Compare the2024 Cadillac EscaladeVS 2023 Mercedes GLS

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 Escalade are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GLS doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Escalade has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The GLS doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Escalade offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking 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.

An active infrared night vision system optional on the Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera and near-infrared lights 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 Escalade’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 GLS.

Both the Escalade and the GLS have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, around view monitors, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

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

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

There are over 46 percent more Cadillac dealers than there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Escalade’s warranty.

The Escalade has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The GLS doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Escalade first among large premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The GLS was rated second.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in initial quality. With 31 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 Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac above average in long-term dependability. With 24 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 Cadillac vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Cadillac 7 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Escalade’s 6.2 V8 produces 58 more horsepower (420 vs. 362) and 91 lbs.-ft. more torque (460 vs. 369) than the GLS 450’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

The Escalade’s 3.0 turbo diesel produces 91 lbs.-ft. more torque (460 vs. 369) than the GLS 450’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

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

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Escalade V8’s fuel efficiency. The GLS doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Cadillac Escalade uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The GLS requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Escalade has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GLS doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A 10-speed automatic is available on the Cadillac Escalade, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a nine-speed automatic is available for the GLS.

For better stopping power the Escalade’s brake rotors are larger than those on the GLS:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Escalade has standard 22-inch wheels. Smaller 20-inch wheels are standard on the GLS 450.

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

The Escalade has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The GLS doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Escalade has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the GLS; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Escalade is 1.8 inches wider in the front and .6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the GLS.

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

The Escalade offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the GLS can only carry 7.

The Escalade has 2.9 inches more front headroom, 4.2 inches more front legroom, 6.2 inches more front shoulder room, 6.1 inches more rear shoulder room, .3 inches more third row legroom and 12.4 inches more third row shoulder room than the GLS.

The Escalade’s cargo area provides more volume than the GLS.

The Escalade’s cargo area is larger than the GLS’ in every dimension:

The Escalade’s minimum standard towing capacity is much higher than the GLS’ (8000 vs. 7700 pounds).

The Escalade 4WD with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Escalade can be unhitched and driven around locally. The GLS can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Trailer Sway Control is standard on the Escalade, using the StabiliTrak® 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 GLS.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac second in service department satisfaction. With a 31% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

The Escalade’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 GLS does not have an oil pressure gauge.

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

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

The Escalade has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the GLS.

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

Insurance will cost less for the Escalade owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Escalade with a number “5” insurance rate while the GLS is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Escalade is less expensive to operate than the GLS because typical repairs cost much less on the Escalade than the GLS, including $418 less for a water pump, $100 less for front brake pads, $398 less for a starter and $214 less for fuel injection.

The Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV outsold the Mercedes GLS by almost two to one during 2022.