Red-letter year

1 of 4

PHOTO BY ANGEL RIVERO

PHOTO BY ANGEL RIVERO

PHOTO BY ANGEL RIVERO

The author poses with a Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4Matic AMG at the Tagaytay Highlands. — PHOTO BY ANGEL RIVERO

Heading up to Tagaytay as Mercedes-Benz PHL braces for a busy milestone year

TWO THOUSAND Twenty-Six is an exceptionally significant period for Mercedes-Benz. It marks 100 years since the brand was formed. In June 1926, Benz & Cie. merged with Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft to become what was then known as Daimler-Benz AG. This officially formed the Mercedes-Benz we know.

This year also marks the 140th anniversary of Carl Benz filing his patent for a three-wheeled vehicle with “gas-engine drive” back in January 1886 — which was, in fact, a patent for the first automobile. Here’s a fun fact: Many people even fondly refer to this patent as “the birth certificate of the automobile.”

And it doesn’t end there. This year also commemorates 50 years since the presentation of the Mercedes-Benz W123 model series — the foundational predecessor of today’s modern E-Class. These and several other milestones are all part of the Three-Pointed Star’s historical celebrations this 2026. There is a lot to look forward to in the coming months.

What has Mercedes-Benz been up to, before the eventual start of these festivities? Well, last year, Mercedes-Benz Philippines, through the management of Inchcape, launched several electrified models in the country as part of its EQ lineup, alongside the goal to further enrich the local market’s luxury segment with more electrified choices. We even got to drive some of them to the long-famous Highlands Steakhouse in Tagaytay Highlands — itself now also celebrating 20 years since it opened, becoming one of the much-coveted steakhouses within easy reach of the metro.

During this drive, we took the Mercedes-Benz Philippines top sales performer, the GLE Series, specifically the GLE 400e 4Matic Plug-in Hybrid and the GLE 450 — alongside the GLC 350e Plug-in Hybrid — out for a casual spin. We started at the brand’s Greenhills dealership early on a regular weekday and threaded through EDSA’s congested lanes until we got to the South Superhighway.

The GLE SUV has long been the brand’s best-selling model for good reason. It is practical, versatile, offers generous cargo space, and boasts all the usual luxuries and prestige associated with Mercedes-Benz. The vehicle is comfortable to drive and ride as a passenger, has good sound insulation, and feels planted and safe at high speeds. Of course, it has electronically adjustable front seats and its proprietary MBUX multimedia system that supports intelligent voice control. It also has the marque’s valuable driver-assist systems and even a cool transparent bonnet feature that gives the driver a virtual view beneath the car.

The GLE 400e 4Matic Plug-in Hybrid carries a 2.0-liter gasoline engine with an electric motor and battery system, matched with nine-speed automatic transmission. It has sporty front seats, dual 12.3-inch displays, real nice AMG sport pedals, and a swanky 15-speaker Burmester Surround Sound System. The car has a Dynamic Select Drive Program so that driving modes can be adjusted based on where the vehicle is or what it’s doing — city traffic, highway cruising or climbing hills. A good 252hp will take you through mountain resorts — such as the aforementioned Tagaytay Highlands — with ease. Whenever the moment calls for additional power, the combustion engine kicks in via MB’s 9G-Tronic automatic transmission. An 11-kW AC charging system also makes energy collection a breeze. The 21-inch AMG multi-spoke light alloy wheels look great.

But I have to admit that I found the GLE 450 (which is equipped with the same AMG appointments but with a regular internal combustion engine) to be sprightly and a tad bit more fun to drive. But they’re both awesome and almost practically twins. It just comes down to preference.

Meanwhile, the GLC 350e Plug-in Hybrid with EQ hybrid technology had notably strong electric-only driving range. Its well-engineered regenerative braking system helped extend the electric driving range even further. In fact, with this car, you can probably avoid using fuel for all but the longest commutes. It is also compatible with Type 2 sockets.

The GLC 350e is a smooth-riding SUV with the same comfortable and feature-rich cabin as a non-hybrid GLC. For instance, it has a 360-degree exterior camera system, rear A/C vents, rear USB charging ports, and pretty cool multicolor interior ambient lighting for when it starts getting dark. Even driving in low-light situations is improved with its adaptive high-beam system that carves you out a clean path of visibility. In a nutshell, the vehicle exudes the typical well-rehearsed poise of German engineering. No wonder it also remains one of MB Philippines’ best-selling series.

Stay tuned for more exciting news and festivities from Mercedes-Benz this eventful 2026!