driving my GLE and think it still looks great. I don’t know if this makes any difference, I purchase my vehicles as opposed to leasing. I also don’t buy many of the optional packages, just the basic packages i.e.convenience pkg. and a few stand alone options. Just not sure if I want to buy a new 2025 GLE in 6 months, a vehicle that looks almost identical to my 2021 GLE. That in addition to the negative comments regarding the quality now coming out of MB. In reality it’s not a real problem, I am very grateful and appreciative for everything I have.

 

Mercedes quality? It's low. Very low.

 

Mercedes quality across the board is trash.

 

There are some threads on this exact topic although it is the pre-facelift though.
https://mbworld.org/forums/gle-class...h-over-x5.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/gle-class...x5-others.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/gle-class...x5-vs-gle.html

 

I would say overall right now BMW is making higher quality vehicles than Mercedes. BMW has really turned around their quality issues. As for them being "behind in tech" I don't see how, when I was shopping for my S Class in 2020, the then G12 7 Series had much better technology and more technology. Fast forward to 2024 and I am shopping again and the same is true. BMW has a big edge to MB in tech.

IMO though, Mercedes overall has better designs. Nearly everything BMW is making is challenging in some way design wise, and I think every vehicle right now you can look at the model immediately preceding it and its more attractive. As a comparison Mercedes are more timeless and beautiful inside and out...but a BMW absolutely feels higher quality.

 

Think Mercedes is focusing on brand recognition instead of quality nowadays, take for instance the stars in the front bumper, the grille, the taillight, (and even headlight concept CLA), the screens, the trims even (illuminated ones). Which is shame because everyone knows Mercedes, is the star really that important? To some, it might be. Then there is all the ambient lighting, as flashy as possible is their strategy.

BMW started doing the ambient lighting as well especially in the 7 series when it is the most apparent compared to their other models. BMW also have many gimmicks too, like the hand gesture although MB also started incorporating those.

I guess it is whatever sells for these companies.

 

You can certainly focus on both...

 

That will be ideal, yes.

 

At this point i think GM or Ford have better quality.

 

It is very interesting reading comments from people who own MB vehicles. From what I can gather no one feels MB quality has improved, however, several people have said that the quality of BMW has gotten better over the years. Since I will not be buying my next vehicle for several months I’m enjoying looking at cars I’m considering which are the GLE 350 4matic, BMW x5, and perhaps the Audi q7 ( maybe ). It is apparent that the BMW has the superior engine, a 6 cylinder with much more horsepower than the GLE 350 or the Audi. BTW, I am satisfied with the performance of my current GLE 350, I would not buy the GLE 450 because where I live we are inundated with speed cameras which makes local driving intolerable. The GLE seems to shine when it comes to the interior, even though BMW has now gone to the bigger screens and refined the center gear shifter, the GLE just exudes luxury and refinement. The rear legroom is also more comfortable in the GLE. The Audi also has a refined interior with nice materials, however, seems to be somewhat dated. Audi performance is comparable to the GLE both of which lag the BMW. The BMW would price out the highest of the three cars for the models I’m considering. It does however include 3 years maintenance included in the purchase price. Currently having my GLC due for a B service and my GLE for an A service it does add up. As for the exterior of these vehicles, which is purely subjective, IMO the GLE looks the best, followed by the BMW and the Audi brings up the rear. I am quite aware that I am looking at two 4 cylinder cars and one 6 cylinder car which doesn’t make for a true comparison, however, these are the cars I’m considering. Since I buy rather than lease resale value is important, as well as the discount I would get for these perspective vehicles. Currently inventory seems quite good on all 3, especially the BMW. Resale value is poor for all these German brands. Your thoughts and feedback are welcome.

 

If you take styling and preference for design out of it and you just look at material quality, build quaility, solidity, exterior trim and paint quality the X5 is considerably better than the GLE. Materials inside are much better, GLE has hard grainly plastic lower doors for example and everything on the X5 is padded, X5 sensatec is dramatically nicer than MB Tex, BMW paint is much nicer than Mercedes, it goes on and on. Stylingwise I agree the GLE is a better looking vehicle inside and out...so you are left with that choice...thats the issue with BMWs right now, all of them are challenging when it comes to styling. It takes work to decide if you like them or hate them...

I would absolutely not get a GLE350, I have had them as loaners and I hate the 4 cyl, the 6 cyl is a huge upgrade. Its not about speed its about refinement and driving enjoyment.

 

Thanks for your reply, items such as materials, paint, and build quality are of utmost importance to me. I am sure your assessment of both vehicles is based upon your experience and overall knowledge of them. Much appreciated

 

For me, in general Mercedes models just appeal to me more despite their drawbacks in quality compared to BMW. I’m shopping right now for a new S Class or 7 Series and there is no doubt the 7 is the better quality vehicle, better materials inside, better tech, better paint and build…but the Mercedes just jibes with me more.

 

Bottom line is BMW is too ugly to buy or drive.

Also, everyone including youtubers complains about the hard plastic bottom doors and bins. Those areas can be kicked and abused and stuffed with crap and trash, but the plastic is durable and easy to clean. They're fine.

 

I'm not a BMW hater, and I might even buy one at some point. However, these comparisons seem somewhat odd. BMW does not have "the superior engine"; it makes little sense to compare the 350 and x40i engines when 450s are readily available. I understand that one might not need a 450, but if that's the case, it probably makes sense to skip engine comparisons altogether.

Reliability wise, there is no real data on service visits, only subjective surveys. Having said that, I'm not claiming that MB or BMW is superior, just pointing out that the data is unreliable. I have never owned a BMW; my personal experience comes solely from renting a couple of 2023 X5s for a few weeks. I did not notice any superior interior quality, and both rentals, which were just a few months old, had issues with electronics and sensors. I was then looking at the 50e, but Bimmerpost is filled with posts about its Check Engine Light issues, with cars being replaced or spending significant amounts of time in service departments, sometimes addressing the same issue repeatedly. I have mentioned this several times before: in my observations, people on BMW forums tend to tolerate more issues without disparaging the brand.

 

Yeah BMW’s are pretty ugly with few exceptions. Not on my buy list.

 

I have to disagree here, the BMW B58 I6 is a better engine than the MB I6. Its smoother, more refined and is one of those legendary engines...

 

Mm, as I mentioned above, I did drive two B58 rentals for a few weeks. I can't say it's "more refined" than my M-256, both are just great. To me, the biggest difference between the x40i and my GLE 450 is the suspension setup. The X5 on steel handles really well out of the box for sporty driving, not great at all for imperfect roads. The 450 GLE on air is completely different animal, in "Comfort" it's just made for imperfect roads, in "Sport" its firmer and the body roll is significantly reduced, however, I'd still prefer the X5 for the sporty driving, it's just balanced better. I haven't tried the X5 on air.

 

I was simply stating the vehicles that I’m considering for purchase. I realize that the MB 350 is not comparable to the 6 cylinder BMW. It is just a plus for the BMW should I go for the x5 rather than the GLE. I’m not sure why several people mentioned that the paint is better on the BMW, how was that determined? How is build quality determined? Thanks

 

The base price of the GLE 350 is cheaper than the base price X5 (although the difference really isn't much), so that is probably why but then no one buys the base so evaluate it after you pick all the options you want on both vehicles, then there are money factors (if you are financing or leasing) and all that stuff. Factoring in the first 3 year of maintenance is included in the purchase price for BMW.