Mercedes-Benz GLE and M-Class · Third generation · production 2011–2019

Mercedes-Benz M-Class / GLE (W166)

Key facts

Production	July 2011^[1] – 2019^[1]
First shown	2011, IAA Frankfurt (64th)^[2]
Sales start	September 2011 (United States)^[2] 19 November 2011 (Europe)^[2]
Model years	2012–2019 (North America)^[1]
Codes	W166 model code (series, SUV)^[1], C 292 model code (series, GLE Coupé)^[3]
Names by market	M-Class (All markets)^[1] GLE (All markets)^[2]
Platform	W164/V251/W166 (related to Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2 and Dodge Durango)^[1]
Assembly	Vance (Tuscaloosa County), Alabama, United States (MBUSI)^[2] Pune, India (final assembly from kits)^[1] Bogor, Indonesia (final assembly from kits)^[1] Samut Prakan, Thailand^[1]
Body styles	5-door SUV (W166)^[1] 5-door coupé SUV – GLE Coupé (C292)^[1]
Seating	Not documented here
Drivetrain	All-wheel drive (4MATIC (permanent)) — Europe^[2] Rear-wheel drive — United States^[4] All-wheel drive (4MATIC) — United States^[4]

Photos

Mercedes-Benz M-Class / GLE (W166), renamed of 2015 · front three-quarter Photo: Vauxford · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · licence

Mercedes-Benz M-Class / GLE (W166), pre- or post-facelift not identified · 5-door coupé SUV – GLE Coupé (C292) · front three-quarter Photo: © M 93 · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · Wikimedia Commons · licence

What changed from the W164

Interior Rear legroom was increased and the rear backrests became adjustable.^[1]
Powertrain A 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed automatic replaced the earlier 7G-Tronic.^[1]
Powertrain A four-cylinder diesel was offered in the M-Class for the first time.^[2]
Chassis An Active Curve System with active anti-roll bars was introduced.^[1]
Technology Adaptive cruise control (Distronic Plus) and active lane departure warning became available.^[1]

Side-by-side comparison with the W164

Facelifts and updates

Renamed

Facelift and rename to GLE (2015)

shown April 2015 (New York Auto Show)^[1] · on sale August 2015 (Europe)^[2]

Name: GLE (All markets)^[2]

Other The GLE name marks it as the SUV equivalent of the E-Class.^[1]
Powertrain The GLE 500 e became the first plug-in hybrid in the range, combining a V6 with an electric motor.^[1]
Drivetrain Rear-wheel drive became available for the first time.^[2]
Other From 2015 all production moved to the Vance, Alabama plant.^[1]

Dimensions

Market	Version	Length	Width	Height	Wheelbase	Source
Market not stated	SUV (W166)	4,803 mm (189.1 in)	1,926 mm (75.8 in)	1,796 mm (70.7 in)	2,916 mm (114.8 in)	^[1]
United States	2017 GLE 350 SUV (width without mirrors)	189.1 in (4,803 mm)	78.0 in (1,981 mm)	70.7 in (1,796 mm)	114.8 in (2,916 mm)	^[4]
United States	2017 Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 Coupé (C292)	192.6 in (4,892 mm)	—	67.7 in (1,720 mm)	114.8 in (2,916 mm)	^[5]

Figures are as published by the source for that market and version; widths usually exclude mirrors. Conversions in brackets are ours.

Luggage capacity

Market	Version	Measured behind	Volume	Method	Source
United States	2017 GLE 350 SUV	2nd row	38.2 cu ft (1,082 L converted)	not stated	^[4]
United States	2017 GLE 350 SUV	1st row (rear seats folded)	80.3 cu ft (2,274 L converted)	not stated	^[4]

The source does not say how the volume was measured. Volumes measured by different methods are not comparable.

