Compare the2022 Land Rover Range Rover SportVS 2021 Mercedes G-Class

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Range Rover Sport and G-Class have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Range Rover Sport 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 G-Class’ 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 Range Rover Sport offers an optional Surround Camera System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The G-Class only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Range Rover Sport uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The G-Class uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Range Rover Sport and the G-Class have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

Warranty

The Range Rover Sport’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the G-Class’ (6 vs. 5 years).

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Range Rover Sport SVR 5.0 supercharged V8 is faster than the G 550:

	Range Rover Sport	G-Class
Zero to 60 MPH	4.3 sec	5.4 sec
Quarter Mile	12.7 sec	14.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	110.1 MPH	98.4 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Range Rover Sport gets better mileage than the G-Class:

			MPG
Range Rover Sport
	AWD	5.0 supercharged V8	17 city/22 hwy
		SVR 5.0 supercharged V8	15 city/20 hwy
		P400 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cyl. Hybrid	19 city/24 hwy
		P360 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cyl. Hybrid	19 city/24 hwy
G-Class
	AWD	4.0 turbo V8	17 city/19 hwy
		4.0 turbo V8	13 city/16 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Range Rover Sport’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The G-Class doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Range Rover Sport has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the G-Class (27.5 vs. 26.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Range Rover Sport’s brake rotors are larger than those on the G-Class:

	Range Rover Sport Td6	Range Rover Sport P400/400e/V8	G 550	AMG G 63
Front Rotors	14.3 inches	15 inches	13.9 inches	14.8 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	14.4 inches	13.6 inches	13 inches

The Range Rover Sport stops much shorter than the G-Class:

	Range Rover Sport	G-Class
60 to 0 MPH	106 feet	136 feet	Motor Trend

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Land Rover Range Rover Sport has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mercedes G-Class has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Range Rover Sport V8 has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The G-Class doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the Range Rover Sport uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the G-Class, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The Range Rover Sport has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Range Rover Sport’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The G-Class doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Range Rover Sport’s wheelbase is 1.3 inches longer than on the G-Class (115.1 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Range Rover Sport is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 1.6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the G-Class.

The Range Rover Sport SVR handles at .87 G’s, while the AMG G 63 pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Range Rover Sport SVR executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 5.5 seconds quicker than the G 550 (25.2 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 30.7 seconds @ .53 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Range Rover Sport’s turning circle is 3.9 feet tighter than the G-Class’ (40.7 feet vs. 44.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Range Rover Sport SVR has a 1.3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the G-Class (10.8 vs. 9.5 inches), allowing the Range Rover Sport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Range Rover Sport’s minimum ground clearance is 1.4 inches higher than on the G-Class (10.9 vs. 9.5 inches).

Chassis

The Land Rover Range Rover Sport may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 700 pounds less than the Mercedes G-Class.

Unibody construction lowers the Range Rover Sport’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The G-Class uses body-on-frame design instead.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Range Rover Sport has standard flush composite headlights. The G-Class has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

Passenger Space

The Range Rover Sport offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the G-Class can only carry 5.

The Range Rover Sport has 21 cubic feet more passenger volume than the G-Class (128 vs. 107).

The Range Rover Sport has .8 inches more front legroom, 2.9 inches more front shoulder room and 2.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the G-Class.

Cargo Capacity

The Range Rover Sport’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The G-Class’ swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Range Rover Sport has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just waving your foot, completely leaving your hands free. The G-Class doesn’t offer a power cargo door.

Towing

The Range Rover Sport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the G-Class’ (7716 vs. 7000 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Range Rover Sport offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The G-Class doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Range Rover Sport has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the G-Class only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Optional air conditioned the front and second row seats keep the Range Rover Sport’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The G-Class doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

Recommendations

The Range Rover Sport was selected by Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine as their 2014 4x4 of the Year. The G-Class has never been chosen.

The Land Rover Range Rover Sport outsold the Mercedes G-Class by over two to one during the 2021 model year.