Mercedes-Benz SUV Agility Drive: A relaxed KL to Cameron Highlands run in the GLE 400 e and GLA 250 Nightfall Edition

Drive events are usually tightly structured, with convoys, fixed routes, and strict timing. But the recent Mercedes-Benz SUV Agility Drive took a more relaxed approach, allowing participants to make their own way from Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands at their own pace.

Instead of moving in a convoy, drivers were free to choose their preferred routes, stops, and driving rhythm. That made the experience feel less like a formal media drive and more like a real-world road trip, which, in many ways, is a better reflection of how these SUVs would actually be used.

The drive also served as a showcase for the recently introduced Mercedes-Benz GLA Nightfall Edition, alongside several other SUVs in the brand’s current line-up. However, with just two days and limited seat time, this wasn’t the kind of setting for a full review. Instead, it offered a snapshot of what these cars are like on a typical long-distance drive.

Up the highlands in the GLE 400 e 4Matic

For the journey up via the Tapah route, we were assigned the Mercedes-Benz GLE 400 e 4Matic, a plug-in hybrid SUV that leans heavily towards comfort and refinement.

Under the bonnet is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor, delivering a combined output of 381 PS and 650 Nm of torque, sent to all four wheels via the brand’s 4Matic system.

On the highway, the GLE was very much in its element. For the most part, the drive was done in electric mode, with the battery handling a significant portion of the journey. This not only made the experience exceptionally quiet and smooth but also highlighted the real-world efficiency potential of the plug-in hybrid setup on longer drives.

Once off the highway and into the climb towards Cameron Highlands, the GLE continued to impress in terms of ride comfort, soaking up uneven surfaces with ease. That said, its size and weight do become more apparent on tighter, twistier sections. There’s a slightly “boaty” character when pushed through corners, where it prefers a more relaxed pace rather than anything overly enthusiastic.

Still, for what it is, a large luxury SUV designed to prioritise comfort, it delivers exactly what you would expect on a drive like this.

A different feel on the way down in the GLA 250 Nightfall Edition

The return journey the next day brought a change in character, with the Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 Nightfall Edition.

Powering the GLA 250 is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 224 PS and 350 Nm of torque, paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and all-wheel drive.

Compared to the GLE, the GLA immediately felt more compact and more eager. The narrower roads and downhill sections highlighted its smaller footprint, making it easier to place on the road and more confidence-inspiring through tighter corners.

Part of that improved agility can also be attributed to its lowered comfort suspension, which gives the car a slightly more planted feel through bends. It’s still tuned with comfort in mind, but there’s just enough added composure to make a noticeable difference on winding roads.

It doesn’t turn the GLA into something overtly sporty, but it does make the drive feel more engaging, especially on sections with consecutive corners, particularly with the addition of its 48-volt belt-driven starter-generator offering an additional 14 PS and 150 Nm of boost.

As for the Nightfall Edition itself, the visual tweaks give the GLA a darker, sportier presence, while retaining the same approachable driving characteristics as the standard model.

Not a review, but a realistic snapshot

With limited time behind the wheel, this wasn’t an opportunity to fully evaluate each model in detail. But in a way, that’s not what this drive was about.

By removing the convoy structure and allowing drivers to travel at their own pace, the event offered a more realistic look at how these SUVs fit into everyday use. Long highway stretches, changing road conditions, and a popular weekend destination like Cameron Highlands provided a good mix of scenarios that most owners would likely encounter.

From the quiet, efficient highway cruising of the GLE 400 e to the more compact and composed nature of the GLA 250, the drive highlighted how different models in the line-up cater to different needs, even within the same journey.