Compare the2023 Mercedes GLEVS 2022 Land Rover Range Rover

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 Range Rover doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The Mercedes GLE 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 Range Rover doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The GLE has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Range Rover’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GLE has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Rear cross-path warning costs extra on the Range Rover.

Both the GLE and the Range Rover 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, rearview cameras, available lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

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 vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, with its optional vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the GLE its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 114 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Range Rover has not been tested, yet.

There are almost 2 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the GLE’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 Land Rover vehicles. With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Land Rover.

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 Land Rover With 89 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Land Rover.

On the EPA test cycle the GLE gets better mileage than the Range Rover:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the Mercedes GLE as an “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV). The Land Rover Range Rover is only certified to “Low Emissions Vehicle” (LEV) standards.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLE, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Range Rover.

The GLE stops much shorter than the Range Rover:

For better traction, the GLE has larger standard tires than the Range Rover (255/50R19 vs. 235/65R19).

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 Range Rover’s standard 65 series tires.

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

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLE’s wheelbase is 2.9 inches longer than on the Range Rover (117.9 inches vs. 115 inches).

The GLE 450 handles at .84 G’s, while the Range Rover pulls only .75 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 Range Rover HSE (27 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 27.7 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the GLE’s turning circle is 1.1 feet tighter than the Range Rover’s (39.4 feet vs. 40.5 feet). The GLE’s turning circle is 3.4 feet tighter than the Range Rover LWB’s (39.4 feet vs. 42.8 feet).

The Mercedes GLE may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 450 pounds less than the Land Rover Range Rover.

The design of the Mercedes GLE amounts to more than styling. The GLE has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Range Rover (.34 to .35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLE get better fuel mileage.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the GLE 450 is quieter than the Range Rover:

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

The GLE has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Range Rover with its rear seat folded (74.9 vs. 70.9 cubic feet).

The GLE’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The Range Rover’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

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 Range Rover does not have an oil pressure gauge.

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 Range Rover can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLE’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Range Rover’s power mirror switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the GLE offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Range Rover 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 shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the GLE has standard extendable sun visors. The Range Rover doesn’t offer extendable visors.

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. The Range Rover doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The GLE’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Range Rover’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The GLE is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Range Rover doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the GLE owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the GLE will cost $425 to $12510 less than the Range Rover over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GLE is less expensive to operate than the Range Rover because typical repairs cost much less on the GLE than the Range Rover, including $74 less for fuel injection, $80 less for a fuel pump, $26 less for front struts and $854 less for a timing belt/chain.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Mercedes GLE will be $34825 to $107936 less than for the Land Rover Range Rover.