Compare the2024 Volkswagen AtlasVS 2024 Mercedes GLE

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 Atlas 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.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Atlas offers optional Maneuver Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The GLE doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Atlas’ 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 GLE.

Both the Atlas and the GLE 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Volkswagen Atlas is safer than the Mercedes GLE:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Volkswagen Atlas is safer than the GLE:

The Atlas’ corrosion warranty is 2 years longer than the GLE’s (7 vs. 5 years).

Volkswagen pays for scheduled maintenance on the Atlas for 2 years and 20,000 miles. Volkswagen will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the GLE.

There are over 68 percent more Volkswagen dealers than there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Atlas’ warranty.

The Volkswagen Atlas’ engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the GLE’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Volkswagen vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volkswagen 2 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Atlas’ 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 14 more horsepower (269 vs. 255) than the GLE 350’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

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

On the EPA test cycle the Atlas gets better mileage than the GLE running its gasoline engine:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Atlas uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GLE requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Atlas has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLE 450e’s standard fuel tank (18.6 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

The Atlas’ 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 Atlas stops shorter than the GLE:

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Atlas is 1.4 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than on the GLE.

The Atlas SEL 4Motion handles at .84 G’s, while the GLE 350 pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Atlas SEL 4Motion executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the GLE 350 (27.1 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

The Volkswagen Atlas may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 1100 pounds less than the Mercedes GLE.

The Atlas has .8 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom, 2.2 inches more front shoulder room, 3.5 inches more rear headroom and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLE.

The front step up height for the Atlas is 2 inches lower than the GLE (18” vs. 20”). The Atlas’ rear step up height is 2 inches lower than the GLE’s (18” vs. 20”).

The Atlas’ cargo area provides more volume than the GLE.

The Atlas’ cargo area is larger than the GLE’s in every dimension:

The Atlas 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.

trailer stability control is standard on the Atlas, using the Electronic 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.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Atlas to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. Heated windshield washer nozzles cost extra on the GLE.

The Atlas 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 GLE.

The Atlas is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The GLE doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Atlas owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Atlas will cost $2070 to $8475 less than the GLE over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Atlas is less expensive to operate than the GLE because typical repairs cost less on the Atlas than the GLE, including $109 less for a water pump, $105 less for front brake pads, $62 less for fuel injection, $100 less for a fuel pump and $45 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Volkswagen Atlas will be $23366 to $37361 less than for the Mercedes GLE.

The Volkswagen Atlas outsold the Mercedes GLE by 66% during 2023.