Video: 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class - First Look

Check it out here at the auto show. There's a lot of M-Class that carries over to the GLE. Remember, this is just a refresh, not a full redesign. Some differences in some of the openings along the bumpers here for most versions. The biggest difference actually comes when you compare the old M-Class, the AMG to the AMG version of the GLE-Class, which we have right here. A twin bar grill here, and kind of a big hulking lower bumper. Now it's got this kind of black framework that snakes around. This is new for the GLE. You get around back, fairly minimal changes. There are some differences in lower bumper cladding, tail lights that have reflectors that have been moved around, but overall, pretty similar look to the M. Now like the exterior, the interior of the GLE-Class reflects mostly the M-Class sort of carried over here. A few major changes though. The center screen here in the dashboard actually sits up more of a tablet like kind of implementation here versus the more in-dash unit in last year's M-Class. It uses a familiar command interface here with the knob, but a new touch pad above it, which Mercedes has put in a few other cars. You can kind of zoom in and you know, scroll through some stuff. You're using the touch pad if you want, or you can just use the good old, familiar command structure below it. It operates either a seven or eight inch screen, depending on the options in the particular car. Pretty lush materials here in this car at the auto show. But I'm wondering why Mercedes didn't take this opportunity to update the climate controls, which still use these sort of rickety dials, instead of the uptown toggle switches in a few of Mercedes more recent, full redesigns. The backseat still has decent adult size leg room, and head room, and a nice high seating position off the ground. Nice, still that these head restraints here, nest in the seat when no one's here. That clears up visibility for drivers out the back, but still kind of an antiquated folding process here. If you just had passengers back here, you've got to then tumble these cushions forward, put the head restraint down, and then flip the seats all the way down. That's many more steps than a lot of competitors folding seats require, but it does free up a nice flat load floor without any gap behind the seat, between there and the cargo area. There will be plenty of drive trains to choose from. From a diesel four cylinder to a turbocharged V eight. There is also a GLE 550 E plugin with nearly 20 miles of all electric range, Mercedes says. So plenty for shoppers to look at. All when the GLE goes on sale in August, 2015. (car trunk closing)