2026 Mercedes GLE & GLS Facelift: Specs, Price & German Launch
Mercedes GLE and GLS 2026 Facelift — Full Specs for the German Market
Mercedes-Benz has just revealed the second facelift for the GLE (V167) and GLS (X167), and this is anything but a minor cosmetic touch-up. Stuttgart gutted the four-cylinder engine range in Europe, wired both SUVs around a triple-screen MBUX Superscreen cockpit, and introduced a new plug-in hybrid GLE 450e 4MATIC with over 106 km of electric-only range. For anyone shopping this segment in Germany — or watching residual values shift — the changes are substantial.
What Makes This Second Facelift Different?
The original GLE launched at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. A subtle first facelift followed in early 2023 — mostly interior trim and minor bumper revisions. That wasn’t enough. The new BMW X5 is due this autumn with five powertrain options including hydrogen, and the ageing Audi Q7 still holds loyal buyers. Mercedes needed something bigger.
This updated GLE arrives with more than 3,000 new or revised components, according to Mercedes’ own press materials. That’s a number you’d normally associate with a full generation change, not a mid-cycle refresh. The GLS gets a parallel treatment. Both SUV and Coupe body styles are covered, and production kicks off at the Tuscaloosa plant in September 2026. European deliveries should follow shortly after.
New Grille, New Lights — The Latest Design Changes
From the front, the new grille is the most obvious tell. It’s wider, framed in chrome, and carries an illuminated central star — though that feature won’t be available in every European market due to regulations. The headlamps adopt a twin-star motif and are available with the latest generation of DIGITAL LIGHT, which Mercedes says creates a 40% larger high-resolution light field while cutting energy use by half.
Around the back, tri-star LED tail lights visually connect the GLE to the Mercedes S-Class. The AMG variants get their own front-end treatment: a model-specific grille, larger air intakes, and 22-inch alloy wheels as standard. A new colour option, Hightechsilber magno, debuts exclusively on the AMG. The GLE Coupe retains its rounded-roof coupe design but picks up all the same lighting and trim updates. Not radical, but it reads clearly as a 2026 model.
MBUX Superscreen and MB.OS: The New Infotainment System
Here’s where the real money went. Both the GLE and GLS now come standard with the MBUX Superscreen — a single glass surface housing three 12.3-inch displays that stretch across the dashboard. The passenger gets their own dedicated screen, which is a nice touch if you’re navigating German Autobahn routes while your co-driver manages music or charging stops.
The system runs on MB.OS, Mercedes’ in-house operating system. It integrates Microsoft, Google, and ChatGPT services, and supports over-the-air updates. The voice assistant can now handle multi-step commands — think “Find the nearest Ionity charger and set the cabin to 21°C.” That’s a real improvement over the previous MBUX, which felt clunky with complex requests.
A new steering wheel ditches the controversial touch-sensitive pads for a physical rocker switch (volume) and roller switch (Distronic adaptive cruise). Mercedes says this responds directly to customer complaints. Good. The Burmester surround-sound system now pushes 710 watts with Dolby Atmos support, and an Energizing Air Control feature refreshes the cabin air every 90 seconds. In the GLS, rear passengers get two 11.6-inch entertainment screens.
GLE Powertrain Lineup: Every Engine for 2026
The headline change is simple: no more four-cylinder engines in Europe. The GLE 300 d 4MATIC (2.0-litre diesel, 269 PS)? Gone. The GLE 400e PHEV with its four-cylinder petrol? Also gone. The old diesel plug-in hybrid, the GLE 350 de, disappears too. If you wanted a budget entry point into the GLE range, that door just closed.
What remains is a lineup built entirely around six-cylinder and V8 power, all paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and 4MATIC all-wheel drive:
European GLE Engine Range
*ICE output; combined system output with 163 PS electric motor is higher.
*ICE output; combined system output with 163 PS electric motor is higher. All models include 48V mild-hybrid tech with a 23 PS integrated starter-generator — up from the previous 20 PS unit. Every engine sold in the EU complies with the new EU7 emissions standard.
