The 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV stands as a popular luxury vehicle, often lauded for its performance and features. But when it comes to safety, particularly side impact protection, how does the 2018 GLE SUV fare? This analysis delves into the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) side impact crash test ratings applicable to the 2016-2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV models, providing a comprehensive understanding of its safety performance.
The rating for side impact protection for the Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV, covering models from 2016 to 2019, is officially Good, the highest rating awarded by the IIHS. This assessment is based on tests conducted by Mercedes-Benz on earlier models, specifically a 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML 550 and a 2014 Mercedes-Benz ML 350 Bluetec. It’s important to note that the Mercedes-Benz M-Class was rebranded as the GLE-Class starting with the 2016 model year. The IIHS has combined the results from these tests to assign a unified side impact rating to the GLE-Class models within the specified years.
The tests evaluated critical aspects of vehicle safety during a side collision. These include the structural integrity of the vehicle, and potential injury risks to both the driver and rear passengers. The “Good” rating signifies that in a simulated side impact scenario, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV provides robust protection.
Specifically, the evaluation criteria and their corresponding ratings for the Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV are detailed below:
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
As shown in the table, the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV achieved a “Good” rating across all individual metrics. This includes structural performance and safety cage integrity, as well as injury measures for the driver and rear passenger’s head/neck, torso, and pelvis/leg regions. Both driver and rear passenger head protection were also rated as “Good”.
Interestingly, the tests incorporated vehicles with and without optional rear side torso airbags (which were standard in 2012-2013 ML-Class models but became optional from 2014 onwards). The IIHS noted that the presence or absence of these rear side torso airbags made minimal difference in rear occupant protection during the side impact tests. This is attributed to the size and wheelbase of the vehicle; in larger vehicles like the GLE SUV, the point of impact in a side collision is relatively further away from the rear seating area. Regardless of the optional side torso airbags, all GLE SUV models in this range are equipped with standard side curtain airbags, which provide effective protection for rear occupants in side impact scenarios.
For those interested in more granular data, technical measurements from the tests are available. These include detailed metrics on occupant compartment intrusion and specific injury measures for various body regions of both the driver and passenger dummies used in the crash tests. While the “Good” rating provides a clear overall picture of safety performance, these detailed measurements offer a deeper dive into the vehicle’s performance under crash conditions.
In conclusion, the “Good” side impact rating from IIHS for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV underscores its strong safety profile. This rating, applicable to 2016-2019 models, assures potential buyers and current owners of the vehicle’s robust design and effective occupant protection in the event of a side collision. This makes the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV a safe and reliable choice within its luxury SUV class, particularly when considering side impact safety.
