Mercedes-Benz GLE vs Land Rover Range Rover Velar

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class exhibited subtle yet noticeable aesthetic enhancements, with sharper headlights and taillights accompanied by black fender flares over the wheel arches. The grille received stylish chrome inserts, adding to its visual appeal. For those opting for the AMG Line package, the exterior gained a sportier edge with a distinctive grille design. Standard 19-inch wheels offered a balanced look, while optional 21-inch wheels provided a more imposing stance. Mercedes-Benz also offered a sexier alternative with the GLE coupe, though only available in the high-performance Mercedes-AMG guise. This variant shared many features with the standard model, albeit with slightly reduced interior space. Inside, the cabin retained the hallmark Mercedes-Benz luxury, featuring an abundance of leather and soft-touch surfaces. The open-pore walnut trim available was visually stunning, yet the combination with Bahia Brown seating gave our tester's interior a dated feel reminiscent of a 1970s wood-paneled rec room. Opting for lighter leather upholstery could alleviate this design misstep. Meanwhile, the 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar embraced a “reductive” design philosophy aimed at simplifying and modernizing both its exterior and interior. Since its 2018 debut, this philosophy found a more profound expression in 2024, with a new grille, updated headlights and taillights, fresh wheel choices, and improved exterior detailing. The revamped rear bumper emphasized the Velar’s width more than its height, while a full-length upper stop lamp contributed to a lower and wider appearance. On the inside, the 2024 Velar boasted a larger 11.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system that appeared to float above the dashboard. Redesigning the center console to eliminate traditional controls like climate system dials and stereo volume knobs in favor of touchscreen controls added complexity but offered a modernized look. Despite minor signs of substandard quality, including plastic lower door panels and a poorly secured driver’s floor mat, the overall cabin design was aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, the Velar introduced animal-free seat upholstery options such as the Kvadrat wool blend and included advanced features like the Cabin Air Purification Plus system with PM 2.5 filtration and carbon dioxide monitoring. However, our test vehicle lacked these upgrades but still delivered a high-end feel with its Dynamic SE trim and a host of luxury add-ons, totaling an MSRP of $80,533, including the $1,275 destination charge.

Under the hood of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, buyers had several options. The entry-level GLE 350 featured a 255-horsepower engine, while the mid-tier GLE 450 offered a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine. At the top, the GLE 580 came with a robust 4.0-liter V8. Our test model, however, was the new 450e, a plug-in hybrid that stood out for its blend of performance and efficiency. The 450e showcased a 2.0-liter turbo inline four-cylinder engine delivering an impressive 381 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque in hybrid mode. This power surpassed that of the GLE 350 and GLE 450, though the hybrid was about half a second slower to 60 mph than the GLE 450, owing to its heavier 23.3-kWh battery. Mercedes claimed the battery could support up to 48 miles on all-electric power, but our tests showed a surprising 55-mile range. The 450e defaulted to all-electric mode at startup, assuming the battery had sufficient charge. Drivers could easily switch to Hybrid or Battery Hold mode as needed, though brake regeneration levels needed resetting at every startup. Transitions between electric and gas power were smooth and hardly noticeable. In terms of driving dynamics, the 450e’s Sport mode offered minimal impact, displaying light steering and significant body roll. While comfortable for commuting, it lacked the sporty feel of some competitors like the BMW X5 xDrive50e, known for its snappier acceleration and tauter chassis. The 11-kW onboard charger allowed the 450e to charge fully in under three hours on a Level 2 home charger, with the added benefit of a 60-kW DC fast charge capability for road trips. Conversely, the 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar test model featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, producing 394 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque. The Velar’s P400 designation indicated this more powerful engine, compared to the P250 label for models with the less potent 247-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder. The P400’s performance was notably better, achieving near-two-second faster 0-60 mph times than the P250, though at the cost of slightly reduced fuel efficiency (combined 21 mpg compared to 23 mpg for the P250). The Velar’s eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive system smartly varied power distribution between front and rear axles. Ground clearance measured 8.4 inches, extendable to 9.9 inches with the optional air suspension, and water fording capability ranged from 20.9 to 22.8 inches depending on suspension type. The Velar’s standard Terrain Response driving modes included Eco, Comfort, Grass-Gravel-Snow, Mud-Ruts, Sand, and Automatic, with Dynamic mode available for on-road performance. In Dynamic mode, it excelled on mountain roads, feeling more nimble compared to the heftier Range Rover Sport and full-size Range Rover. On highways and in Comfort mode, it provided a quiet, comfortable drive with ample power for overtaking. In urban settings, the Velar’s Comfort mode occasionally felt overly soft, exhibiting noticeable squat when accelerating and dive when braking. Dynamic mode mitigated this but could result in unexpected power surges. Unfortunately, due to loan agreement restrictions, off-road testing was not possible, though the Velar appeared competitively capable on paper.