How Does the New Plug-in Hybrid GLE 450e Compare?
The GLE 450e 4MATIC is this facelift’s most interesting addition for German buyers. It pairs the M256 Evo 3.0-litre inline-six with a 163 PS electric motor and claims a WLTP electric-only range above 106 km. That’s real-world useful in Germany, where the average daily commute sits around 36 km — you’d cover most weekday driving on electricity alone.
The old GLE 350 de diesel PHEV is gone. So is the four-cylinder GLE 400e. This new plug-in hybrid powertrain is the only PHEV model left in the GLE range, and it’s a clear upgrade: six-cylinder smoothness, longer EV range, and DC fast charging at up to 60 kW. I’d argue this positions the 450e as the strongest competitor to the upcoming BMW X5 PHEV, which will also target the 100+ km electric range bracket.
Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Hybrid 4MATIC — 48V and Plug-in Options
The AMG GLE 53 now splits into two distinct versions. The mild-hybrid variant keeps a tuned 3.0-litre inline-six producing 449 PS and 600 Nm (640 Nm with overboost), backed by a 48V system with a 23 PS starter-generator. It sprints from 0–100 km/h in 4.9 seconds. Quick enough for Autobahn merges, but the plug-in version goes further.
The GLE 53 Hybrid 4MATIC+ (the plug-in) combines the same engine with a 135 kW (184 PS) electric motor for a combined 577 PS and 750 Nm. The 0–100 time drops to 4.5 seconds, and you get an 88 km WLTP electric range with a top EV speed of 140 km/h. DC charging at 60 kW is optional. Both variants come as SUV and Coupe, with recalibrated AMG Ride Control+ air suspension, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and updated ESP calibration that works more tightly with the 4MATIC+ system.
What About the 2026 GLS SUV Lineup?
The GLS (X167) gets the same cabin overhaul and design refresh, but a narrower engine range. No plug-in hybrid. Your choices: GLS 450 4MATIC with the 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol (381 PS, 560 Nm — that’s 60 Nm more than before, a 12% increase), and the GLS 580 4MATIC with the M177 Evo V8 (537 PS, 750 Nm). Two diesel options mirror the GLE — the GLS 450d and GLS 350d.
All seven seats remain standard in the GLS, with optional captain’s chairs reducing that to six. Mercedes still positions the GLS as the “S-Class of SUVs,” and the interior backing that claim is stronger now: rear entertainment screens, Manufaktur-level personalisation, and NVH improvements that Mercedes says came from additional insulation across the body. AMG GLS 63 and Maybach GLS 600 variants will follow, though Mercedes hasn’t confirmed European pricing or timeline for either. The 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLS in Maybach guise will likely cross the €200,000 threshold comfortably.
E-Active Body Control and Air Suspension Explained
The updated E-Active Body Control system reads road surface data 1,000 times per second. That’s the same hardware principle as before, but now it taps into cloud data from other Mercedes vehicles. If a car ahead flags a pothole on the A7, your GLE’s dampers pre-adjust before you reach it. The system also stores road imperfections so it adapts on your next pass. Clever, assuming the connectivity works reliably on rural German roads.
Standard air suspension comes across the range, with the active system as an option. Off-road mode now includes a transparent bonnet feature — the 360-degree cameras stitch together a view of what’s directly under the front end. Useful if you’re navigating a tight underground parking garage in Munich, less so on the Autobahn. From a technical standpoint, this signals Mercedes is pushing hard to match BMW’s xDrive off-road capability ahead of the new X5 launch.
What Will the 2026 Mercedes GLE Cost in Germany?
Mercedes hasn’t published official German pricing yet. Based on the outgoing model, here’s what we know. The pre-facelift GLE 300 d started around €72,000. That entry point is gone. The cheapest GLE for 2026 will be the six-cylinder GLE 350d 4MATIC, which should start somewhere north of €80,000 given the significant equipment upgrade. The GLE Coupe previously opened at €97,500, and the AMG GLE 53 at €112,500.
