Recent spy shots have made their way around the internet as of late, fueling talks about a possible refresh for Mercedes-Benz’s GLE-Class. According to a report by Motor1, who have what they claim to be the camouflaged spy shots of a prototype being test-driven, the luxury automaker is currently developing a minor facelift for its midsize SUV that may also touch the interior as well.
As the pictures are camouflaged, there is only so much we can see before guesswork gets involved. For the exterior, the majority of the changes seem to have taken place on the front of the car, and even then there aren’t many. The headlights have camouflage placed over them in a way that suggests that the double swoop design from the current model may be replaced with new internal graphics. The radiator grille also is shielded from view in a way that may signify a visual change to the area, though we can’t say for certain what that would be.
The inside of the car is also rumored to be getting tiny detail adjustments, but those currently seem to be sparse as the only real difference of note is that there is a new, V-shaped steering wheel design with a decorative, glossy, piano black finish. There don’t appear to be any changes to the dashboard, dual-screen, control buttons, or quad of air vents under the infotainment system.
Considering this is supposed to be a relatively mild facelift for the GLE-Class, we aren’t expecting too many changes, if any at all, under the hood. That being said, it is notable that the prototype vehicle in the spy shots appears to be a plug-in hybrid, diesel-electric model. However, this powertrain option is for the European-market version and is currently not available for purchase in the U.S. With that in mind, the GLE-Class will likely continue to offer four-cylinder, six-cylinder, and twin-turbo V8 engines for North American consumers.
