Compare the2023 Mercedes GLEVS 2023 Acura RDX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes GLE have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Acura RDX doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The GLE’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The RDX doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The GLE’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 RDX doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GLE and the RDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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, available lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

The Mercedes GLE weighs 550 to 1505 pounds more than the Acura RDX. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mercedes GLE is safer than the Acura RDX:

	GLE	RDX
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	84	300
Neck Injury Risk	24%	26%
Neck Stress	208 lbs.	262 lbs.
Neck Compression	17 lbs.	23 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	301/184 lbs.	328/464 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	209	353
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.6 inches
Neck Compression	31 lbs.	84 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Mercedes GLE is safer than the Acura RDX:

	GLE	RDX
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	40	63
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	103	124
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	52 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	264	486
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	39 G’s
Hip Force	615 lbs.	704 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

There are over 41 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Acura dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the GLE’s warranty.

Reliability

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 Acura vehicles. With 3 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Acura.

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 Acura With 49 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Acura.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Acura vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mercedes 8 places higher in reliability than Acura.

Engine

The GLE 450’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 90 more horsepower (362 vs. 272) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 280) than the RDX’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The GLE 580’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 211 more horsepower (483 vs. 272) and 236 lbs.-ft. more torque (516 vs. 280) than the RDX’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the GLE 450 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Acura RDX:

	GLE	RDX
Zero to 60 MPH	5.6 sec	7.1 sec
Quarter Mile	14.2 sec	15.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97.4 MPH	90.7 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

Regenerative brakes improve the GLE 450/580’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The RDX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The GLE has 5.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the RDX (22.5 vs. 17.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	GLE 350	GLE 450/580	RDX
Front Rotors	13 inches	14.8 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	13.6 inches	12.2 inches

The GLE 450/580’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the RDX are solid, not vented.

The GLE stops much shorter than the RDX:

	GLE	RDX
70 to 0 MPH	174 feet	180 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GLE has larger standard tires than the RDX (255/50R19 vs. 235/55R19). The GLE’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the RDX (F:275/45R21 & R:315/40R21 vs. 255/45R20).

The GLE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the RDX’s standard 55 series tires. The GLE 450’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the RDX A-Spec’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLE 450 offers optional 22-inch wheels. The RDX’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The GLE 450 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Acura doesn’t offer an active suspension on the RDX.

The GLE has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The GLE’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 RDX doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The GLE’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 RDX doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLE’s wheelbase is 9.6 inches longer than on the RDX (117.9 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLE is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than on the RDX.

The GLE’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53.5% to 46.5%) than the RDX’s (57% to 43%). This gives the GLE more stable handling and braking.

The GLE 450 handles at .84 G’s, while the RDX A-Spec AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The GLE 450 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the RDX AWD (27 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the GLE Airmatic has a greater minimum ground clearance than the RDX (9.2 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the GLE to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The GLE offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the RDX can only carry 5.

The GLE has .9 inches more front headroom, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 2.5 inches more rear legroom and 1.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the RDX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GLE’s middle row seats recline. The RDX’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The GLE has a much larger cargo volume than the RDX with its rear seat up (33.3 vs. 31.1 cubic feet).

Towing

The GLE’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RDX’s (5950 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Acura RDX is only 1500 pounds. The GLE offers up to a 7700 lbs. towing capacity.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist on the GLE uses the Electronic Stability Program sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The RDX doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the GLE is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the RDX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the RDX, the GLE offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The GLE’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The RDX does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The GLE’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The RDX’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

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

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the GLE has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The RDX doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

The GLE offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the RDX.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes GLE has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the RDX.

The GLE 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 RDX doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The GLE’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The RDX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the GLE owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the GLE with a number “8” insurance rate while the RDX is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GLE is less expensive to operate than the RDX because typical repairs cost less on the GLE than the RDX, including $75 less for front brake pads and $10 less for a power steering pump.

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