Expect the MBUX Superscreen — now standard — to push base prices up by €3,000–5,000 across the range. The GLS started at around €105,000 pre-facelift. With the added Superscreen, new trim options, and upgraded powertrains, a starting price above €110,000 seems likely. We’ll update these figures in our database once Mercedes confirms them. Our spec verification methodology cross-references at least two independent sources for every entry — manufacturer configurators and official homologation documents as primary benchmarks.
Should GLE Buyers Wait or Buy the Current Model at a Discount?
That depends on what you value. The current GLE is already discounted at dealerships clearing pre-facelift stock. If you can live without the Superscreen cockpit and MB.OS, you’ll save thousands — and the mechanical underpinnings are fundamentally the same platform. For GLE buyers focused on monthly cost, the outgoing model is a strong deal right now on major German portals.
But if the new hybrid powertrain matters to you — particularly the GLE 450e with its 106+ km electric range — there’s no equivalent in the current lineup. The old GLE 350 de diesel PHEV topped out around 90 km WLTP, and it’s being discontinued. Similarly, the new infotainment system is a generational leap. Having reviewed the specs across the full GLE model range, I’d say the facelift is worth the wait if you plan to keep the car for five-plus years. The software architecture alone will age much better.
Key Takeaways
- Every four-cylinder engine drops from the European GLE and GLS lineup — six-cylinder and V8 only from 2026.
- MBUX Superscreen with three 12.3-inch displays becomes standard across all GLE and GLS models.
- The new GLE 450e 4MATIC plug-in hybrid claims 106+ km of WLTP electric range on a six-cylinder base.
- AMG GLE 53 splits into mild-hybrid (449 PS) and plug-in (577 PS) versions, both available as SUV and Coupe.
- Production starts September 2026 in Tuscaloosa; German deliveries expected Q4 2026.
- GLE pricing will rise — expect €80,000+ for the base GLE 350d 4MATIC in Germany.
- Pre-facelift GLE models are already discounted and represent strong value if you don’t need the new tech.
FAQ
When does the 2026 Mercedes GLE facelift go on sale in Germany?
Production begins in September 2026 at the Mercedes plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. European deliveries, including Germany, are expected to start in late 2026 or early 2027. Official on-sale dates have not yet been confirmed by Mercedes-Benz.
How does the GLE 450e plug-in hybrid compare to the old GLE 350 de?
The GLE 450e replaces the diesel PHEV with a 3.0-litre petrol six-cylinder and a 163 PS electric motor. It offers over 106 km of WLTP electric range versus roughly 90 km for the outgoing GLE 350 de, and adds optional DC fast charging at 60 kW.
What is the expected price for the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE in Germany?
No official German pricing has been announced. The outgoing GLE started around €72,000 for the entry diesel. With four-cylinder engines dropped and MBUX Superscreen now standard, the 2026 GLE 350d 4MATIC should start above €80,000.
Does the 2026 GLS get a plug-in hybrid option?
No. The plug-in hybrid powertrain is exclusive to the GLE (as the GLE 450e 4MATIC). The GLS range offers petrol and diesel six-cylinder engines plus the V8-powered GLS 580 4MATIC, all with 48V mild-hybrid technology.
How does the updated GLE compare to the new BMW X5?
The new BMW X5 launches in autumn 2026 with diesel, petrol, PHEV, full-electric, and hydrogen fuel cell options — a broader powertrain range than the GLE. The Mercedes counters with its MBUX Superscreen, E-Active Body Control cloud suspension, and the AMG plug-in hybrid. Both target the same German premium SUV buyer.
Internal Linking Suggestions
- Mercedes-Benz brand archive — Link from brand mentions in body text
- Mercedes GLE model page — Link from H1 or first GLE mention
- Mercedes GLS technical specifications — Link from GLS powertrain section
- Car insurance guide for Germany — Link from pricing/cost section
- How to buy a used car in Germany — Link from “buy current model at discount” section