Mercedes-AMG GLE53 vs Mini Countryman

What's the difference?

The GLE Coupe isn't going to click with a traditional enthusiast but will appeal to a new age of mainstream performance buyers. It's a total tech showcase and you can feel all of those 48-volt benefits from behind the wheel.

Love it or hate its shape, then, you have to appreciate how Mercedes has gone to the nth degree on the details on an SUV it probably could have sold on looks alone.

The new Mini Countryman John Cooper Works in Favoured trim offers everything you’d expect it to - the iconic Mini styling, a powerful driving performance and a well-equipped cabin. It’s a wonderfully quick urban dweller that you can park anywhere but is just as happy on the open-road. For me, this is pure fun and offers more personality than a lot of its rivals.

Hate the very concept of a large SUV coupe or not, you have to at least agree this second-generation GLE Coupe looks infinitely better than the model preceding it.

This time the Coupe version was front of mind from the outset of the GLEs development and is significantly different from the wagon version in more ways than just a sloping roofline.

The wheelbase has been cropped in 60mm compared to the wagon, and the GLE Coupe is a full 7.0mm wider and 39mm longer than its predecessor.

All this adds up to an imposing and more resolved SUV Coupe. I especially like the way its bootlid flicks up into a spoiler, and how the tail-lights round out the profile nicely.

Still, there's always going to be something a little off about the proportions when it comes to a coupe SUV this big, and it's certainly a re-imagining of what a sporty vehicle should look like.

This car's cabin is almost as confronting as its exterior. Up front you're met with an assault of chrome, a ventilation overload and a totally dominant expanse of screens.

This all hints at the advanced tech which lies beneath, but the real wood and leather trims also elevate the cabin to something you might expect at the tall asking price.

It may appeal to a particular taste and makes the BMW X6's cabin look almost conventional.

It's a case of the 'not-so-mini' when it comes to the new Countryman because it now stands at 4447mm in length, 1843mm in width and 1645mm in height. That's 170mm longer and 21mm wider than the previous generation!

But the Countryman still has all of the fun styling you’d expect in a Mini and it’s that iconic styling that sets this car apart from its rivals. It knows its fun and isn't afraid to show it.

Our Mini Countryman gets JCW badging across the body of the car, including its wheels but it's the chequered flag motif across the grille that reminds you what’s under the bonnet.

Unfortunately, our test model is finished in the rather boring 'Midnight Black II' but the range of colours and customisations available on the Countryman will help make it feel like your own.

Head inside and there's a hefty mix of materials in the cabin space. You’ve got a thick and rough-textured weave/knit across the dash, doors and tops of the sports seats but that’s then mixed with a black synthetic upholstery and plastics everywhere else.

The red stitching and accents won’t land with everyone but it certainly creates a fun atmosphere.

There are some lovely design highlights with rose gold metal accents in the door handles and air vents. A panoramic sunroof adds some much needed airiness and I adore the way you still get a ‘turn-key’ experience despite having keyless start with the starter knob.

The round media screen isn't as well-integrated as before but it looks gorgeous and the different drive modes give you a range of colours to further customise the cabin.

In some ways, the GLE Coupe makes the most of its extra dimensions, but in other more obvious ways, it's quite compromised.

Benz tells us there's now 40 litres of combined cabin storage, and with the large door bins, centre console box, convertible cupholders, and glove box, I'm inclined to believe them.

The brand also told us much of the extra 39mm of body length has gone into the rear passenger space, and this seems true when it comes to legroom.

You definitely notice the decline of the C-Pillar, though, making an otherwise large space feel slightly claustrophobic, particularly with the 53's dark headlining and heavily tinted rear windows.

The almost absurd ride height does make peering over the bonnet a chore at times, although I enjoyed the adjustability and comfort afforded by the front two seats.

In terms of connectivity, front passengers get a plethora of USB-C jacks, a wireless charging bay, and a 12V power outlet. There's no USB-A connectivity, so you'll want to stock up on converters.

Rear passengers benefit from dual USB-C ports in a fold out tray, and also score dual adjustable air vents. Two extra climate control zones can be optioned for rear passengers ($1450), and there's also an exorbitant option package to include two screens and wireless headsets for the full business-class experience in the back seats ('Entertainment Package' - $6000!).

You might be surprised given this SUV's shape, but a lot of thought was also poured into the design of the boot area. Thanks to a large footprint, the GLE 53 Coupe's boot is large at 655 litres, five litres up on its predecessor. It's still a whopping 170-litres down on the wagon version, though.

The boot lip has been lowered significantly to increase ease of use, too.

Our test car did not have a spare wheel, with only an inflator kit or run-flat tyres to be working with. This is despite a large area under the boot floor which, to my eyes at least, could easily have fit a space-saver spare.

The cabin of the Mini Countryman doesn't feel like it belongs in a small SUV. The legroom is still best up front but the second row offers more than enough space for taller adults. It will be most comfortable for four rather than five adults, though.

