Compare the2024 Mercedes GLBVS 2024 Nissan Pathfinder

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the GLB and Pathfinder have rear cross-traffic warning, but the GLB 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 GLB 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, 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 Pathfinder’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Reliability

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the GLB has a standard 800-amp battery. The Pathfinder’s 760-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Mercedes GLB is faster than the Nissan Pathfinder (base engine):

	GLB	Pathfinder
Zero to 60 MPH	6.2 sec	7.1 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	15.5 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94.1 MPH	92.3 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the GLB gets better mileage than the Pathfinder:

			MPG
GLB
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	25 city/33 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/32 hwy
Pathfinder
	FWD	3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/27 hwy
	AWD	3.5 DOHC V6	21 city/27 hwy
		Platinum 3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/25 hwy
		3.5 DOHC V6	20 city/23 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the GLB’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Pathfinder 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 Pathfinder. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes GLB higher (6 out of 10) than the Nissan Pathfinder (5). This means the GLB produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Pathfinder every 15,000 miles.

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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

Tires and Wheels

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 Pathfinder’s standard 60 series tires. The GLB’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Pathfinder’s optional 50 series tires.

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 Pathfinder doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

Suspension and Handling

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

The GLB 250 4MATIC handles at .83 G’s, while the Pathfinder Platinum 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 1 seconds quicker than the Pathfinder Platinum (27.4 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the GLB has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Pathfinder (7.9 vs. 7.1 inches), allowing the GLB to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The GLB’s minimum ground clearance is .2 inch higher than on the Pathfinder Rock Creek (7.9 vs. 7.7 inches).

Chassis

The Mercedes GLB may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 to 750 pounds less than the Nissan Pathfinder.

The GLB is 1 foot, 3.3 inches shorter than the Pathfinder, making the GLB easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GLB is 5.7 inches narrower than the Pathfinder, making the GLB easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The design of the Mercedes GLB amounts to more than styling. The GLB has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is lower than the Pathfinder (.34 to .355) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLB get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The GLB has 2.6 inches more rear legroom and 1.1 inches more third row legroom than the Pathfinder.

The front step up height for the GLB is 1.9 inches lower than the Pathfinder (17” vs. 18.9”). The GLB’s rear step up height is 2.5 inches lower than the Pathfinder’s (17.5” vs. 20”).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the GLB easier. The GLB’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.5 inches, while the Pathfinder’s liftover is 30.5 inches.

Servicing Ease

The GLB 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.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Pathfinder Platinum, 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.

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 Pathfinder can only close 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 Key standard on the Pathfinder doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door. Intelligent Key is not available on the Pathfinder SL/Platinum.

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 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 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 Pathfinder 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 Pathfinder 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. Nissan only offers heated mirrors on the Pathfinder SV/Rock Creek/SL/Platinum.

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 Pathfinder 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. Only the Pathfinder SL/Platinum offers wireless charging.

The GLB’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Pathfinder doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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 Pathfinder only retains 47.85% to 49.39%.