Compare the2023 Mercedes GLEVS 2023 Ford Explorer

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

Safety

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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 Explorer doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the GLE and the Explorer have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee 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, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

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 Ford Explorer:

	GLE	Explorer
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	84	125
Neck Injury Risk	24%	26.3%
Neck Compression	17 lbs.	26 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	209	318
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.4 inches
Neck Stress	125 lbs.	187 lbs.
Neck Compression	31 lbs.	129 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 Ford Explorer:

	GLE	Explorer
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	40	65
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	151 lbs.	161 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	12 inches
HIC	264	288
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	39 G’s

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, with its optional front crash prevention system, and its headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the GLE its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2019, a rating granted to only 135 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Explorer is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

The GLE comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Explorer’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Mercedes 2 places higher in reliability than Ford.

Engine

The GLE has more powerful engines than the Explorer:

	Horsepower	Torque
GLE 450 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid	362 HP	369 lbs.-ft.
GLE 580 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid	483 HP	516 lbs.-ft.
Explorer 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder	300 HP	310 lbs.-ft.
Explorer 3.3 DOHC V6 hybrid	318 HP	322 lbs.-ft.
Explorer ST/Platinum/King Ranch/Timberline 3.0 turbo V6	400 HP	415 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the GLE 350 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Ford Explorer V6 hybrid gas:

	GLE	Explorer
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	7.7 sec

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the GLE gets better mileage than the Explorer:

			MPG
GLE
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/25 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	20 city/25 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	20 city/24 hwy
Explorer
	RWD	3.0 turbo V6	18 city/26 hwy
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6	18 city/24 hwy

The GLE has 4.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Explorer 2.3-liter’s standard fuel tank (22.5 vs. 17.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The GLE has 2.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Explorer V6 Turbo’s standard fuel tank (22.5 vs. 20.2 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the GLE 450/580’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Explorer:

	GLE 450/580	Explorer	Explorer ST
Front Rotors	14.8 inches	13.6 inches	14.3 inches

The GLE stops much shorter than the Explorer:

	GLE	Explorer
60 to 0 MPH	115 feet	125 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	138 feet	139 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

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 Explorer’s standard 65 series tires. The GLE 450’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Explorer’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLE has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Explorer. The GLE 450’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the Explorer.

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. Ford doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Explorer.

The GLE offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Explorer’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

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 Explorer doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The GLE 450 handles at .84 G’s, while the Explorer XLT 4WD pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The GLE 450 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Explorer Limited 4WD (27 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 28 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the GLE Airmatic has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Explorer Timberline (9.2 vs. 8.7 inches), allowing the GLE to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The GLE is 4.5 inches shorter than the Explorer, making the GLE easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the GLE 450 is quieter than the Explorer ST 4WD:

	GLE	Explorer
At idle	38 dB	41 dB
Full-Throttle	70 dB	77 dB
70 MPH Cruising	63 dB	67 dB

Cargo Capacity

The GLE has a much larger cargo volume than the Explorer with its rear seat up (33.3 vs. 18.2 cubic feet).

Towing

The GLE’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Explorer’s (5950 vs. 3000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Ford Explorer is only 5600 pounds. The GLE offers up to a 7700 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The GLE uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Explorer uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the Explorer (except Base/XLT/ST-Line), 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 standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Explorer, and is not available on all models.

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 Explorer does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The GLE offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, certain gauge, warning 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 Explorer doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The GLE’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Explorer’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the GLE the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Explorer can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLE has a standard locking fuel door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. A locking fuel door is only offered on the Explorer Hybrid.

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 Explorer’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The GLE’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Explorer’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

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 Explorer doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

The GLE’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford only offers heated mirrors on the Explorer XLT/Limited/ST-Line/Timberline/King Ranch/ST/Platinum.

When the GLE is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Explorer’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

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 Explorer and isn’t available on the Explorer Base.

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 Explorer 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 Explorer because typical repairs cost much less on the GLE than the Explorer, including $486 less for a timing belt/chain.

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