Mercedes-Benz M-Class / GLE SUV (W166) · M-Class / GLE
W166
The M-Class became the GLE mid-life.
- Production
- 2011–2019
- Body
- SUV
- Chassis
- W166
The M-Class became the GLE halfway through its life, absorbed into the naming scheme that turned every Mercedes-Benz utility vehicle into a G-something.
In production from July 2011 at Tuscaloosa, the W166 offered the M276 V6, the M278 and M157 V8s and the OM651 and OM642 diesels, joined from 2015 by the GLE 500 e plug-in hybrid, with 7G-TRONIC PLUS and later 9G-TRONIC.
The 2015 facelift brought the new name and the C292 coupé sibling; production ended in 2019.
Every model.
6 model designations across 2011–2019 — engines, transmissions and series codes for the W166.
| Model | Lata modelowe | Podwozie | Silnik | Skrzynia biegów | Razem |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ML 250 BlueTEC / GLE 250 d 4MATIC | 2011–2019 | 166 | 651 | 722.9 | — |
| ML 350 BlueTEC / GLE 350 d 4MATIC | 2011–2019 | 166 | 642 | 725.0 | — |
| ML 350 / GLE 400 4MATIC | 2011–2019 | 166 | 276 | 725.0 | — |
| ML 500 / GLE 500 4MATIC | 2011–2019 | 166 | 278 | 725.0 | — |
| GLE 500 e 4MATIC | 2015–2019 | 166 | 276 | 722.9 | — |
| AMG ML 63 / GLE 63 4MATIC | 2011–2019 | 166 | 157 | 722.9 | — |
Year by year.
From M-Class launch to the GLE rename — the powertrain, equipment and facelift changes that identify a W166.
- 2012
- The third-generation M-Class launched in the US as ML 350, ML 350 BlueTEC and ML 63 AMG, with permanent all-wheel drive, electromechanical steering and standard ATTENTION ASSIST.
- Optional safety systems included DISTRONIC PLUS, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist and PRE-SAFE Brake.
- 2015
- ML 250 BlueTEC replaced ML 350 BlueTEC in the US, exchanging the V6 diesel for a 2.1-liter twin-turbo four-cylinder.
- 2016
- The facelift renamed M-Class as GLE and brought a reshaped grille, headlamps, hood, bumpers and LED tail-lamp graphics.
- The range added the GLE 550e plug-in hybrid; most non-AMG versions adopted 9G-TRONIC, while the AMG became Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 with 550-hp and 577-hp S variants.
- DYNAMIC SELECT added configurable road and off-road programs, and assistance-system functions were updated.
- 2019
- The final W166 GLE model year preceded the V167 replacement.
