Compare the2024 Mercedes GLBVS 2024 Ford Escape

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the GLB’s standard Downhill Speed Regulation allows you to creep down safely. The Escape doesn’t offer Downhill Speed Regulation.

Both the GLB and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

Warranty

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

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the GLB’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Escape’s camshafts. If the Escape’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Ford With 21 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Ford.

Engine

The GLB’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 41 more horsepower (221 vs. 180) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (258 vs. 199) than the Escape’s standard 1.5 turbo 3-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mercedes GLB is faster than the Ford Escape:

	GLB	Escape turbo 3 cyl.	Escape turbo 4 cyl.
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	8.4 sec	6.9 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	16.6 sec	15.3 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94.1 MPH	84.5 MPH	89.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the GLB 250 4MATIC gets better fuel mileage than the Escape 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder (24 city/32 hwy vs. 23 city/31 hwy).

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

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

Transmission

The GLB offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Escape doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the GLB’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Escape:

	GLB	Escape
Front Rotors	13 inches	12.1 inches
Rear Rotors	12.6 inches	11.9 inches

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GLB has larger tires than the Escape (235/55R18 vs. 225/65R17).

The GLB’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape’s standard 65 series tires. The GLB’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Escape’s optional 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLB has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Escape. The GLB’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels optional on the Escape.

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

Suspension and Handling

The GLB offers an optional 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 Escape’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The GLB’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 Escape doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLB’s wheelbase is 4.7 inches longer than on the Escape (111.4 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLB is .8 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than on the Escape.

The GLB 250 4MATIC handles at .83 G’s, while the Escape AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The GLB 250 4MATIC executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escape (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the GLB has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Escape (7.9 vs. 7.3 inches), allowing the GLB to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The GLB offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Escape can only carry 5.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GLB’s middle row seats recline. The Escape’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The GLB’s cargo area is larger than the Escape’s in almost every dimension:

	GLB	Escape
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	32.5”/71”	37.8”/68.5”
Max Width	41.6”	57.3”
Min Width	41.6”	41.4”
Height	37.2”	34.8”

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the GLB’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Escape doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

The GLB uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Escape 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.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors optional at extra cost in the Escape, the GLB has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, 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.

The GLB’s standard easy entry and exit feature glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Escape.

The GLB’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Escape’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically.

If the windows are left open on the GLB 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 Escape can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLB’s standard Keyless-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Intelligent Access standard on the Escape doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The GLB’s 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 Escape’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 nozzles are optional on the GLB to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Escape doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

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

The GLB’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Ford charges extra for heated mirrors on the Escape.

When the GLB is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Escape’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The GLB’s 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 Escape offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes GLB has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Escape.

The GLB 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 Escape doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

The GLB will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the GLB will retain 61.32% of its original price after five years, while the Escape only retains 51.82% to 53.93%.