GLE vs Cayenne (GTS)
12-24-2021 | 01:47 PM
#47
1st Gear
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 1
Likes: 4
Hi. I currently daily drive a '21 AMG GLE 53 Coupe.
A client of mine has a '21 Cayenne GTS coupe and we switched cars for a couple of days...
Cayenne drives like a car worth 2-3 times more than the Merc. PERIOD.
I was especially blown away by the following:
a) Porsche is very very nimble (no PDCC or RWS on the one I drove), (reminds me of my JCW F56 Mini on steroids haha) and makes the GLE seem like a boat in comparison (indeed the merc drives like a big boat, I was surprised to see that the dimensions are similar);
b) how well calibrated is the engine-gearbox combo on Porsche. The 9 speed gearbox on Mercedes is simply a bad match for the engine (or any engine for that matter)... 1st gear's too short which makes everyday commute jerky (and engine needs to downshift constantly, only 500 ish nm of torque)... Porsche is so much better. I mean it's still nowhere near PDK in terms of predictability (I spent a week with a 992 turbo) but on another level completely compared to the Merc
c) the ENGINE. the M256 inline six of the Merc sounds like a loud vacuum cleaner. I mean there can be no comparison... The Cayenne is just THAT better. I think Cayenne even returns better MPG...
d) the interior (the cayenne I drove is Truffle Brown club) is much more luxurious on the Porsche. On Mercedes (even specced with Nappa interior) you'd find cheap plastics here and there... None of that in the Porsche.
what's better in the Merc: infotainment. miles better. (I haven't tried PCM 6.0 though) and overall it's more spacious inside... At least seems that way. Also, the electric starter-generator makes start-stop painless, I think I've never turned it off, it's just perfect. It's also more comfortable than the GTS but not as much as you would expect. (both cars on 21 inch wheels)
Also note that my car does NOT have the Active whatever suspension (PDCC in Porsche speak).
so going back, I'd never get the Mercedes, it has a personality crisis. The powertrain is kiinda sporty, but overall its a big boat. No steering feel, nothing. I think the diesel GLE350 would be a much better all around car.
It would be better if it was called just GLE 530 without the AMG part...
Actually my local dealer has a '22 GTS Coupe with PDCC and RWS (with Club interior) on the lot and I'm seriously thinking about swapping them since the Merc has gone up in value again and Porsche will only increase their prices from January.
A client of mine has a '21 Cayenne GTS coupe and we switched cars for a couple of days...
Cayenne drives like a car worth 2-3 times more than the Merc. PERIOD.
I was especially blown away by the following:
a) Porsche is very very nimble (no PDCC or RWS on the one I drove), (reminds me of my JCW F56 Mini on steroids haha) and makes the GLE seem like a boat in comparison (indeed the merc drives like a big boat, I was surprised to see that the dimensions are similar);
b) how well calibrated is the engine-gearbox combo on Porsche. The 9 speed gearbox on Mercedes is simply a bad match for the engine (or any engine for that matter)... 1st gear's too short which makes everyday commute jerky (and engine needs to downshift constantly, only 500 ish nm of torque)... Porsche is so much better. I mean it's still nowhere near PDK in terms of predictability (I spent a week with a 992 turbo) but on another level completely compared to the Merc
c) the ENGINE. the M256 inline six of the Merc sounds like a loud vacuum cleaner. I mean there can be no comparison... The Cayenne is just THAT better. I think Cayenne even returns better MPG...
d) the interior (the cayenne I drove is Truffle Brown club) is much more luxurious on the Porsche. On Mercedes (even specced with Nappa interior) you'd find cheap plastics here and there... None of that in the Porsche.
what's better in the Merc: infotainment. miles better. (I haven't tried PCM 6.0 though) and overall it's more spacious inside... At least seems that way. Also, the electric starter-generator makes start-stop painless, I think I've never turned it off, it's just perfect. It's also more comfortable than the GTS but not as much as you would expect. (both cars on 21 inch wheels)
Also note that my car does NOT have the Active whatever suspension (PDCC in Porsche speak).
so going back, I'd never get the Mercedes, it has a personality crisis. The powertrain is kiinda sporty, but overall its a big boat. No steering feel, nothing. I think the diesel GLE350 would be a much better all around car.
It would be better if it was called just GLE 530 without the AMG part...
Actually my local dealer has a '22 GTS Coupe with PDCC and RWS (with Club interior) on the lot and I'm seriously thinking about swapping them since the Merc has gone up in value again and Porsche will only increase their prices from January.
Last edited by ch111; 12-24-2021 at 01:49 PM.
The following 4 users liked this post by ch111:
12-24-2021 | 10:32 PM
#48
2nd Gear
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 2
Likes: 1
Hi forum,
Need some advice on what will be the first SUV purchase. I’m a bit of weird guy, currently daily drive a GT350 that has 70,000 miles (including snow driving), I also own a C7 ZR1 (manual) and a 991.2 GT3RS.
The GT350 worked for the past 5 years but now my kid has grown much taller and doesnt like the back seat much (but still loves it so much that she wont let me sell it) plus we got into biking as a family so I need a hitch.
