Compare the2024 Audi SQ7VS 2024 Mercedes AMG GLS

Both the SQ7 and AMG GLS have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The SQ7 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The AMG GLS’ child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the SQ7 Prestige helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The AMG GLS doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the SQ7 and the AMG GLS have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi SQ7 achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The AMG GLS has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The SQ7’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the AMG GLS’ (12 vs. 5 years).

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 10 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

As tested in Car and Driver the Audi SQ7 is faster than the Mercedes AMG GLS:

On the EPA test cycle the SQ7 gets better fuel mileage than the AMG GLS 63 (15 city/21 hwy vs. 14 city/18 hwy).

For better traction, the SQ7 has larger tires than the AMG GLS (285/40R21 vs. 275/50R21).

The SQ7’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the AMG GLS’ standard 50 series front and 45 series rear tires.

The SQ7 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The AMG GLS doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Audi SQ7 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 pounds less than the Mercedes AMG GLS.

The SQ7 is 6.9 inches shorter than the AMG GLS, making the SQ7 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The SQ7 has .5 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front legroom and .2 inches more front shoulder room than the AMG GLS.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 16% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

Laser headlights, optional on the SQ7 Prestige, produce their light by firing blue lasers through phosphorus, a process that uses one-half the power of the AMG GLS’ LED headlights. Laser headlights can have double the range of LEDs with a much smaller surface area.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The SQ7 Prestige offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The AMG GLS doesn’t offer headlight washers.

A manual rear sunshade and rear side window sunshades are optional in the SQ7 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The AMG GLS doesn’t offer a rear sunshade.

The SQ7 Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The AMG GLS’ automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Insurance will cost less for the SQ7 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the SQ7 will cost $3390 to $4210 less than the AMG GLS over a five-year period.

The SQ7 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the SQ7 will retain 50.05% of its original price after five years, while the AMG GLS only retains 45.64%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Audi SQ7 will be $46731 to $50871 less than for the Mercedes AMG GLS.

The Audi Q7/SQ7 outsold the Mercedes GLS by 39% during 2023.