Update (6 September, 2025): ‘Cabin’ section revised with info on the new steering wheel.
Mercedes-Benz is preparing a major update for the GLE, which will be the model’s second facelift in the current generation. The new GLE Hybrid will arrive next year with exterior and interior enhancements, besides significant feature upgrades. Here are some of my expectations from the refreshed SUV.
Exterior
Inspired by the updated E-Class, the 2026 Mercedes GLE Hybrid will feature a new three-dimensional illuminated grille. It adds a more pronounced presence to the SUV, especially at night. The new headlamps will use Mercedes’ Digital Light technology with 1.3 million pixels per unit.
These adaptive lights will support projection capabilities and come with day and night modes. At the back, the large SUV will adopt new LED tail lights with a star-patterned design seen on the latest E-Class and other latest Mercs.
Also next year, another important car, GLE, or GLE car family, super popular..that gets a complete remake next year as well, including an even longer-wheelbase version for the Chinese market.
Ola Kaellenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, at the Capital Market Day on 20 February 2025
Cabin
The upcoming refresh will bring a tech-heavy dashboard to the Mercedes GLE Hybrid, centred around the MBUX Superscreen. Spanning across the cabin, this display system will run the latest MBUX software. It supports app-based entertainment with Zoom, TikTok, and Vivaldi, in addition to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system also uses artificial intelligence to generate personalised routines and offers a 3D visual experience using autostereoscopy.
Cabin lighting will also improve with the addition of active ambient lighting. The setup changes brightness and colour based on driving inputs and music beats, enhancing the driving atmosphere. A new Burmester 4D surround sound system with 21 speakers and seat-integrated transducers will deliver immersive audio along with acoustic massage.
Spy shots also confirm that the GLE facelift will adopt the steering wheel design introduced in the latest E-Class. It features reshaped spokes and revised control surfaces.
Lastly, the Mercedes GLE Hybrid will also have more advanced driver assistance features. Running on MB.OS with NVIDIA DRIVE Orin, the SUV will support Level 2++ autonomy. This includes enhanced highway driving aids and smart point-to-point navigation.
Specifications
According to a report from JESMB, the 2026 Mercedes GLE Hybrid will have a new powertrain internally called ‘P2’ and expected to combine a 3.0-litre inline-six with an electric motor. Interestingly, the German publication says P2 will be a 48-volt full hybrid system, allowing it to cover short distances on electric drive, like a strong-hybrid SUV.
There is no word on the changes for the plug-in hybrid variants, namely the diesel-powered GLE 350e de 4MATIC and the petrol-powered GLE 400e 4MATIC and GLE 450e 4MATIC. In the UK, Mercedes-Benz currently offers the GLE 350e de 4MATIC and GLE 400e 4MATIC, which deliver an EV-only WLTP range of 67 miles and 68 miles, respectively.
Launch
The EQE SUV has found conditions challenging, while EV adoption has lagged behind early estimates. Therefore, the partially-electrified GLE must hold the line longer with a second round of big upgrades. 2026 will also be the year of the redesigned BMW X5 and next-gen Audi Q7 which should make for an interesting battle in the luxury midsize SUV segment!
Shrawan Raja, founder & editor of ElectricVehicleWeb.com
The new Mercedes GLE Hybrid is expected to go on sale in the UK in the first half of 2026, with prices starting at just under GBP 80,000. It should arrive in Australia and New Zealand soon after, possibly in the middle of the same year.
Trained as an automobile engineer, I’ve been following the global car market since 2005. Over the past 17 years, I’ve been involved in online automotive analysis and publishing, traveling the world to drive, evaluate, and experience new cars and technologies.
