Compare the2024 Mercedes GLSVS 2024 Nissan Pathfinder

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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

The GLS offers an optional Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Pathfinder 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GLS. But it costs extra on the Pathfinder.

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

Both the GLS and Pathfinder have rear cross-traffic warning, but the GLS has Active Brake Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Pathfinder’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the GLS and the Pathfinder have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Mercedes GLS weighs 864 to 1903 pounds more than the Nissan Pathfinder. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Warranty

The GLS comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Pathfinder’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GLS second among large premium suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Pathfinder isn’t in the top three in its category.

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 Nissan With 10 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Nissan.

Engine

The GLS has more powerful engines than the Pathfinder:

	Horsepower	Torque
GLS 450 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid	375 HP	369 lbs.-ft.
GLS 580 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid	510 HP	538 lbs.-ft.
Maybach GLS 600 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid	550 HP	538 lbs.-ft.
Pathfinder 3.5 DOHC V6	284 HP	259 lbs.-ft.
Pathfinder Rock Creek 3.5 DOHC V6	295 HP	270 lbs.-ft.

As tested in Motor Trend the GLS 450 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Nissan Pathfinder (base engine):

	GLS	Pathfinder
Zero to 60 MPH	5.8 sec	7.1 sec
Quarter Mile	14.3 sec	15.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	97 MPH	92.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

The GLS has 5.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Pathfinder (23.8 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The GLS has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Pathfinder. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	GLS	Pathfinder
Front Rotors	14.8 inches	13.8 inches
Rear Rotors	13.6 inches	13 inches

The GLS stops much shorter than the Pathfinder:

	GLS	Pathfinder
70 to 0 MPH	154 feet	179 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	130 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GLS has larger standard tires than the Pathfinder (F:275/45R21 & R:315/40R21 vs. 255/60R18). The GLS’ optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Pathfinder (F:285/40R23 & R:325/35R23 vs. 255/60R18).

The GLS’ standard 275/45R21 front and 315/40R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Pathfinder’s standard 60 series tires. The GLS’ optional 285/40R23 front and 325/35R23 rear tires have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile than the Pathfinder’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLS has standard 21-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Pathfinder. The GLS’ optional 23-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Pathfinder.

Suspension and Handling

The GLS has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Pathfinder’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The front and rear suspension of the GLS uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Pathfinder, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The GLS offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Nissan doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Pathfinder.

The GLS has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Pathfinder’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The GLS has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The GLS’ 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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The GLS’ 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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLS’ wheelbase is 9.2 inches longer than on the Pathfinder (123.4 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The GLS’ front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Pathfinder’s (55% to 45%). This gives the GLS more stable handling and braking.

The GLS 450 handles at .92 G’s, while the Pathfinder SL pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The GLS 450 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2 seconds quicker than the Pathfinder Platinum (26.4 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the GLS has a 3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Pathfinder (10.1 vs. 7.1 inches), allowing the GLS to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The GLS Off-Road Package’s minimum ground clearance is 3.6 inches higher than on the Pathfinder Rock Creek (11.3 vs. 7.7 inches).

Cargo Capacity

The GLS’ cargo area provides more volume than the Pathfinder.

	GLS	Pathfinder
Behind Third Seat	17.4 cubic feet	16.6 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	84.7 cubic feet	80.5 cubic feet

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the GLS’ second and third row seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The GLS’ standard towing capacity is much higher than the Pathfinder’s (7716 vs. 3500 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The GLS uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Pathfinder uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the GLS is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Pathfinder. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because there are no rear spark plugs and the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Pathfinder Platinum, the GLS has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, suspension setting, power steering assist, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

If the windows are left open on the GLS 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 Pathfinder can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLS’ rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Pathfinder’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer fluid is optional on the GLS to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the GLS has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer cornering lights. The GLS also has standard 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 GLS has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

The GLS’ standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Pathfinder SV/Rock Creek/SL/Platinum.

The GLS’ standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Pathfinder offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The GLS has standard heated front and optional heated second and third row seats, which keep the driver and passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Nissan doesn’t offer heated seats in the third row of the Pathfinder.

The GLS has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The GLS offers an optional center folding armrest for the third row rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and can provide a barrier between children. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer a third row rear seat center armrest.

The GLS offers optional massaging front and second row seats, which keep the driver and middle row passengers. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Pathfinder.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes GLS has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console and one for the rear passengers. Only the Pathfinder SL/Platinum offers wireless charging.

The GLS’ Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GLS third among large premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Pathfinder isn’t in the top three.