The electric front seats have large side bolstering and decent padding but they are on the firmer side. You get a little bit of fatigue on a longer trip but around town they’re great and the massage function on the driver's seat is strong.

The rear seat is even firmer than the front and set like a stadium seat, so it won't be as comfy for adults on a longer trip. The fold-down armrest adds some bolstering.

While the storage looks a little odd at first, all of the cubbies are quite functional. There's a lot of them, too, and the dual shelves underneath the starter-knob are particularly handy for your larger 'small' items, like phones and sunnies case. This is where the wireless charging pad is, too.

The glove box can fit a manual and the little centre console is kind of adorable but still fit all of my keys and wallet.

The sliding armrest is a nice touch and there's a couple of USB-C ports underneath it. There are two large cupholders, two drink holders and small storage bins in the doors.

In the rear you get a drink bottle holder in each door, two map pockets, two USB-C ports and two cupholders.

The circular multimedia screen looks great and once you get used to how the menus are accessed and the little shortcuts, it’s a fairly simple system to use while on the go.

The touchscreen is fairly responsive but you'll need to do wide swipes across to switch the menu screens.

I’m not a massive fan of having to access a screen for most of your functions but do like the way climate control remains on the screen at all times and it's just the fan function that needs a couple of extra toggles.

The multimedia system is run by Android Automotive and has wired and wireless phone mirroring. The Apple CarPlay maintained a steady connection this week with my iPhone 15 Pro Max and the built-in sat nav is easy to use.

Rounding out the interior is the large 505L boot and if you want more storage options, the back row has a 40/20/40 split-fold.

The loading space has a small lip, and a handy storage compartment underneath the floor which holds the tyre repair kit and other items you don’t want rolling around. JCWs get a hands-free powered tailgate, which is always handy after a big shopping trip.

There are five versions of the new Mini Countryman, which includes a line-up of petrol and fully-electric powertrains.

For the petrol John Cooper Works (JCW), there are two trim levels available and our test model is the flagship Favoured variant.  It's priced from $73,990, before on road costs, making it an affordable high-performance small SUV compared to its Euro rivals.

The third-gen Mini Countryman JCW is built alongside the BMW X1 and because they share the same platform and engine, it directly competes against the X1 M35i xDrive which is priced from $92,300 MSRP.

So, if its the impressive engine outputs you’re after our JCW Favoured is the better pick. The Audi RS Q3 2.5 TFSI quattro is even more expensive at $101,215 but it does have better engine outputs.

Surprisingly, the John Cooper Works Favoured doesn’t add all that much to the ‘base’ Classic trim but the additions include 20-inch alloy wheels with performance brakes (including red calipers) and six extra paintwork options. You also get electric front seats, with memory and massage functions for the driver.

JCW models come with keyless entry and start, heated front seats, a panoramic sunroof, adaptive cornering LED headlights, dual climate control, powered tailgate with kick-function, heated steering wheel and velour floor mats.

The technology includes a round 9.4-inch OLED multimedia screen, dash cam recorder, a premium Harman Kardon sound system, digital radio, a head-up display, 'Spike' Mini Assistant, an interior camera (you can take selfies!), augmented satellite navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a wireless charging pad, four USB-C ports and two 12-volt sockets.

While it's impressively more affordable than its peers, the JCW in Favoured trim misses out on a few top-grade features you'd expect at this level. Features like front seat ventilation and heated rear outboard seats or even a massage function on the front passenger seat.

Here's where this car gets particularly interesting. It's a hybrid. But not your gran's Prius. It's hybrid in a way which will make you re-think the technology.

Residing under the bonnet is a 3.0-litre, twin-turbo, straight-six engine mated to a very complex looking nine-speed (torque converter) automatic transmission.

One of those two turbochargers is driven by an electric motor rather than the exhaust (in order to provide its peak benefits at the lowest possible rpm), and there's also an electric motor inside the transmission which takes the load off the engine at low speeds and between gears.

This isn't where the 48-volt tech ends, with the GLE 53 also sporting active anti-roll bars and dampers, which significantly adjust the ride and body-roll on-the-fly.

All four wheels are driven via Benz's 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system.

The JCW Countryman is an all-wheel-drive with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. It has a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine that produces up to 233kW of power and 400Nm of torque. This model has a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 5.4-seconds!

There are eight drive 'experience' modes you can choose from, comprising 'Core', 'Green', 'Go Kart' (very fun), 'Personal', 'Timeless', 'Vivid', 'Balance' and 'Trail'.

It's a performance car, so fuel consumption is probably not going to be front of mind for potential buyers. That said, the hybrid tech delivers a surprisingly good number.

The official combined cycle consumption number is ambitiously under 10L/100km at 9.3L/100km.

After three days of (roughly) combined testing and about 300km of distance travelled, our car was showing a dash-reported 14.1L/100km. Not near the claim, but is it really bad for a performance SUV weighing 2447kg? I would argue, not.

