Mercedes-Benz is primed for its latest major product assault for 2016 as it continues to work towards the target of becoming the best-selling premium brand by 2020.
There are some real stunners on the way, from the gorgeous new C-Class coupe to an exciting new CLS. Yet it's going to be an uphill struggle: BMW and Audi don't look ready to yield any ground.
Mercedes is trailing its two German premium rivals in Ireland by some margin. Sales figures for this year show the three-pointed star brand at 2,551 new registrations, compared to 5,025 for Audi and 4,502 for BMW. There needs to be a major shift to push Mercedes to the top.
Much of the heavy lifting will have to be done by the smaller models, getting mainstream bums onto Mercedes leather seats. So far the car firm has made steady progress in this regard, particularly in the midst of recessionary gloom. Launching new models when the country can barely keep its cars on the road is a mammoth task. And it hasn’t been easy for Mercedes, where the consumer perception remains of a brand of luxury S-Class saloons and not affordable family hatchbacks.
That perception is not unwarranted. Where Mercedes is strongest is undoubtedly at the very top of the premium pile. While its bosses still promise to bring luxury to the masses with affordable hatchbacks and smaller diesels, reality rarely lives up to the promise. The S-Class may carry the same badge as the B-Class, but it’s still a world apart. On a positive note, the S-Class is also well ahead of its rivals, the benchmark in luxury against which rivals continue to be judged – and continue to fall short.
The issue for Mercedes is that while it whips its rivals at the top end and holds its own in the crucial mid-range saloon segments with the E-Class and the impressive C-Class, it struggles to match rivals at the entry levels, where hatchbacks reign. Sharper styling on the new A-Class and CLA helps, but it still needs to revisit models such as the B-Class and GLA, which have the potential to be core performers in a recovering Irish market if the recipe was right.
Entry level
Amid efforts to lure entry-level premium buyers to the brand, the firm is also focus
ing on the recovering SUV market.
The new GLE car comes in two guises: one a traditional square-box SUV with plenty of interior space and rugged looks; the other a Dr Doolittle pushmi-pullyu GLE coupe with ambitions to be both a sports coupe and an SUV but achieving neither goal.
The good news is that after having driven both, the regular GLE left me as positive as the coupe left me peeved.
The large SUV does look rather boxy, but it delivers what you need from a premium SUV, particularly in terms of comfort and finish. No doubt many will simply think of it as an updated M-Class and perhaps they are right, for the look is on a par with the flagship SUV. New lights, a new grille and a few bumper tweaks are the major changes, but the interior has been significantly revised, something that stands the GLE in good stead when up against a wealth of high-tech rivals.
Under the bonnet there’s also a major change. At a time when there’s renewed focus on diesel emissions, the GLE 250d boasts an official CO2 figure of just 149g/km, significantly down on its four-cylinder predecessor.
That means significant tax savings on the launch price and the annual paper disc for the windscreen.
A further improvement is the new nine-speed automatic transmission, which Mercedes is rolling out across its upper range. Despite the 2.2lt diesel still being so focused on economy to the point where you actively seek out the start-stop system every time you get in, the transmission makes more of the engine than it arguably deserves.
On the road the GLE is comfortable, rather than sporty. The ride and handling is focused on comfort rather than agility. If that is what you are looking for, then perhaps your focus should fall on the new Audi Q7 instead, or perhaps the BMW X5.
Rivals
Then again if you are looking for comfort, the new Volvo XC90 may tempt you to its range, particularly if you have a penchant for the latest touchscreen tech. And then there are the Range Rover variations, with the Sport a viable challenger for buyers.
That’s not to say the GLE isn’t a worthy rival to this lot: it’s just worth noting that in its attempts to lure the resurgent Irish well-heeled motorist, Mercedes is certainly not going to have an easy ride. At €71,750 for the GLE 250d, the big SUV is relatively well- priced , and standard features will surprise many who still recall a time when you needed to tick a lot of boxes on the options list to get a worthy level of equipment for your Merc.
It faces stiff competition. It is better looking than the Audi, but not as striking as the Volvo, nor does it offer enough tech allure. The Audi is, frankly, a better drive, and more refined inside, if lacking in design.
The GLE isn’t going to bring Mercedes to the heady heights of premium sales supremacy, but it’s another arrow in its sales quiver. What it needs is some hot new entry models: and arguably the new C-Class coupe, the mid-sized GLC and the fact it now offers hire purchase finance as part of the package, could help provide the boost it needs.
It’s an ambitious plan to be the top brand in the premium market by 2020. Let the battle commence.
The lowdown: Mercedes GLE 250d
Engine: 2143cc 204bhp diesel
0-100km/h: 8.6 seconds
Top speed: 212 km/h
L/100km (mpg): 5.9 l/100km (47.9)
Specification: Active parking assist; audio and sat-nav; heated front seats; full leather. Optional features include ambient lights; reversing camera.
Price: €71,750 (€74,721 as tested)
