Mercedes-Benz is giving its large SUV pair a further update for 2027, targeting refinement in a segment where the GLE and GLS must balance luxury-car expectations with everyday practicality. The revisions arrive as the brand’s flagship S-Class continues to define its road-car comfort benchmark.
The most consequential impression from the updated SUVs is their near-seamless powertrain behaviour. That characteristic gives both models a more polished driving character and addresses an area that matters as much in congested urban use as it does during long-distance motorway travel.
The GLE remains the more compact and broadly positioned member of the pair, while the GLS serves buyers seeking greater space and a more imposing luxury-SUV presence. In both cases, powertrain integration is central to the renewed driving experience rather than a background technical detail.
For fleet operators and private buyers, the update reinforces the appeal of mature combustion-era luxury SUVs: familiar packaging, established premium positioning and a focus on drivability. A first drive by Car and Driver finds that the refreshed GLE and GLS gain a meaningful new lease on life through their more cohesive mechanical response.
