 we drove the GLE 350 for a few days. ride quality is poor, i could feel most bumps even though i selected comfort on the suspension settings.  the entertainment control is confusing...  the engine felt underpower for such a heavy car.  we drove the BMW X5 3.5 a few days before getting this car and the bmw is much better in everything.. must better ride quality, engine is very responsive, it brakes much smoother than the GLE 350.  the only difference is here is that i think the X5 has a turbo while the mercedes does not, which made this comparison a bit unfair for the mercedes.. also the bmw is meant to be a sportier car therefore it will be more responsive while the mercedes is supposed to be softer and more comfort. but overall we are still very disappointed with the quality of GLE. we drove the older bigger siblings of The GLE, the GL 450 a few years ago.. and the GL 450 was also a big disappointment. it was too big and it drives like a minivan. i think mercedes still has a lot to learn in making luxury SUV. we drove the E300 diesel station wagon last year and we were very happy with the overall performance of the car.. so back to my point, i think mercedes makes a great sedan but not SUV.