Compare the2024 Land Rover Range RoverVS 2023 Mercedes G-Class

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the Range Rover and G-Class have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Range Rover 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 G-Class’ 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.

The Range Rover has a standard Surround Camera System 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.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Range Rover uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The G-Class uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Range Rover and the G-Class have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, 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 and driver alert monitors.

Warranty

The Range Rover’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the G-Class’ (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Range Rover third among large premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The G-Class isn’t in the top three in its category.

Engine

The Range Rover has more powerful engines than the G-Class:

	Horsepower
Range Rover P530 4.4 turbo V8	523 HP
Range Rover P550e 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid	542 HP
Range Rover SV 4.4 turbo V8	606 HP
G 550 4.0 turbo V8	416 HP
AMG G 63 4.0 turbo V8	577 HP

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Range Rover running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the G-Class:

			MPG
Range Rover
	AWD	3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cyl. Hybrid	18 city/24 hwy
		4.4 turbo V8	16 city/23 hwy
		SV 4.4 turbo V8	16 city/22 hwy
G-Class
	AWD	550 4.0 turbo V8	13 city/16 hwy
		63 4.0 turbo V8	13 city/16 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Range Rover’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The G-Class doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the Range Rover’s brake rotors are larger than those on the G-Class:

	Range Rover P400	Range Rover P550e/P530/SV	G 550	AMG G 63
Front Rotors	14.9 inches	15.7 inches	13.9 inches	14.8 inches
Rear Rotors	13.9 inches	14.5 inches	13.6 inches	13 inches

The Range Rover stops shorter than the G-Class:

	Range Rover	G-Class
60 to 0 MPH	127 feet	136 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Range Rover’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the G 550’s standard 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Range Rover has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the G 550. The Range Rover’s optional 23-inch wheels are larger than the 22-inch wheels optional on the G-Class.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Land Rover Range Rover 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 Range Rover offers 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 G-Class doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the Range Rover uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the G-Class, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The Range Rover has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Range Rover’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The G-Class doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Range Rover’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 Range Rover SWB’s wheelbase is 4.2 inches longer than on the G-Class (118 inches vs. 113.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Range Rover is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 2.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the G-Class.

The Range Rover LWB SE handles at .74 G’s, while the G 550 pulls only .61 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Range Rover LWB SE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the G 550 (29.2 seconds @ .56 average G’s vs. 30.7 seconds @ .53 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Range Rover SWB’s turning circle is 8.7 feet tighter than the G-Class’ (35.9 feet vs. 44.6 feet). The Range Rover LWB’s turning circle is 6.7 feet tighter than the G-Class’ (37.9 feet vs. 44.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Range Rover has a 2.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the G-Class (11.6 vs. 9.5 inches), allowing the Range Rover to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Land Rover Range Rover may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 300 pounds less than the Mercedes G-Class.

Unibody construction lowers the Range Rover’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The G-Class doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

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

The Range Rover 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.

Passenger Space

The Range Rover LWB offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the G-Class can only carry 5.

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

Cargo Capacity

The Range Rover LWB’s cargo area provides more volume than the G-Class.

	Range Rover	G-Class
Third Seat Folded	43.1 cubic feet	n/a
Third Seat Removed	n/a	38.1 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	92.9 cubic feet	68.6 cubic feet

The Range Rover SWB’s cargo area provides more volume than the G-Class.

	Range Rover	G-Class
Third Seat Removed	40.7 cubic feet	38.1 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	83.5 cubic feet	68.6 cubic feet

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the Range Rover’s second and third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The G-Class doesn’t offer automatic folding second row seats.

The Range Rover’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the tailgate 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 when your hands are full, the Range Rover’s power cargo door can be opened or closed just by waving your foot, leaving your hands completely free. The G-Class doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening cargo door.

Towing

The Range Rover’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the G-Class’ (8200 vs. 7000 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Range Rover offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The G-Class doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Range Rover has a standard rear fixed 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 better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the Range Rover has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The G-Class doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Range Rover to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The G-Class doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Standard air conditioned seats in the front and second seat rows keep the Range Rover’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The G-Class doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Range Rover 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 G-Class.

Both the Range Rover and the G-Class offer optional massaging front seats. The Range Rover also offers optional massaging second row seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging rear seats aren’t available in the G-Class.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Range Rover first among large premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The G-Class isn’t in the top three.

The Land Rover Range Rover outsold the Mercedes G-Class by 52% during 2022.