The GLE 53 requires the top-shelf 98 RON hydrocarbons to fill its 85-litre tank, giving it a maximum theoretical range of 726km between fills.

For a performance SUV, the JCW Favoured has a lowish official combined (urban/extra-urban) fuel cycle figure of just 7.7L/100km and a large 54L fuel tank, giving you a theoretical driving range of up to 701km, which isn’t bad for such a little go-getter.

After doing a few bigger road trips this week, plus a long weekend in the city, my real-world usage has popped out at 7.9L/100km, which is excellent but expect it to be higher if you only do city driving.

This Benz feels about as imposing from behind the wheel as it is to look at. Straight away, you'll notice you tower over the road. I felt as though I was sitting high enough to be on the roof of passing hatchbacks, so there's nothing traditionally 'sporty' about it from the get-go.

I know you're probably thinking visibility is average with that roofline, and you'd be right. You just can't see much, full-stop, out the back.

Thankfully, an array of sensors and very wide-angle mirrors help with overall visibility, so you won't have to be too paranoid about unseen vehicles in your blind spots.

I'm pleased to report all the technology which goes under this SUV's skin is evident when it comes to the drive experience.

The hybrid tech is ultra-slick and impressive in every department, from trawling in traffic to the curvy stuff and the open road.

The responsiveness of this powertrain is something to be experienced (with the pre-spooled turbo) and the way the hybrid motor in the transmission smooths out shifts removes all the worst characteristics of a traditional torque converter automatic.

One thing to note about the GLE 53 – while it's quick, it's not quite a fire breather. There's no getting around this car's almost two and a half tonne weight, and while I love the smooth feel and note of the 3.0-litre straight six, it's simply not as thunderous or full of theatre as I imagine the 63 S will be.

Despite its height and weight, the altered steering ratios and 48-volt driven suspension and anti-roll systems cause a suspense in belief when it comes to the corners.

And grip levels are certifiably absurd with those gigantic rear tyres also pitching in to do their part to help something this large deny gravity and physics.

It's not all amazing though. You really feel every millimetre of this SUVs width, and at the end of the day there's no getting around it. It just doesn't feel anything like a sports machine in the traditional sense.

When it comes to ride quality, the GLE impresses, but has its limits. Sure there's air suspension at work, but it offers up nowhere near the ride quality of the more comfort-tuned GLC 300e I recently tested.

Seems as though there's an inevitable cost to keeping the GLE feeling well and truly planted at all times.

On the freeway the GLE Coupe is ridiculous in the way it can basically drive itself, so this offers up a real plus for those looking for a balance of performance and sensibility for longer trips.

Even if you don’t love the design, the power and performance of the turbo-petrol engine will win you over. It’s just pure unadulterated fun on the open road and in the city. You get a total hot-hatch experience, despite the Countryman being an SUV. 

The adaptive suspension feels a little stiff when you’re going over uneven road surfaces at higher speeds and road noise also creeps in, but around town this is a comfortable ride. 

Visibility is great, even in heavy rain with a child's car seat installed in the rear (we had a mix of weather on test). Thanks in no small part to the all-wheel drive system it felt sure-footed in the wet and I felt confident this car would do everything I asked of it.

The firm steering makes for a nimble on-road experience no matter the situation and you have gear-shifting paddles on the steering wheel.

There’s also a 'Boost' mode that wrangles the top performance out of the suspension, steering and engine for when you want more control.

You can park the Countryman just about anywhere and the 360-degree camera view system is excellent quality. It’s easy to park, even in small, tight car parks.

The new Mini Countryman hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP but features a healthy list of crash-avoidance safety features and has nine airbags, including a front centre bag.

Standard safety equipment includes driver monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, AEB, 'Cornering Brake Control', blind-spot monitoring, emergency e-call, lane keeping aid, lane departure warning, side exit assist, a dash cam recorder, tyre pressure monitoring, 360-degree view camera system plus front and rear parking sensors.

The adaptive cruise control is also well-tuned and one of the better systems I’ve sampled recently.

The rear seat has two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tether anchor points but two seats will fit best.

Mercedes has recently made a jump to the front of the luxury segment, offering an industry-wide standard of a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. Here it is only rivalled by Korean newcomer, Genesis.

Service intervals occur once every 12 months or 25,000km and prices can be pre-packaged at a discount.

A three-year service plan can be had for $2800 ($3500 if you choose to 'fix' the price), four years can be had at $3800, while a full five-year plan will set you back $5200. Not cheap, but then, neither is the car itself...

The Countryman is offered with a five-year/unlimited km warranty which is pretty standard fare for a Euro model. You can pre-purchase a five year or up to 80,000km servicing plan for $2250, which is very competitive for the class.

Servicing intervals are condition based, so your Mini will tell you when it needs to visit the workshop.