BMW X5 vs Mercedes-Benz GLE300

What's the difference?

The BMW X5 is a leading contender in the ‘Over $70K Large SUV’ division of Australia’s new car market, which is a hotly-contested segment boasting 15 marques and 25 models.

The X5 has hit an enduring sweet spot with Aussie buyers in terms of size, performance and price. BMW prefers to call it a Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) as distinct from its Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) rivals.

Clearly, any word association with a utility is something BMW Group Australia wants to avoid after recently launching its latest X5 range, which brings numerous enhancements including design revisions, increased standard equipment, refreshed powertrains and more.

We were entrusted with the digital ‘Comfort Access’ key to one of the latest X5s, to understand from a family car perspective why this model range enjoys such enduring popularity with prestige SUV (sorry, SAV) buyers.

Not so long ago, even the idea of 'coupe SUV' would have been considered just a little bit silly.

But not anymore. This almost contradictory bodystyle is well and truly here to stay, as evidenced by the expanding catalog of available models pouring out of premium automakers.

Benz tells us, for example, that coupe versions make up some 25 per cent of its GLE sales in Australia.

Which brings us to this car – the second-generation GLE coupe. We were sent to its international launch to find out what’s new, what’s changed, and what Benz has in store for the Australian market, come its arrival in Q3 of 2020. Read on to find out what we discovered.