Compare the2024 Ford Expedition MaxVS 2023 Mercedes G-Class

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 Expedition Max are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The G-Class doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The middle row seatbelts optional on the Expedition Max inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The G-Class doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

The Expedition Max has standard Post-Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The G-Class doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Expedition Max offers optional Reverse Brake Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The G-Class doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Expedition Max offers an optional 360-Degree Camera to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The G-Class only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

Both the Expedition Max and the G-Class have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available all wheel drive.

Ford’s powertrain warranty covers the Expedition Max 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the G-Class. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the G-Class ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 8 times as many Ford dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Expedition Max’s warranty.

The Expedition Max 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 G-Class 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’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in long-term dependability. With 4 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 Ford vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 6 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

On the EPA test cycle the Expedition Max gets better mileage than the G-Class:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ford Expedition Max uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The G-Class requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Expedition Max has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the G-Class (27.8 vs. 26.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Expedition Max 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 G-Class doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ford Expedition Max higher (6 out of 10) than the Mercedes G-Class (3). This means the Expedition Max produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the G-Class every 15,000 miles.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Expedition Max, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a nine-speed automatic is available for the G-Class.

The Expedition Max stops shorter than the G-Class:

The Ford Expedition Max’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Mercedes G-Class only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

For superior ride and handling, the Ford Expedition Max has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mercedes G-Class has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Expedition Max offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The G-Class doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Expedition Max’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The G-Class doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Expedition Max’s wheelbase is 17.8 inches longer than on the G-Class (131.6 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Expedition Max is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 2.4 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the G-Class.

The Expedition Max Platinum 4x4 handles at .78 G’s, while the AMG G 63 pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Expedition Max Platinum 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.7 seconds quicker than the G 550 (28 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 30.7 seconds @ .53 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Expedition Max’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the G-Class’ (43.3 feet vs. 44.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Expedition Max has a greater minimum ground clearance than the G-Class (9.7 vs. 9.5 inches), allowing the Expedition Max to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

For excellent aerodynamics, the Expedition Max has standard flush composite headlights. The G-Class has recessed headlights that spoil its aerodynamic shape and create extra drag.

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

The Expedition Max Limited/King Ranch/Platinum uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The G-Class doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Expedition Max has standard seating for 8 passengers; the G-Class can only carry 5.

The Expedition Max has 65 cubic feet more passenger volume than the G-Class (172 vs. 107).

The Expedition Max has .1 inches more front headroom, 5.2 inches more front legroom, 7.1 inches more front shoulder room, 2 inches more rear legroom and 7.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the G-Class.

The Expedition Max’s cargo area provides more volume than the G-Class.

Pressing a button automatically lowers the Expedition Max’s optional second and third row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The G-Class doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The Expedition Max’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The G-Class’ swing out door blocks loading from the driver’s side.

The Expedition Max’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The G-Class’ rear cargo window doesn’t open.

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier, especially for short adults, the Expedition Max has a standard power liftgate, which opens and closes automatically by pressing a button, or optionally by just kicking your foot under the back bumper, completely leaving your hands free. The G-Class doesn’t offer a power cargo door.

Maximum trailer towing in the Mercedes G-Class is limited to 7000 pounds. The Expedition Max offers up to a 9000 lbs. towing capacity.

The Expedition Max 4x4 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 Expedition Max can be unhitched and driven around locally. The G-Class can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Expedition Max’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 G-Class does not have an oil pressure gauge.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Expedition Max’s available exterior PIN entry system. The G-Class doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Expedition Max has a standard rear variable intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the G-Class only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Expedition Max has standard extendable sun visors. The G-Class doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Expedition Max is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The G-Class doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its January 2019 issue and they ranked the Ford Expedition Max Platinum 4x4 higher than the Mercedes G 550.

The Ford Expedition/Expedition Max outsold the Mercedes G-Class by almost 9 to one during 2022.