Compare the2023 Mercedes GLBVS 2023 Audi Q7

The Mercedes GLB has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Q7 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The GLB’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Q7 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GLB and the Q7 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, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

There are over 25 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the GLB’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 50 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 37 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Mercedes GLB is faster than the Q7 55 TFSI 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the GLB gets better mileage than the Q7:

The GLB offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Q7 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The GLB stops shorter than the Q7:

The GLB’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Q7 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The GLB 250 4MATIC handles at .89 G’s, while the Q7 Prestige pulls only .85 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the GLB’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the Q7’s (38.4 feet vs. 41 feet).

The Mercedes GLB may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 1150 to 1200 pounds less than the Audi Q7.

The GLB is 1 foot, 4.9 inches shorter than the Q7, making the GLB easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GLB is 5.4 inches narrower than the Q7, making the GLB easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The design of the Mercedes GLB amounts to more than styling. The GLB has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Q7 (.36) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLB get better fuel mileage.

The GLB has .8 inches more front headroom and .5 inches more rear headroom than the Q7.

The front step up height for the GLB is 1.6 inches lower than the Q7 (17” vs. 18.6”). The GLB’s rear step up height is 1.2 inches lower than the Q7’s (17.5” vs. 18.7”).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the GLB easier. The GLB’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.5 inches, while the Q7’s liftover is 32.5 inches.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the GLB offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Q7 doesn’t offer cornering lights. The GLB also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The GLB offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q7 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The GLB is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Q7 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the GLB owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the GLB will cost $2930 to $4720 less than the Q7 over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mercedes GLB will be $17900 to $28851 less than for the Audi Q7.

The Mercedes GLB outsold the Audi Q7/SQ7 by 29% during the 2022 model year.