Mercedes-Benz's ML name has been dropped in favour of this new GLE for 2015. Here we drive the cleanest, most frugal 250d. The Mercedes-Benz GLE250d 4Matic is a facelifted version of what has, up until now, been known as the ML250d. The revised luxury-class SUV forms the entry point to the new GLE line-up in the UK at £49,280.The US-built GLE has been given a number of mid-life upgrades aimed at seeing it retain its competitiveness in what, in recent years, has become a particularly tough market segment.Included is a lightly restyled exterior, with re-profiled bumpers, a revised grille, redesigned headlamps, newly shaped exterior mirror housings, more expressively styled tail lamps and altered tail pipes among other detailed design tweaks.Inside, there is a new dashboard with revised instruments, more contemporary controls, a new multi-function steering wheel, a free standing infotainment monitor and upgraded trims with high quality materials – all of which helps to lift its perceived quality on to a level at least equal to its key SUV rivals, the new second-generation Audi Q7 and third-generation BMW X5.The turbocharged 2.1-litre four-cylinder common rail diesel engine, used by the GLE250d 4Matic driven here, is among six different petrol, diesel and hybrid options Mercedes-Benz has brought to the new GLE line-up, although only four of them will be offered in the UK. With 201bhp and 369lb ft of torque, the power outputs of the engine in our test car are unchanged.More significant is the adoption of a new nine-speed automatic gearbox as standard. The so-called 9G-Tronic unit replaces the older seven-speed 7G-Tronic gearbox. As is now commonplace across the Mercedes-Benz line-up, the new gearbox uses a column mounted Direct Shift stalk to free up space in the centre console for a pair of cup holders. Only 4Matic all-wheel-drive is available in the UK. It nominally apportions drive 50:50 front-to-rear, but can constantly vary the ratio depending on prevailing grip levels, to a maximum of 100% at either end. This works in combination with an optional Off-Road Engineering package, that adds a mechanical locking differential and a two-stage transfer case with low range gearing.Although it weighs the same as its predecessor, at 2075kg, the GLE250d 4Matic is claimed to offer improved standing start acceleration and economy. Officials figures point to a 0.4sec reduction in the 0-62mph time at 8.6sec, and a 2.5mpg improvement on the combined consumption cycle at 49.6mpg, endowing it with average CO2 emissions of 149g/km.from Autocar RSS Feed http://ift.tt/1H8kZqL
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