Compare the2024 Mercedes GLEVS 2024 Land Rover Discovery

The GLE’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Discovery doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes GLE are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Land Rover Discovery doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Mercedes GLE has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Discovery doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The GLE offers optional Post-Collision Brake, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Discovery 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.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The GLE has Car-to-X Communication, a system that seemlesly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Discovery doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from other vehicles.

Both the GLE and the Discovery 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, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available lane departure warning systems.

The Mercedes GLE (only applies to vehicles with optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function) has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Discovery has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

There are almost 2 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the GLE’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. With 2 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Land Rover.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover With 89 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Land Rover.

The GLE has more powerful engines than the Discovery:

As tested in Car and Driver the GLE 450 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Discovery P360 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid:

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

The GLE 450e can travel with zero emissions for 48 miles. The Discovery can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the GLE’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Discovery doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certifies the Mercedes GLE as an “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV). The Land Rover Discovery is only certified to “Low Emissions Vehicle” (LEV) standards.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLE, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Discovery.

For better stopping power the GLE 450e’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Discovery:

The GLE stops much shorter than the Discovery:

The GLE’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 Discovery’s standard 55 series tires. The GLE 580’s optional 325/35R22 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Discovery’s optional 40 series tires.

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

The GLE 450 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Land Rover doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Discovery.

The GLE’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 Discovery doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLE’s wheelbase is 2.8 inches longer than on the Discovery (117.9 inches vs. 115.1 inches).

The GLE 450 handles at .84 G’s, while the Discovery Dynamic SE pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The GLE 450 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Discovery Dynamic SE (27 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the GLE’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Discovery’s (39.4 feet vs. 40.7 feet).

The design of the Mercedes GLE amounts to more than styling. The GLE has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Discovery (.36) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLE get better fuel mileage.

The GLE has 1.1 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more front legroom and 3.5 inches more rear legroom than the Discovery.

The GLE has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Discovery with its rear seat up (33.3 vs. 9.1 cubic feet). The GLE has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Discovery with its rear seat folded (74.9 vs. 74.3 cubic feet).

The GLE’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Discovery’s (7700 vs. 5925 pounds).

The GLE’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 Discovery does not have an oil pressure gauge.

If the windows are left open on the GLE the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Discovery can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the GLE offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Discovery doesn’t offer cornering lights. The GLE also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the GLE has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Discovery doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

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

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the GLE to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Discovery doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The GLE offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Discovery doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The GLE’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Discovery’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The GLE will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the GLE will retain 49.45% to 53.48% of its original price after five years, while the Discovery only retains 47.9% to 49.04%.

The Mercedes GLE outsold the Land Rover Discovery by almost 24 to one during 2023.