The Mercedes-Benz M-Class was ahead of its time, the first SUV from a full-on luxury brand.
Since then, the competition has caught up, and there are now a lot of models that follow in that pioneering path.
The Lexus RX stands alone as a purely on-road competitor, with excellent comfort in a tall wagon form.
The BMW X5 drives and handles well, but ride quality doesn't always feel quite up to snuff.
The Audi Q7 is handsome, large and offers a third row of seats.
The Acura MDX was redesigned for 2014, and continues to offer excellent driving dynamics and a versatile and spacious interior.
Finally, there's the Jeep Grand Cherokee that costs less than the M-Class, but makes very few sacrifices behind the wheel.
The M-Class keeps the edge on active safety features against most of the competition, though.
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 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE ClassBrowse Used Listings |  2016 Acura MDXBrowse Used Listings |  2016 BMW X5Browse Used Listings |  2016 Jeep Grand CherokeeBrowse Used Listings |
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| Quick Specs | |||
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The M-Class gets a new lease on luxury-crossover life as the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class—and it's joined by a swoopy new Coupe variant. |
The 2016 Acura MDX remains one of the best luxury three-row SUVs, but the benefits of its new nine-speed automatic are unclear. |
The benchmark of mid-size luxury SUVs, the 2016 BMW X5 offers handsome looks, a choice of powertrains, an abundance of tech features, sporty on-road dynamics, and even some off-road capability. |
The 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a lot more than first appearances might suggest: a true luxury vehicle, a capable off-roader, and a fuel-efficient diesel highway hauler—potentially all in the same build. |
| MSRP From | |||
| $51,100 | $43,015 | $54,700 | $29,995 |
| Gas Mileage | |||
| 13 MPG City / 29 MPG Hwy | 18 MPG City / 27 MPG Hwy | 14 MPG City / 30 MPG Hwy | 13 MPG City / 26 MPG Hwy |
| Engine | |||
| Premium Unleaded V-6 | Premium Unleaded V-6 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-6 | Regular Unleaded V-6 |
| EPA Class | |||
| Standard SUV 2WD | Small Sport Utility Vehicles 2WD | Standard Sport Utility Vehicles 2WD | Standard Sport Utility Vehicles 2WD |
| Style Name | |||
| RWD 4-Door GLE 350 | FWD 4-Door | RWD 4-Door sDrive35i | RWD 4-Door 75th Anniversary |
| Drivetrain | |||
| Rear Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive | Rear Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | |||
| 5 | 7 | 5 | 5 |
| Passenger Doors | |||
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Body Style | |||
| Sport Utility | Sport Utility | Sports Activity Vehicle | Sport Utility |
| Transmission | |||
| Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD |
| Detailed Spec Comparison | |||
| 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class vs. 2016 Acura MDX | 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class vs. 2016 BMW X5 | 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class vs. 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee | |
