New crossover gently evolves the styling of the GLE/MLClass. Expect bigger changes behind the wheel.

The nextgeneration MercedesBenz GLE has been spied again, and what little disguise has been fitted leaves very little to the imagination.

Up front the company has put some camouflage on the headlights, as well as false panels masking the sides of the grille. The section below the headlights is carefully concealed, suggesting we’ll get a new lighting signature compared to the current range of MercedesBenz SUVs.

Classic ML/GLE styling touches like the wraparound threequarter window have carried over.

There’s a bit of tape covering up the taillight graphics down back, if not the overall shape of the lighting units. Aside from that, this is the car that’ll be arriving into showrooms across the globe next year.

Although the styling is a gentle evolution of today’s car, the nextgeneration GLE is expected to ride on the new MHA architecture, which should be lighter and more efficient than the current vehicle’s underpinnings.

The nextgeneration GLE will also be crammed full of the company’s latest technology, including the MBUX infotainment system debuted on the latest AClass.

Leaked photos of the car’s interior have revealed a completely digital instrumentation screen housed together with the infotainment display on one floating black slab.

Given how little disguise has been put on this latest GLE prototype, launch can’t be too far away. We’d expect to see the car unveiled at the Paris motor show, which kicks off in October, at the very latest.