Compare the2023 Lexus GXVS 2023 Mercedes GLE

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Lexus GX are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Mercedes GLE doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the GX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GLE doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Lexus GX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The GLE doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The GX has standard Active Headrests, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Headrests system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The GLE doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

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

The GX’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the GLE.

Both the GX and the GLE 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, 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, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the GX 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLE. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the GLE ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

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

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the GX’s reliability 68 points higher than the GLE.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GX second among midsize premium suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The GLE isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mercedes is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Lexus second in overall reliability. Mercedes is ranked 24th.

The GX’s 4.6 DOHC V8 produces 46 more horsepower (301 vs. 255) and 56 lbs.-ft. more torque (329 vs. 273) than the GLE 350’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Lexus GX is faster than the GLE 350 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

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

The GX’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 GX stops much shorter than the GLE:

For better traction, the GX has larger tires than the GLE (265/60R18 vs. 255/50R19).

The Lexus GX’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Mercedes GLE only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The GX has a standard 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 GX has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The GLE doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The GX’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the GLE’s (53.5% to 46.5%). This gives the GX more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the GX has a greater minimum ground clearance than the GLE (8.1 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the GX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The GX has 1.4 inches more front legroom and .8 inches more rear headroom than the GLE.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GX’s middle seats and third row seats (except Base/Black Line Edition) recline. The GLE’s third row seats don’t recline.

The GX 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.

The GX’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the right swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The GLE’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The GX’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the GLE’s (6500 vs. 5950 pounds).

A Trailer Sway Control is standard on the GX, using the Vehicle 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.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 48% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the GX 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.

Consumer Reports rated the GX’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the GLE’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

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

Insurance will cost less for the GX owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the GX will cost $3265 to $7705 less than the GLE over a five-year period.

The GX will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the GX will retain 46.1% to 47.91% of its original price after five years, while the GLE only retains 42.92% to 45.8%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GX is less expensive to operate than the GLE because it costs $237 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the GX than the GLE, including $401 less for a water pump, $119 less for a muffler, $198 less for front brake pads, $157 less for fuel injection, $349 less for front struts and $27 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Lexus GX will be $2327 to $20859 less than for the Mercedes GLE.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Lexus GX, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes GLE isn't recommended.