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I am considering getting rid of the Tahoe for a GLE-450e. I like the hybrid but I need to be able to tow our Pursuit 2470WA. We drop it in about 15mi from our house, mostly highway and fairly flat route. I plopped 1K on one but am wondering if I should look for a GLE-450e with Airmatic instead of the standard suspension? The boat weights about 6700lbs tongue weight is 600lbs with water fuel and trailer. I'd hate to get the GLE and find out the front end is light when towing tahoe, pepper, and boat for perspective . My first tow vehicle was a Chevy Colorado which held its own but I would get a bit of hobby horsing.
I am considering getting rid of the Tahoe for a GLE-450e. I like the hybrid but I need to be able to tow our Pursuit 2470WA. We drop it in about 15mi from our house, mostly highway and fairly flat route. I plopped 1K on one but am wondering if I should look for a GLE-450e with Airmatic instead of the standard suspension? The boat weights about 6700lbs tongue weight is 600lbs with water fuel and trailer. I'd hate to get the GLE and find out the front end is light when towing tahoe, pepper, and boat for perspective . My first tow vehicle was a Chevy Colorado which held its own but I would get a bit of hobby horsing.
Have you asked the dealer? Do they have a GLE with an OEM hitch you could hook your boat up to?The factory-installed Class III trailer hitch on the 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450e 4MATIC® SUV is rated for a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds and a maximum tongue weight of 770 pounds when properly equipped. (search result)
Two thoughts about your airmatic question. Even if not needed for your short tow it's a nice feature to have for other situations as well. But if you don't want to spend the money, 15 mi is a short tow, that could be done slow and easy so the airmatic would not be critical.
I am considering getting rid of the Tahoe for a GLE-450e. I like the hybrid but I need to be able to tow our Pursuit 2470WA. We drop it in about 15mi from our house, mostly highway and fairly flat route. I plopped 1K on one but am wondering if I should look for a GLE-450e with Airmatic instead of the standard suspension? The boat weights about 6700lbs tongue weight is 600lbs with water fuel and trailer. I'd hate to get the GLE and find out the front end is light when towing
tahoe, pepper, and boat for perspective . My first tow vehicle was a Chevy Colorado which held its own but I would get a bit of hobby horsing.
Originally Posted by parato
Have you asked the dealer? Do they have a GLE with an OEM hitch you could hook your boat up to?The factory-installed Class III trailer hitch on the 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE 450e 4MATIC® SUV is rated for a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds and a maximum tongue weight of 770 pounds when properly equipped. (search result)
Two thoughts about your airmatic question. Even if not needed for your short tow it's a nice feature to have for other situations as well. But if you don't want to spend the money, 15 mi is a short tow, that could be done slow and easy so the airmatic would not be critical.
Airmatic doesn't affect weight transfer - it just reduces squat. In other words, the handling and front end steering grip will be approximately the same with either suspension.
However, a 6,700 pound trailer of any sort, with only 600# tongue is on the light side, inviting sway, no matter the capacity to the tow vehicle. Rule of thumb is 10-15% an you are at @9% (I'm fine at 10% with either steel springs or Airmatic), so I'd make sure you don't upset that ratio by loading the rear of the boat and having a lower percentage of tongue to gross weight.
The GLE is a far better tow vehicle than a Tahoe, because of the stronger, stiffer unibody construction, modern suspension and real brakes. GLE brakes are bigger than a 3/4T Chevy. And it has a built-in "tow package," with HD cooling & electrics, plus a Tow-Haul mode changing shift/engine mapping and light-out detection when towing. That's IF you get the factory hitch.
You'll be fine IF you pay attention to loading. With either spec.
(That is, if the 450e tow capacity really IS 7700/700#, which I haven't verified.)
It's a well written article and I generally agree with it. The car is rated 7700/700 but, as the article says, the hitch is rated 600#. Mine:
Hitch label 2021 AMG 53
I carry about 640-700# on mine, as I did with my two ML's, towing a 27' RV. I use a weight distribution hitch and wouldn't tow without one, but I don't know if one could be used on a boat trailer.
I recommend an "ANDERSEN Hitches No-Sway Weight Distribution Hitch" as a lightweight effective WDH, if that's a possibility.
The limiting factor for me is the Cargo Capacity of the car. Which for me is 1047#, which I exceed, but I still have a couple hundred pounds leeway at each axle's GAWR, the axles' weight ratings.
So we're back to loading of the boat & trailer, keeping the tongue weight above 8-10% of total trailer weight, while not overloading the hitch.
But I'll say this: my GLE is a stellar Tow Vehicle, especially compared to body on frame TVs with WW1 suspensions and sedan sized brakes.
Evasive maneuvers are achieved with no drama, and unless awkwardly loaded, completely eliminate that White Knuckle experience.
Also, pay attention to the hitch label for length of the ball mount, because the longer the stinger, the more leverage the trailer exerts on the TV. Long stingers, by geometry, actually de-rate the entire assembly.
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