2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class Safety Rating
Midsize luxury SUVs Β· Current IIHS listing Β· IIHS source checked 2026-09-16
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class scores 91.1/100, ranking #17 of 23 current midsize luxury SUVs and #64 of 136 vehicles overall with complete IIHS records. It does not hold a current IIHS award.
Every primary IIHS test is rated Good. Rear-passenger restraints in the updated moderate-overlap test: Good; rear-passenger head protection: Good.
Which build and equipment does this score describe?
Latest applicable build; standard AEB and lowest current-trim headlight rating. Headlights use the lowest rating among applicable current trims; this is a conservative equipment baseline, not a claim that every trim has identical results. Confirm the production date and equipment of the car you are buying.
Headlights: baseline Good
- Good β (1) Trim level(s): All trims
- Good β (2) Trim level(s): All trims equipped with Advanced Lighting package
Pedestrian crash prevention: baseline Marginal; best reported Acceptable
- Marginal β standard Active Brake Assist. Rating applies to all 2024-26 models
- Acceptable β optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function; equipped with Driver Assistance Plus Package package. Rating applies to all 2024-26 models
Vehicle-to-vehicle crash prevention 2.0: baseline Not established; best reported Acceptable
- Acceptable β optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function; equipped with Driver Assistance package. Rating applies to all 2024-26 models
Optional-system results are shown separately. Combining the best rating from different packages does not establish that one purchasable configuration earns them all. Check IIHS equipment details.
IIHS displays a 2025 TSP+ badge for this model. It is a previous award cycle and is not counted as a current award.
IIHS crash-test results
Detailed results by test (54 entries)
IIHS publishes these under the test they belong to, so the same label can appear more than once. Rear restraints and kinematics, rear head protection, structure and safety cage, and front restraints are the four that count toward the score (25%).
Small overlap front
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Small overlap front
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Moderate overlap front: updated test
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Side: updated test
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Headlights
Β· (1) Trim level(s): All trims
Headlights
Β· (2) Trim level(s): All trims equipped with Advanced Lighting package
Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle 2.0
Rating applies to all 2024-26 models Β· optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function; equipped with Driver Assistance package
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Rating applies to all 2024-26 models Β· standard Active Brake Assist
Front crash prevention: pedestrian
Rating applies to all 2024-26 models Β· optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function; equipped with Driver Assistance Plus Package package
Seat belt reminders
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Child seat anchors
Rating applies to 2020-26 models
Opens on iihs.org in a new tab
How the score is built
See our full scoring methodology and rules β
NHTSA 5-star rating
2026 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE SUV N/A AWD
NHTSA stars are shown for reference and carry no weight in the score. NHTSA source. Why the two programs disagree β
IIHS crash-test videos
These videos are embedded on IIHSβs ratings page for this model. The tested vehicle may be an earlier model year or a related version whose results IIHS applies to this vehicle. Check the test description and source for the exact coverage.
Load a player to watch on this page, or use the YouTube link. Video footage helps explain the test; the published injury measurements and ratings are the basis for comparison.
Moderate overlap front: updated test
Tested vehicle: 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 4-door 4wd
Rating applies to 2024-26 models
Real-world context
| Measure | Result | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Class driver death rate | 11 per million registered vehicle-years | Midsize luxury SUVs as a class, adjusted for driver age and sex (Farmer, 2023); all vehicles average 38. Class context only. |
Compared with other midsize luxury SUVs
Closest-scoring current midsize luxury SUVs with complete IIHS records, plus the class leader. See every midsize luxury SUVs ranked β
| Vehicle | Class rank | IIHS award | Rear restraints | Starts at | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Tesla Model Y | #1 of 23 | TSP+ | $39,990 | 98.6 | |
| 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC | #14 of 23 | TSP | $49,550 | 93.6 | |
| 2026 Volvo XC90 | #15 of 23 | TSP | $62,345 | 93.6 | |
| 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class (this page) | #17 of 23 | β | $62,250 | 91.1 | |
| 2026 Volvo XC60 | #18 of 23 | β | $49,700 | 90.6 |
Other model years of the Mercedes-Benz GLE Class
| Model year | Status | IIHS award | Primary tests reported | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class | Archived | TSP+ | 4/4 | 91.1 |
Each model year keeps its own record. Ratings from one year are never copied to another unless IIHS states the test applies.
Our analysis
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class belongs to the Midsize luxury SUVs class. This class has one of the lowest driver death rates of any category, well below the national average of 38 deaths per million registered vehicle-years, reflecting mass, structure, and typical driver demographics. The class figure is adjusted for driver age and sex, which removes a large part of the selection effect in raw death rates. It is still a class average, not a measurement of this model.
The Mercedes-Benz GLE Class has no IIHS Top Safety Pick award in the 2025 award cycle. That can mean a result below the award threshold in one test, or tests IIHS has not completed. Absence of an award is not evidence that the vehicle is unsafe.
Across the 6 IIHS rating categories reported, the Mercedes-Benz GLE Class earned 6 Good ratings. Check the occupant-protection details above as well; a Good headline result can hide a weaker rear-seat subscore.
This analysis is produced independently; we have no affiliation with Mercedes-Benz or any manufacturer. Read the full methodology or learn more about us.
Safety recalls for the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class
We do not have a verified NHTSA recall lookup for this model and year. An unmatched or unavailable lookup is not evidence of a clean recall record.
Recall campaigns from the NHTSA recalls database, retrieved 2026-09-16. A recall applies to a range of build dates, not necessarily every car of this model year, so confirm against your own VIN. Recalls do not affect the safety score on this page.
Use this score on your own site
Writing about the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class? Paste this badge into a post or forum reply. It updates on its own whenever IIHS publishes new results for this model.
Free to use with the link left intact. The badge is a plain image and an ordinary link, with no tracking script.
Questions about the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class
Is the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class a safe car?
The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class scores 91.1/100 in our published formula and ranks #17 of 23 current midsize luxury SUVs with complete IIHS records. It does not hold a current IIHS award.
What is the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class IIHS rating?
IIHS reports: small overlap front = Good; moderate overlap front: updated test = Good; side: updated test = Good; headlights = Good; seat belt reminders = Good; latch ease of use = Good.
Is the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class an IIHS Top Safety Pick?
No. The 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class does not hold an IIHS Top Safety Pick award for the 2026 model year, which can reflect a result below Good in a qualifying test or tests that IIHS has not yet completed.
How does the 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE Class compare with other midsize luxury SUVs?
The class leader is the 2027 Tesla Model Y at 98.6/100. The comparison table on this page lists the closest-scoring current midsize luxury SUVs with complete records.
Continue comparing
Shopping for a family? Compare three-row vehicles and rear-seat evidence. Buying used? See real driver death rates by model.