GT350 is used by my wife about 60% of the time (she puts all the city miles, I put all the highway ones).
We looked at all the SUVs and initially settled in at a GLE 450. But our factory order keeps getting pushed back and a test drive in a base cayenne kick started bunch of research/conversations where we are now considering Cayenne GTS.
The cayenne is going to be $50,000 more than the GLE. Our GLE build is at $80,000 and I configured a cayenne thats around $132,000. Maybe its not a fair comparison as they are different cars but I wanted to get some thoughts on:
- Given my current stable, with the assumption that we keep the GT350, does it make sense to pay extra for the GTS?
- I read all the comments and watched all the videos about how good the GTS is and how connected it is, etc. What I dont know is whether these comments are from people who own more normal cars and they find GTS that good or are there those of you who own similar cars to mine and gts still impresses you?
- Lastly, while I understand GLE is a totally different car, would be curious to find out what everyone thought of it if they owned one in the past.
Why I am not considering the AMG models you may ask? Thats because Mercedes is a substantially larger car and they never manage to get a sport car right. I havent ridden in one that handles or does things right. For us, they are a luxury brand and truly the multimedia, console, fit and finish are second to none. Its like they are in a different class on their own from a luxury perspective.
But…. then it rides like a boat and while we are tired of stiff riding cars and want something more comfortable, we are not sure if cayenne gts is plenty comfortable or in other words gle will be too comfortable.
Thank you
Need some advice on what will be the first SUV purchase. I’m a bit of weird guy, currently daily drive a GT350 that has 70,000 miles (including snow driving), I also own a C7 ZR1 (manual) and a 991.2 GT3RS.
The GT350 worked for the past 5 years but now my kid has grown much taller and doesnt like the back seat much (but still loves it so much that she wont let me sell it) plus we got into biking as a family so I need a hitch.
GT350 is used by my wife about 60% of the time (she puts all the city miles, I put all the highway ones).
We looked at all the SUVs and initially settled in at a GLE 450. But our factory order keeps getting pushed back and a test drive in a base cayenne kick started bunch of research/conversations where we are now considering Cayenne GTS.
The cayenne is going to be $50,000 more than the GLE. Our GLE build is at $80,000 and I configured a cayenne thats around $132,000. Maybe its not a fair comparison as they are different cars but I wanted to get some thoughts on:
- Given my current stable, with the assumption that we keep the GT350, does it make sense to pay extra for the GTS?
- I read all the comments and watched all the videos about how good the GTS is and how connected it is, etc. What I dont know is whether these comments are from people who own more normal cars and they find GTS that good or are there those of you who own similar cars to mine and gts still impresses you?
- Lastly, while I understand GLE is a totally different car, would be curious to find out what everyone thought of it if they owned one in the past.
Why I am not considering the AMG models you may ask? Thats because Mercedes is a substantially larger car and they never manage to get a sport car right. I havent ridden in one that handles or does things right. For us, they are a luxury brand and truly the multimedia, console, fit and finish are second to none. Its like they are in a different class on their own from a luxury perspective.
But…. then it rides like a boat and while we are tired of stiff riding cars and want something more comfortable, we are not sure if cayenne gts is plenty comfortable or in other words gle will be too comfortable.
Thank you
I will keep this short, but just buy the Porsche. We completed a 5600 km road trip in November on the Porsche, and we will not be buying another Mercedes. I drive a 2017 GLE 550 (Canadian only model), and after driving the Cayenne, it feels like the Mercedes is broken. It’s all about the chassis control and ride. The GLE has more hp and more torque in the TT 4.7L V8, but other than off the line, the Cayenne S is faster and more composed in all cases.
The Cayenne has made me a believer and all future cars will be Porsches. Our next one will be a GTS to jump up that extra on handling prowess.
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chassis (12-25-2021)
12-25-2021 | 12:04 AM
#49
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 90
Likes: 34
This is a Porsche forum so understandably Porsche biased. I own both 2020 GLE350 and 2021 Cayenne S and each has their benefits.
GLE benefits:
smoother transmission during calm driving
bigger interior for toddler seats and roomier in general
Overall better for a family
easier suspension
more modern infotainment
Lower msrp
fewer creaks and rattles (my cayenne is VERY rattly and I hate it)
Cayenne benefits:
faster
sportier
better steering wheel in my opinion
…that’s about it
This isn’t to say I don’t like the cayenne - I’m actually planning to order a 2022 cayenne e hybrid to replace the cayenne S. The gle and cayenne are both good cars for different purposes.
GLE benefits:
smoother transmission during calm driving
bigger interior for toddler seats and roomier in general
Overall better for a family
easier suspension
more modern infotainment
Lower msrp
fewer creaks and rattles (my cayenne is VERY rattly and I hate it)
Cayenne benefits:
faster
sportier
better steering wheel in my opinion
…that’s about it
This isn’t to say I don’t like the cayenne - I’m actually planning to order a 2022 cayenne e hybrid to replace the cayenne S. The gle and cayenne are both good cars for different purposes.