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class interior prioritized comfort and luxury, with standard heated front seats, added ventilation, and massage functions in our test model. Heated and cooled cup holders catered to beverage preferences, while customizable ambient lighting, a panoramic sunroof, and soft-close doors enhanced the upscale experience. The cabin remained quiet, even on noisy highways, and the Burmester stereo system provided exceptional audio quality. However, a minor quibble was the non-extendable sun visors, fixed on their rods and incapable of adequately blocking side light. The GLE-Class boasted impressive towing capabilities, hauling up to 7,700 pounds and featuring Trailer Maneuvering Assist technology for easier trailer handling. Cargo space was generous, offering 31.5 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expandable to 74.9 cubic feet with the second row folded. Non-PHEV models provided slightly more cargo room. The 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar, meanwhile, introduced power-extending flush-mounted door handles and improved front seat cushions. Despite the tricky front seat access due to angled windshield pillars and small openings, once inside, the 14-way power adjustable front seats offered excellent comfort. The Cold Climate Pack added ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, a heated windshield, and a headlight power-wash system. Sporting a new Cloud over Ebony theme with genuine wood veneers, the Velar's interior mostly exuded quality, marred only by cheaper-looking plastic on lower door panels and a misbehaving driver’s floor mat. Rear seat passengers found comfort with excellent backrest angles, lumbar and leg support, decent legroom, and panoramic glass sunroof coverage. Oddly, the rear doors lacked window sunshades. Storage solutions included adequate in-cabin spaces, like generous door panel bins, but small items could get lost, contributing to noise over bumps. The Velar offered a respectable 30.9 cubic feet of cargo space, extendable to 62.7 cubic feet with the 40/20/40-split rear seats folded. A standard power liftgate and additional storage features, such as netted side areas and grocery bag hooks, added convenience.

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class came equipped with a 12.3-inch digital customizable gauge cluster and the latest MBUX infotainment system, though not the larger screens seen in newer Mercedes models like the EQS. The 12.3-inch screen provided a fine user experience with straightforward menus, touchpad controls on the center console, and voice activation through the “Hey, Mercedes” command. Steering wheel touchpads could also control MBUX but proved finicky. The augmented reality navigation system was a highlight, overlaying addresses and turn directions on the screen, aiding navigation. An off-road page on MBUX offered data on altitude, latitude, steering angle, and more, including a transparent hood feature showing the terrain directly under the vehicle. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, though our tester faced frequent connection issues with an iPhone. Plenty of USB-C ports, offering up to 100W, ensured devices remained charged. In contrast, the 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar featured the new Pivi Pro infotainment system. The upgraded system included an 11.4-inch touchscreen display, over-the-air software updates, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and an improved user interface. However, the Pivi Pro added complexity by integrating climate control, stereo volume, and defrost functions into the single screen, which proved challenging. Pivi Pro's new sidebars with shortcut icons were small and hard to read, and lack of resting support for hands made navigation difficult while driving. Familiarizing oneself with the interface still took time, raising concerns about driver distraction. Amazon Alexa and a cloud-based digital assistant were available but required setup and subscription. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto offered a more straightforward alternative, but the desire for tactile controls remained unmet. The Velar also featured a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, standard Meridian sound systems, and optional add-ons like a head-up display (HUD) and surround-view camera. The HUD effectively communicated safety system statuses, though the lack of a surround-view camera in our test model was noted.

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class maintained a strong reputation for advanced driver's aids, with standard blind-spot monitoring and an optional Driver Assistance Package Plus. This package included active blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control with steering assist, and lane-change assist, enhancing safety and convenience, albeit at an additional cost of nearly $2,000. The GLE earned a five-star side crash and four-star rollover rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) but lacked overall and frontal crash ratings. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded top “Good” ratings in crashworthiness, crash avoidance, and mitigation, and seat belts and child restraints. With the Digital Light package, the headlight rating received an “Acceptable” score. The 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar also came well-equipped with advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS). Most of these systems functioned effectively, and the optional HUD provided clear indications of their statuses. Adaptive Cruise Control with a speed-limited function and a driver-set mode helped manage speed, with clear steering wheel indicators showing when the system was active. The Adaptive Cruise Control paired with Steer Assist formed a Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system, which tracked well but showed delayed reactions to vehicles cutting in. Steer Assist had issues with accurate tracking through curves and dealing with turn lanes and ramps, often adding unwanted inputs. Examples of problematic Steer Assist behavior included sudden lane changes under freeway overpasses and attempts to steer into turn lanes rather than maintaining a straight path. Such erratic behavior added stress instead of reducing it, making driving without Steer Assist more pleasurable.