mango14

I'm currently looking at both the X5 and GLE 400. i have a couple of questions... I've owned bmw for the last 5 years so i am familiar with their features, and want to see if MB has something similar.


1) on bmw, you can control spotify and pandora from the idrive --- not just pause and skip, by complete integration via bluetooth--- is there anything similar?

2) it appears as though the gle 400 doesnt have the most pep for an suv (subjective), does MB have a performance increase package? i'm not interested in an AMG --- i've gotten sick of buying tires all the dang time.

johnnyderm

1. No - they do not work in any advanced capacity in the GLE right now (not like bmw where you can star songs etc). You can use carplay but it sucks switching back and fourth from apple to benz systems.
2. I am sure you can add a kit to boost the HP a bit. Plenty of aftermarket ones for the ML. I thought the 400 was solid pep. But still opted for the AMG because I am shallow.

mango14

I'm coming from an M5 so i'm sure anything will feel sluggish.... I did see iheartradio integration so maybe it will be added ? BMW is just now adding it for 2017 on more mid range models.

johnnyderm

You are coming from an M5 Mango? That car is AMAZING isnt it? All around I think it is the best car ever made all things considered. It can compete on every level. If I could have a car and not an SUV i'd be in an M5 no question. Perhaps a RS7 tho ;-)

mango14

Yeah it's amazing --- another kid on the way so it's time for a bigger car for a bit!

fabbrisd1

New found cousins - all to the good - frankly you should be looking/driving the GLE450 coupe so you can wrap up your family needs and your private desires in the same rig..

BACnMercedes

I have iheartradio now, I don't use it because it's is so slow, but I think it's a part of the mbrace packages. Hence why it is sooooooo sloooooowwww. I have noticed that my wife's iphone will connect much easier and play pandora. Hers will show the songs and length, but you cannot skip of thumbs up or down with the mb system. Unless you connect through carplay and then you see everything but like another said, it is a pain to jump back and forth between the systems. And you have to use a flippin' wire to connect. My android connects about 75% of the time for Pandora but I usually have to get my phone out and start Pandora, unlike the iphone. And it doesn't show anything about the Pandora app other than my phones "name."
As for the "pep." I haven't drove many BMW'S but I've been pretty impressed with the 400. I had an AMG and drove a lot of them. I cannot hear any turbo noise and them seem to come on very quickly and strong. I have a BMW buddy that rode with me and he was impressed with it for an SUV. One thing I do not like though is there is hardly any engine noise or exhaust note. So if the room is not a deal killer, go with the coupe so you get the performance too. (I needed all the room I could get in a mid size SUV)

davezaristo

I'd say get the X5 based on what you are looking for. I have a F80 M3 also and compared to my wife's GLE, the BMW integration with apps in general is much better than MB. MB has a couple of apps built-in but my experience is that it is so so slow that you may as well just use your phone. It's essentially useless imho and not sure why MB bother to put it there.

To be brutally honest, I don't have much good things to say about my GLE400, given that I categorize myself as more or less the nit picking auto enthusiast crowd, if that helps.

Count Laszlo

Just an observation but it's absolutely mind boggling that someone would choose a car based on app integration. Really?? The GLE, and pretty much every other Mercedes product, trumps BMW by leagues - BMW's horrible sales, dated designs, Toyato mentality, and an almost unstopple brand erosion that they cannot climb out of, is proof of this. And btw, apps are on their way out. They're yesterday's news and open APIs and text and chat bots will replace most of what is experienced today on smart phones.

davezaristo

I don't think your statement is accurate stating that every other mercedes product trumps BMW. The GLE is a mild facelift and it is light years behind in technology and app integration comparing to mercedes' own 2017 e-class, as an example. I personally own a 15 M3 and 16 GLE400 and I can tell you the GLE lacks behind on all aspects of app integration, comparing to my BMW, in which that was the initial question of the post. I am not saying that BMW is all that great in that aspect but certainly comparing to the GLE, it is better integrated and more user friendly.

Imho, I would take a look at the new Q7 if technology is the main key buying decisions since the virtual cockpit and app integration is just incredible.