For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes AMG GLE have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Dodge Durango SRT doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.
The AMG GLE’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.
The AMG 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 Durango SRT 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.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the AMG GLE’s standard Downhill Speed Regulation allows you to creep down safely. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer Downhill Speed Regulation.
Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The AMG GLE has Car-to-X, a system that seemlesly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from other vehicles.
The AMG GLE has a standard Surround View System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Durango SRT only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.
Both the AMG GLE and Durango SRT have rear cross-traffic warning, but the AMG GLE has Active Brake Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Durango SRT’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.
The AMG GLE’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Durango SRT doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.
Both the AMG GLE and the Durango SRT have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available lane departure warning systems.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mercedes AMG GLE is safer than the Dodge Durango SRT:
|
AMG GLE |
Durango SRT |
OVERALL STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
|
Driver |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
3 Stars |
Neck Injury Risk |
24% |
34% |
Neck Stress |
208 lbs. |
236 lbs. |
Leg Forces (l/r) |
301/184 lbs. |
339/364 lbs. |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
209 |
295 |
Chest Compression |
.4 inches |
.8 inches |
Neck Stress |
125 lbs. |
156 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
31 lbs. |
86 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
A significantly tougher test than their original offset frontal crash test, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH small overlap frontal offset crash tests. In this test, where only 25% of the total width of the vehicle is struck, results indicate that the Mercedes AMG GLE is safer than the Durango SRT:
|
AMG GLE |
Durango SRT |
Overall Evaluation |
GOOD |
MARGINAL |
Restraints |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Head Neck Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Peak Head Forces |
0 G’s |
0 G’s |
Steering Column Movement Rearward |
0 cm |
9 cm |
Chest Evaluation |
GOOD |
GOOD |
Hip & Thigh Evaluation |
GOOD |
ACCEPTABLE |
Femur Force R/L |
1.9/1.3 kN |
5.3/2.5 kN |
Hip & Thigh Injury Risk R/L |
0%/0% |
6%/0% |
Lower Leg Evaluation |
GOOD |
POOR |
Tibia index R/L |
.42/.42 |
1.53/.59 |
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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Mercedes AMG GLE is safer than the Dodge Durango SRT:
|
AMG GLE |
Durango SRT |
|
Front Seat |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
HIC |
40 |
46 |
Chest Movement |
.7 inches |
1.1 inches |
|
Into Pole |
|
STARS |
5 Stars |
5 Stars |
Max Damage Depth |
12 inches |
14 inches |
Spine Acceleration |
35 G’s |
43 G’s |
Hip Force |
615 lbs. |
714 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.
For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the AMG GLE its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 67 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Durango SRT is not even a standard “Top Safety Pick.”