DMVArj

Hi everyone, would love some advice on 350 vs 450 for general everyday driving. I’ve read a lot of threads and see the concensus is the I6 is smoother and a better engine than the 350’s I4, but does anyone have any actual experience with the 350 vs 450 for city driving? Is the real difference the passing power on highways or are there other real challenges with the 350 pulling the weight of the GLE? Thank you.

SW20S

The I6 transforms the GLE IMO, I would never consider a 350. Its refinement, smoothness, power...all of it.

EL-34

no inline 6 turbo, no care.

Lucky 777

Having owned a 2020 GLE350 and now owning a 2023 GLE450, the 350 was more than adequate for everyday driving. I'm not an aggressive driver and it's just the two of us. The 350 is surprisingly zippy and I never had any trouble getting up to speed merging in to traffic on Pennsylvania's notoriously short interstate ramps. The only two deficiencies the 350 had was a little turbo lag when pulling out from a stop and the auto start/stop was a bit jerky. The turbo lag is something I got used to and the jerky start/stop is 90% mitigated by driving in ECO mode which forces the transmission to start in 2nd gear. Of course now that the 350 includes the 48 volt mild hybrid system, those two complaints have been eliminated. When I get tired of the 2023 450, I'll most likely go back to the 350.

SW20S

Its "Adequate". To me though a Mercedes is not something I want to be merely adequate.

To me all you have to do is rev it up and listen for that raspy 4 cyl vs the smooth refined 6 cyl and thats the difference.

I have a C300 right now and the 4 feels great in this, but in the GLE it feels lethargic and coarse to me.

Lucky 777

Don't misquote me. I said "more than adequate". My observations are based on actual ownership and daily driving of both cars. I have no idea what "raspy" means, and fail to understand how a motor with 2 less cylinders is less "refined".

To the OP: Test drive both and base your choice on that.

djgiovanni

Had a beautifully specked '22 350.
Traded for a '22 450 3 weeks later. Couldn't take the unrefined idle of the 4 banger and lack of power (it is a heavy truck). It just didn't feel like a Mercedes-Benz. I felt as if I were driving a 4 cylinder Toyota Sienna.

SW20S

And I said adequate. I drove a GLE350 for a week, so it wasn't just a test drive, and it was the new one with the 48v system. 4 cyls are less refined than 6 cyls, 6 cyls are less refined than 8 cyls. They tend to have a coarse, unrefined sound and feel when pressed and the GLE350 has that. Its less objectionable in the C300 I have right now because its lighter and you have to use less RPM to get power.

If that difference in sound and feel and refinement doesn't bother you, thats fine...but its there for sure.

BlueYonder

A straight six is an inherently smooth engine and will be smoother than a V8 and much smoother than a 4 banger. I doubt if there are any 450 owners that see a GLE 350 go by and think "I wish I had bought the 4 cylinder". I would bet there are a few 350 owners that see a 450 or 580 go by and think "I wish I had bought one of those instead".

SW20S

In concept this is true, but I have never found it to be true with the I6 vs the V8. For instance I test drove an S500 with the I6 and turned right around and took it back, the V8 is just much smoother and more refined.

W205C43PFL

Ya I wouldn't agree that an inline 6 is smoother than a V8, just like how a V8 won't be as smooth as a V12.

FireRx Captain

Been there done this is the fifth Mercedes Benz that I have owned in my life. and the first 4 banger. I'm perfectly happy with the turbo 4cyl. I don't really hear the engine inside the cabin of the vehicle with that bad *** sound system in it. I've had both the 6 cyl and 8 cyl vehicles. The number one thing that drove me to get a 4 banger was fuel consumption. plus my 4 banger feels as powerful at my former 273 6-cylinder engine. on my ML 350. so I'm not missing much in the power band. 5 hp less with a turbo? I'll take it! especially for a daily driver.

bancroftdg

i haven't driven a GLE450 but have test driven a 2023 GLE350. We currently own a 2013 GL450 and the lack of power when trying to go up on-ramps was very noticeable compared to the GL. I guess the extra 100+ hp and 100+ ft lbs of torque matter. Plan to trade in the GL next year for a GLE and while I prefer the price point of the 350, I'm guessing my wife will vote for the 450 after test driving. I really hate that so many manufacturers are going to the 4cyl turbo engines with negligible difference in mpg.

parato

The best of both worlds is the 450e plug in hybrid. 4 cyl economy plus pure electric drive without range anxiety. The vehicle can drive like an EV or drive like an economical 4 or have the muscle of both gas and EV together.

BlueYonder

If they had paired the electric motor with the straight 6 like BMW did, you would be right. Once the battery loses its charge, you are stuck driving down the highway with a buzzy 4 banger.

parato

Not correct. It goes from EV mode to hybrid mode, but with a larger electric motor. The battery charge is maintained with some reserve, never fully depleted so whenever the driver accelerates the 4 cylinder is assisted by the larger electric for a combined performance of more HP than the 6.

BlueYonder

For acceleration, you are correct. For cruising, you are using the motor alone to maintain speed. The straight six would have provided a more comfortable highway cruising experience.

parato

From my experience the 4 cyl cruising is so smooth I don't notice when the vehicle switches from electric only to gas / hybrid when the battery precharge is depleted.

If I switch to gas only mode (no electric assist) then I hear the 4 working harder and less smooth than the 6 would. But I don't use the vehicle that way.

So my order of preference is
1. 450e
2. 450
3. 350

Elvisfan0108

I currently have an Audi Q5e PHEV. Turbo 4 linked to an electric motor. You can go 80MPH or so in electric mode. Once the electric mode is over, you have to look at the tach to know the ICE is on. I assume the GLE is the same.

parato

With the GLE I have not reached a speed that ends electric mode. I have passed at over 130 kph / 80 mph and stayed in electric (tach at 0).

However if the accelerstion demand is high the ICE will kick it. There is a detent point on the accelerator pedal (similar to a kick down switch) that calls for the ICE.

With the 450e if the switchover from electric to ICE is when the battery depletes while cruising it is imperceptible. But when the ICE kicks in under hard acceleration the 4 cyl is loud.

Ryanville

450 all the way don’t even bother with the 350.

FireRx Captain

I like my 350 just fine, thank you.

kvelez

Sounds like you want a 450 and are rationalizing buying the 350. Buy the 450 and have no regrets.

SW20S

Thats what everybody who has the 350 has done too lol

Elvisfan0108

MB’s 4cyl have always been loud. My C300 sounds like a diesel.