Compare the2023 Audi Q7VS 2023 Mercedes GLS

Both the Q7 and GLS have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q7 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 GLS’ 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Q7 offers an optional backup collision prevention system that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The GLS doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Q7 Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The GLS doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Q7’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 GLS.

Both the Q7 and the GLS 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, all wheel drive, 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 available around view monitors.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Q7 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 235 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLS has not been tested, yet.

The Q7’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GLS’ (12 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 Q7’s reliability 26 points higher than the GLS.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 18 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

On the EPA test cycle the Q7 gets better mileage than the GLS:

The Q7 stops shorter than the GLS:

The Q7 Prestige’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GLS’ optional 40 series front tires.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the Q7 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The GLS doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The Q7 Prestige handles at .85 G’s, while the GLS 580 pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Q7 Premium Plus executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the GLS 580 (26.4 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.2 seconds @ .66 average G’s).

The Audi Q7 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 to 1000 pounds less than the Mercedes GLS.

The Q7 is 5.6 inches shorter than the GLS 450, making the Q7 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Q7 has .5 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more front shoulder room than the GLS.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 16% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

Laser headlights, optional on the Q7 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the GLS’ LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q7 Prestige offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLS doesn’t offer headlight washers.

A manual rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are optional in the Q7 (except Premium) to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The GLS doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The Q7 55 TFSI Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The GLS’ automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Insurance will cost less for the Q7 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Q7 will cost $1995 to $3495 less than the GLS over a five-year period.

The Q7 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Q7 will retain 47.36% to 48.47% of its original price after five years, while the GLS only retains 41.62%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q7 is less expensive to operate than the GLS because typical repairs cost much less on the Q7 than the GLS, including $441 less for a water pump, $42 less for front brake pads, $95 less for a fuel pump and $667 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi Q7 will be $12576 to $26102 less than for the Mercedes GLS.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q7, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes GLS isn't recommended.