Powertrains

Version	Market	Type	Engine / motor	Power	Torque	Transmission	Drive	Years	Source
ML 350 / GLE 350	Market not stated	Petrol	3.5 L V6 (M276 DE 35)	306 PS (225 kW)	370 Nm (273 lb-ft)	—	—	2012–2018	^[1]
GLE 350 (2017 model year)	United States	Petrol	3.5 L V6	302 hp (225 kW)	273 lb-ft (370 Nm)	7G-TRONIC 7-speed automatic	—	—	^[4]
ML 400 / GLE 400 4MATIC	Market not stated	Petrol	3.0 L V6 biturbo (M276 DELA 30)	333 PS (245 kW)	480 Nm (354 lb-ft)	—	AWD	2015–2019	^[1]
GLE 450 AMG / AMG GLE 43 4MATIC	Market not stated	Petrol	3.0 L V6 biturbo	367 PS (270 kW)	520 Nm (384 lb-ft)	—	AWD	2015–2018	^[1]
ML 500 / ML 550 4MATIC	Market not stated	Petrol	4.7 L V8 biturbo	408 PS (300 kW)	600 Nm (443 lb-ft)	—	AWD	2012–2015	^[1]
GLE 500 / GLE 550 4MATIC	Market not stated	Petrol	4.7 L V8 biturbo	429 PS (316 kW)	700 Nm (516 lb-ft)	—	AWD	2015–2018	^[1]
ML 63 / GLE 63 AMG	Market not stated	Petrol	5.5 L V8 biturbo (M157)	525 PS (386 kW)	700 Nm (516 lb-ft)	—	AWD	2012–2015	^[1]
GLE 63 S AMG 4MATIC	Market not stated	Petrol	5.5 L V8 biturbo	585 PS (430 kW)	760 Nm (561 lb-ft)	—	AWD	2015–2019	^[1]
ML 250 BlueTEC / GLE 250 d 4MATIC	Market not stated	Diesel	2.1 L inline-4 biturbo diesel (OM651)	204 PS (150 kW)	500 Nm (369 lb-ft)	—	AWD	2012–2019	^[1]
ML 350 BlueTEC / GLE 350 d 4MATIC	Market not stated	Diesel	3.0 L V6 turbo-diesel (OM642)	258 PS (190 kW)	620 Nm (457 lb-ft)	—	AWD	—	^[1]
GLE 500 e / GLE 550e 4MATIC	United States	Plug-in hybrid	3.0 L V6 biturbo + electric motor	436 hp (325 kW)	479 lb-ft (649 Nm)	7G-TRONIC 7-speed automatic	AWD	—	^[6]
Mercedes-AMG GLE 43 Coupé (2017)	United States	Petrol	3.0 L V6 biturbo	362 hp (270 kW)	384 lb-ft (521 Nm)	AMG-enhanced 9G-TRONIC	AWD	—	^[5]
Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupé	United States	Petrol	5.5 L V8 biturbo	577 hp (430 kW)	561 lb-ft (761 Nm)	AMG SPEEDSHIFT PLUS 7G-TRONIC	AWD	—	^[7]

Power is shown in the unit the source uses first (kW, metric PS or SAE hp), with our conversion in brackets. A blank cell means the source does not state it.

Notes

Name by date: sold as the M-Class (ML badges) from 2011 and as the GLE from the 2015 facelift (shown at New York in April 2015, delivered in Europe from August 2015). The rename is recorded as revision r1.
GLE Coupé (C292): a coupé SUV body on the W166 platform, unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January 2015 and built in Alabama; German Wikipedia gives market launch July 2015 and English Wikipedia says it was discontinued in August 2019. It is recorded as body style b2 of this generation.
US specifications come from the Mercedes-Benz USA media newsroom (media.mbusa.com); no Mercedes-Benz global press material is cited.
North American model years 2012–2019. Production end: English Wikipedia gives 2019, German Wikipedia 2018 (W166 SUV); the C292 coupé ran until 2019.
English Wikipedia also says the W166 was built in Stuttgart for Europe and Australia from 2011 to 2015; German Wikipedia says it was built in Tuscaloosa. This claim is not recorded. Pune and Bogor performed final assembly of kits shipped from Vance (English Wikipedia).

Sources

Mercedes-Benz GLE — Wikipedia Reference work (read 9 October 2026)
Mercedes-Benz W 166 — Wikipedia (de) Reference work (read 9 October 2026)
Mercedes-Benz C 292 — Wikipedia (de) Reference work (read 9 October 2026)
2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE350 and GLE350 4M Specifications — Mercedes-Benz Media Newsroom USA, 3 February 2017 Manufacturer (read 9 October 2026)
2017 GLE Coupe Quick Reference Guide — Mercedes-Benz Media Newsroom USA, 23 September 2016 Manufacturer (read 9 October 2026)
2017 Mercedes-Benz GLE550e 4MATIC Specifications — Mercedes-Benz Media Newsroom USA, 3 February 2017 Manufacturer (read 9 October 2026)
The GLE Coupe: an impressively sporty, yet practical choice — Mercedes-Benz Media Newsroom USA, 3 August 2017 Manufacturer (read 9 October 2026)

Wikipedia sources link to the exact revision that was read. Specifications differ between markets, years and versions; each figure is shown with the market and version its source states.