Compare the2022 Audi e-tronVS 2021 Mercedes GLE

Both the e-tron and GLE have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The e-tron has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The GLE’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Audi e-tron has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The GLE doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The e-tron has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The GLE doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To allow off-road and deep snow capability, Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the e-tron. But it costs extra on the GLE.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the e-tron helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera and near-infrared lights to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The GLE doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The e-tron’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the GLE.

Both the e-tron and the GLE have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The Audi e-tron weighs 752 to 1466 pounds more than the Mercedes GLE. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The e-tron’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GLE’s (12 vs. 5 years).

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the e-tron’s reliability 11 points higher than the GLE.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 6 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The e-tron has more powerful engines than the GLE:

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi e-tron (base engine) is faster than the Mercedes GLE:

On the EPA test cycle the e-tron gets better mileage than the GLE:

The e-tron’s maximum EPA estimated driving range is 181 to 222 miles on a full charge, dependent on motors and equipment. The GLE can’t move without starting its internal combustion engine.

Regardless of its engine, regenerative brakes improve the e-tron’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. Mercedes only offers a regenerative brake system on the GLE 450.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi e-tron higher (10 out of 10) than the Mercedes GLE (5 to 6). This means the e-tron produces up to 19.8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the GLE every 15,000 miles.

The e-tron’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The GLE doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the e-tron’s brake rotors are larger than those on the GLE:

The e-tron’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the GLE 350 are solid, not vented.

The e-tron stops shorter than the GLE:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the e-tron has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the GLE.

The front and rear suspension of the e-tron uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the GLE, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The e-tron Chronos Edition handles at .85 G’s, while the GLE 450 pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The e-tron Chronos Edition executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.6 seconds quicker than the GLE 350 4MATIC (26.6 seconds @ .71 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

The front grille of the e-tron uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The GLE doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Consumer Reports rated the e-tron’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the GLE’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

The e-tron has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the GLE.