Compare the2023 Land Rover DiscoveryVS 2023 Mercedes GLE

Both the Discovery and GLE have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Discovery 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 GLE’s 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Discovery. But it costs extra on the GLE.

The Discovery’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the GLE.

Both the Discovery and the GLE have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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 and driver alert monitors.

The Discovery’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the GLE’s (6 vs. 5 years).

As tested in Motor Trend the Discovery P360 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the GLE 350 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

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

The Discovery has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLE (23.8 vs. 22.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Land Rover Discovery higher (7 out of 10) than the Mercedes GLE (5 to 6). This means the Discovery produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the GLE every 15,000 miles.

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

The Discovery’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs standard on the GLE 350 are solid, not vented.

The Discovery stops shorter than the GLE:

For better traction, the Discovery’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GLE (285/40R22 vs. 275/45R21).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Discovery has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the GLE.

The Discovery offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the GLE; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The front and rear suspension of the Discovery uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the GLE, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

For greater off-road capability the Discovery has a 3.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the GLE (11.1 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Discovery to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Discovery’s minimum ground clearance is 1.9 inches higher than on the GLE Airmatic (11.1 vs. 9.2 inches).

The front grille of the Discovery uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The GLE doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Discovery has 1.1 inches more front shoulder room and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLE.

Flexibility is maximized at the game, campground or a drive-in theatre in the Discovery when its optional tailgating rear seats are deployed, allowing people to sit facing out of the liftgate. (Do not use while vehicle is in motion.) The GLE doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

The Discovery’s cargo area is larger than the GLE’s in almost every dimension:

The Discovery has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The GLE doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

Both the Discovery and the GLE have standard second row automatic folding seats. The Discovery’s optional third row seats also fold up or down at the press of a button. The GLE doesn’t offer automatic folding third row seats.

Maximum trailer towing in the Mercedes GLE is limited to 7700 pounds. The Discovery offers up to a 8200 lbs. towing capacity.

Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) is standard on the Discovery, using the Dynamic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the GLE.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the Discovery to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The GLE doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Discovery HSE/Metropolitan offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLE doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Discovery has standard heated front and optional heated second and third row seats, which keep the driver and passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Mercedes doesn’t offer heated seats in the third row of the GLE.

The Discovery HSE/Metropolitan has standard front air conditioned seats and the Discovery offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The GLE doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

Insurance will cost less for the Discovery owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Discovery will cost $495 less than the GLE over a five-year period.

The Discovery will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Discovery will retain 50.7% to 50.86% of its original price after five years, while the GLE only retains 42.92% to 45.8%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Land Rover Discovery will be $2184 to $15326 less than for the Mercedes GLE.