2021 Mercedes-Benz GLB vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE had a mixed reception regarding its exterior design. While it featured an aggressive nose and a low hood, the design seemed to lose its appeal past the A-pillar, making it almost indistinguishable from its predecessors. The flat taillights and contoured rear helped mitigate its minivan-like tendencies, but it still lacked the pitch-perfect proportions seen in competitors like BMW, Audi, and Jaguar. The AMG trim added a sporty touch, but it still couldn't compete visually with models like the BMW X5 M or Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

However, the interior of the GLE was a different story. Mercedes made significant improvements, creating a masterpiece of quality, layout, colors, and textures. The red and black interior was both loud and luxurious, surpassing even Porsche and Audi in opulence. The twin arching grab handles, LED lighting, and a mix of wood, metal, leather, and suede made the interior a delight to touch and operate. Despite a few flimsy components, the GLE exuded a sense of pampering, though it required high-end options to truly feel luxurious.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLB, introduced in 2020, joined an already extensive lineup of Mercedes SUVs. Slotting between the smaller GLA and larger GLC, the GLB measured 182.4 inches in length with a 111.4-inch wheelbase. Despite its distinct measurements, it was often hard to distinguish from its lineup-mates without checking the badge. The GLB had an attractive, athletic stance, partly due to its 7.9 inches of ground clearance, which was more forgiving for soft roads and speed humps compared to the lower-slung GLA and GLC.

Inside, the GLB was a modern stunner with a conscious repetition of round shapes across the dash, creating a striking and effective design. The carefully crafted HVAC vents evoked an aerospace vibe with their polished metal details. The single panel housing both the virtual instrument cluster and infotainment screen was elegant and attractive. The cabin boasted Mercedes-Benz levels of fit and finish, with a beefy steering wheel featuring perforated leather grips, adding to the overall luxurious feel.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE excelled as a multi-purpose vehicle, offering a complex suspension and engine setup. The base GLE 350 featured a coil-sprung setup for reliability and comfort, while the GLE 450 introduced AIRMATIC self-leveling air springs with adaptive dampers. The AMG Ride Control+ and E-Active Body Control systems provided advanced handling capabilities, including the ability to lean into turns like a motorcyclist. The AMG GLE 53 Coupe featured an electric supercharger for instant throttle response, while the GLE 580 and AMG GLE 63 S offered powerful twin-turbo engines.

All GLE models, except the base GLE 350, were hybrids with a 48-volt battery system providing additional horsepower and torque. The GLE 350 had a 255 hp engine, while the GLE 450 offered 362 hp. The AMG GLE 53 had 429 hp, the GLE 580 had 483 hp, and the AMG GLE 63 S topped the range with 603 hp. The GLE's driving experience was exceptional, with the ability to tow up to 7700 pounds and a ride quality that was both comfortable and controlled.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLB came with a single engine choice: a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder producing 221 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the GLB offered front-wheel drive as standard, with 4MATIC all-wheel drive available for an additional $2,000. The GLB's fuel economy was rated at 23 mpg city/30 mpg highway/26 mpg combined for FWD and 23 mpg city/31 mpg highway/26 mpg combined for AWD.

The GLB's performance was decent, with a 0-60 mph time of 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph. The 4MATIC version provided better handling and agility, making it a wise choice for drivers who needed better performance in various conditions. The GLB's Off-Road Engineering Package included features like hill-start assist and downhill speed regulation, enhancing its capability on unpaved roads.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE offered a spacious interior with optional third-row seating, allowing for up to seven passengers. The second-row seats featured power controls for recline and fore-aft adjustments, with easy access to the third row. The GLE Coupe, however, was limited to five passengers and had less cargo space due to its sloping roofline. Cargo capacity for the standard GLE was 34 cubic feet behind the second row and 75 cubic feet with all rows folded, while the Coupe offered 23 and 61 cubic feet, respectively.

The GLE's usability was enhanced by the new MBUX infotainment system, which replaced the clunky rotary/touchpad combo with a single touchpad and a simplified interface. Seat controls on the doors, rocker switches for the suspension, and shortcuts for driving modes on the steering wheel were easy to use. However, the thumbpads on the steering wheel were less intuitive. Overall, the GLE's interior was luxurious and well-equipped, though it required some setup before driving.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLB offered a critical choice between two-row and three-row configurations. The second-row seats in the GLB were highly adjustable, with a 40:20:40 split for the seatbacks and a 40:60 split for the seat bottoms. The three-row GLB featured an "Easy-Entry" function for the second row, allowing for easy access to the third row, which could be folded flat when not in use.

Cargo space in the two-row GLB was 27.0 cubic feet behind the second row and 62.0 cubic feet with the second row folded. The three-row GLB had 5.1 cubic feet of space behind the third row, 24.0 cubic feet behind the second row, and 56.7 cubic feet with both rows folded. The third row was best suited for children or short trips for smaller adults. The rest of the GLB's cabin was well-sorted, with comfortable front seats, modern amenities, and ample storage options.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE featured a 12-inch touchscreen display with Interior Assistant, which could read certain hand gestures. The system allowed for easy control of various functions, including seat massage and navigation. The AMG models had a Track Pace app for virtual pit crew and GPS lap timing. The GLE also offered a head-up display, ambient lighting with 64 colors, and a natural voice assistant that responded to the phrase "Mercedes." The semi-automated functionality included lane-changing and curve-slowing capabilities, making the GLE a highly advanced vehicle.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLB, despite being an entry-level model, was packed with technology. The MBUX infotainment system featured voice control, natural language understanding, and keyword activation. The GLB came with a 7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 7-inch touchscreen multimedia display, with options to upgrade to 10.25 inches each. The Premium Package added keyless go, while the Multimedia Package included augmented reality navigation and traffic-sign assist. Other available features included adaptive damping, 64-color ambient lighting, wireless device charging, and a head-up display.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE, identical to the 2021 model, earned the Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It scored top ratings in six crash tests, for headlights, and for its standard forward emergency braking. The GLE also featured blind-spot monitoring, a driver attention monitor, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, evasive steering assist, and front cross-traffic braking. The Pre-Safe Sound system played a "pink noise" to reduce hearing damage in a crash, while the Pre-Safe Impulse Side system could inflate the side bolsters of the front seats to better position occupants during a side impact.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLB came with standard safety features like active brake assist, adaptive braking technology, crosswind assist, attention assist, and emergency call service. Available safety features included active LED headlamps, adaptive high-beam assist, and blind-spot assist. The Driver Assistance Package added advanced features like active distance assist Distronic adaptive cruise control, active steering assist, active brake assist with cross-traffic function, active speed limit assist, active blind-spot assist, active lane-keeping assist, and Pre-Safe Plus with Pre-Safe Sound. The GLB had not yet been rated for safety by the NHTSA or IIHS.