Thoughts on the GLE Loaner
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Joined: Mar 2017
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From: Boston, MA
2012 ML350
Thoughts on the GLE Loaner
I got a 2017 GLE loaner when I dropped off my ML this am. I noticed a few positives, more than a few commonalities and some things I didn't care for.
The positives would be a more sporty "flavor". First a simple observation, the hood bumps look great. A more meaningful difference is an actual sport mode on the suspension and drivetrain that tightens things up, raises the upshift RPM and increases the sensitivity level of the accelerator pedal. Most of the cars that I've had or driven recently have this and it can be useful from time to time (on ramps around Boston, ect). The exhaust note is more defined. It sounds throaty compared to my ML. The wood on the dash is a nice rough grain wood that a few other premium brands are switching to as well.
The negatives. The materials you find on the dash and center console seem to be cheapened up a bit. The plastic on the face of the radio and other dash components were changed out (probably to save weight) for different grades of plastic. The center console silver dial is now covered partially with a hand rest that also serves as a button. Its too easy to inadvertently hit that button while you are driving. The steering wheel is a nice three point unit but the controls on it have round edges that look like they were lifted from a Chrysler (I know they share some DNA but I refuse to think about it).
The commonalities. Pretty much everything else. There really doesn't seem to be a huge difference in any other obvious way. I'm sure that some things have been updated under the hood but so far they haven't presented themselves in an obvious way.
Me being fussy... This car has the upgraded stereo and all of the previous posts in regards to this are true. Much better -- my car does not have this option. This car also has the lighting package which is very nice -- my car does not have this option either. I know it's a thing now to have the tablet style dash but I'm not a fan. This is especially true when it is retrofitted on a dash that had an integrated screen in a previous year. I find that on most cars it comes off as a last minute thought when they were planning the dash layout for the car and in this application it just seems forced. MB look at Volvo and Tesla. BMW also does a poor job with this in the X5.
I like my 12 and love that I got it with 6K on the clock. It's just as tight as this car and really doesn't feel like its aged at all. It's a confidence booster that these cars seem to age well (at lease chronologically-- Milage? we'll see). I am also a fan of my sticker price when compared to the sticker for one of these.
The positives would be a more sporty "flavor". First a simple observation, the hood bumps look great. A more meaningful difference is an actual sport mode on the suspension and drivetrain that tightens things up, raises the upshift RPM and increases the sensitivity level of the accelerator pedal. Most of the cars that I've had or driven recently have this and it can be useful from time to time (on ramps around Boston, ect). The exhaust note is more defined. It sounds throaty compared to my ML. The wood on the dash is a nice rough grain wood that a few other premium brands are switching to as well.
The negatives. The materials you find on the dash and center console seem to be cheapened up a bit. The plastic on the face of the radio and other dash components were changed out (probably to save weight) for different grades of plastic. The center console silver dial is now covered partially with a hand rest that also serves as a button. Its too easy to inadvertently hit that button while you are driving. The steering wheel is a nice three point unit but the controls on it have round edges that look like they were lifted from a Chrysler (I know they share some DNA but I refuse to think about it).
The commonalities. Pretty much everything else. There really doesn't seem to be a huge difference in any other obvious way. I'm sure that some things have been updated under the hood but so far they haven't presented themselves in an obvious way.
Me being fussy... This car has the upgraded stereo and all of the previous posts in regards to this are true. Much better -- my car does not have this option. This car also has the lighting package which is very nice -- my car does not have this option either. I know it's a thing now to have the tablet style dash but I'm not a fan. This is especially true when it is retrofitted on a dash that had an integrated screen in a previous year. I find that on most cars it comes off as a last minute thought when they were planning the dash layout for the car and in this application it just seems forced. MB look at Volvo and Tesla. BMW also does a poor job with this in the X5.
I like my 12 and love that I got it with 6K on the clock. It's just as tight as this car and really doesn't feel like its aged at all. It's a confidence booster that these cars seem to age well (at lease chronologically-- Milage? we'll see). I am also a fan of my sticker price when compared to the sticker for one of these.