Last edited by 911car; 12-25-2021 at 12:09 AM.
12-25-2021 | 12:59 PM
#50
Rennlist Member
Joined: Nov 2019
Posts: 4,461
Likes: 1,545
From: linker Fahrbahn
Hi. I currently daily drive a '21 AMG GLE 53 Coupe.
A client of mine has a '21 Cayenne GTS coupe and we switched cars for a couple of days...
Cayenne drives like a car worth 2-3 times more than the Merc. PERIOD.
I was especially blown away by the following:
a) Porsche is very very nimble (no PDCC or RWS on the one I drove), (reminds me of my JCW F56 Mini on steroids haha) and makes the GLE seem like a boat in comparison (indeed the merc drives like a big boat, I was surprised to see that the dimensions are similar);
b) how well calibrated is the engine-gearbox combo on Porsche. The 9 speed gearbox on Mercedes is simply a bad match for the engine (or any engine for that matter)... 1st gear's too short which makes everyday commute jerky (and engine needs to downshift constantly, only 500 ish nm of torque)... Porsche is so much better. I mean it's still nowhere near PDK in terms of predictability (I spent a week with a 992 turbo) but on another level completely compared to the Merc
c) the ENGINE. the M256 inline six of the Merc sounds like a loud vacuum cleaner. I mean there can be no comparison... The Cayenne is just THAT better. I think Cayenne even returns better MPG...
d) the interior (the cayenne I drove is Truffle Brown club) is much more luxurious on the Porsche. On Mercedes (even specced with Nappa interior) you'd find cheap plastics here and there... None of that in the Porsche.
what's better in the Merc: infotainment. miles better. (I haven't tried PCM 6.0 though) and overall it's more spacious inside... At least seems that way. Also, the electric starter-generator makes start-stop painless, I think I've never turned it off, it's just perfect. It's also more comfortable than the GTS but not as much as you would expect. (both cars on 21 inch wheels)
Also note that my car does NOT have the Active whatever suspension (PDCC in Porsche speak).
so going back, I'd never get the Mercedes, it has a personality crisis. The powertrain is kiinda sporty, but overall its a big boat. No steering feel, nothing. I think the diesel GLE350 would be a much better all around car.
It would be better if it was called just GLE 530 without the AMG part...
Actually my local dealer has a '22 GTS Coupe with PDCC and RWS (with Club interior) on the lot and I'm seriously thinking about swapping them since the Merc has gone up in value again and Porsche will only increase their prices from January.
A client of mine has a '21 Cayenne GTS coupe and we switched cars for a couple of days...
Cayenne drives like a car worth 2-3 times more than the Merc. PERIOD.
I was especially blown away by the following:
a) Porsche is very very nimble (no PDCC or RWS on the one I drove), (reminds me of my JCW F56 Mini on steroids haha) and makes the GLE seem like a boat in comparison (indeed the merc drives like a big boat, I was surprised to see that the dimensions are similar);
b) how well calibrated is the engine-gearbox combo on Porsche. The 9 speed gearbox on Mercedes is simply a bad match for the engine (or any engine for that matter)... 1st gear's too short which makes everyday commute jerky (and engine needs to downshift constantly, only 500 ish nm of torque)... Porsche is so much better. I mean it's still nowhere near PDK in terms of predictability (I spent a week with a 992 turbo) but on another level completely compared to the Merc
c) the ENGINE. the M256 inline six of the Merc sounds like a loud vacuum cleaner. I mean there can be no comparison... The Cayenne is just THAT better. I think Cayenne even returns better MPG...
d) the interior (the cayenne I drove is Truffle Brown club) is much more luxurious on the Porsche. On Mercedes (even specced with Nappa interior) you'd find cheap plastics here and there... None of that in the Porsche.
what's better in the Merc: infotainment. miles better. (I haven't tried PCM 6.0 though) and overall it's more spacious inside... At least seems that way. Also, the electric starter-generator makes start-stop painless, I think I've never turned it off, it's just perfect. It's also more comfortable than the GTS but not as much as you would expect. (both cars on 21 inch wheels)
Also note that my car does NOT have the Active whatever suspension (PDCC in Porsche speak).
so going back, I'd never get the Mercedes, it has a personality crisis. The powertrain is kiinda sporty, but overall its a big boat. No steering feel, nothing. I think the diesel GLE350 would be a much better all around car.
It would be better if it was called just GLE 530 without the AMG part...
Actually my local dealer has a '22 GTS Coupe with PDCC and RWS (with Club interior) on the lot and I'm seriously thinking about swapping them since the Merc has gone up in value again and Porsche will only increase their prices from January.
Agree with the transmission comments. MB boxes and their calibrations are poor. They should exit the transmission design and manufacturing part of their business and leave it to the people who know what they are doing at ZF and Aisin.
In addition to the above performance comments is the poor MB as-delivered poor quality and poor medium term reliability. So many examples to list.
The past couple of posts have been excellent. Try posting these first hand experiences on mbworld in the V167 section and the fanboiz will try to shout you down.