Compare the2025 GMC Yukon XLVS 2024 Mercedes GLS

Both the Yukon XL and GLS have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Yukon XL 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 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.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Yukon XL are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GLS doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Yukon XL (except SLE with front bench seat) has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The GLS doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Yukon XL has standard Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The GLS doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Yukon XL Ultimate 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 GLS doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Yukon XL and the GLS have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and driver alert monitors.

GMC’s powertrain warranty covers the Yukon XL 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLS. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the GLS ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The Yukon XL’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the GLS’ (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 4 times as many GMC dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Yukon XL’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that GMC vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. With 5 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks GMC higher than Mercedes.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that GMC vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes With 12 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks GMC higher than Mercedes.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that GMC vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks GMC 5 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Yukon XL’s 3.0 turbo diesel produces 126 lbs.-ft. more torque (495 vs. 369) than the GLS 450’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Yukon XL V8’s fuel efficiency. The GLS doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the GMC Yukon XL uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended on Yukon XL Denali for maximum performance). The GLS requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Yukon XL has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLS (28.3 vs. 23.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Yukon XL has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GLS doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the GMC Yukon XL, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a nine-speed automatic is available for the GLS.

For better stopping power the Yukon XL’s brake rotors are larger than those on the GLS:

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Yukon XL Denali Ultimate offers optional 24-inch wheels. The GLS’ largest wheels are only 23-inches.

The GMC Yukon XL’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Mercedes GLS only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The Yukon XL has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The GLS doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Yukon XL has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the GLS; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Yukon XL’s wheelbase is 10.7 inches longer than on the GLS (134.1 inches vs. 123.4 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Yukon XL is 1.8 inches wider in the front and .6 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the GLS.

The front grille of the Yukon XL uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The GLS doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Yukon XL offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the GLS can only carry up to 7.

The Yukon XL’s cargo area provides more volume than the GLS.

Maximum trailer towing in the Mercedes GLS is limited to 7716 pounds. The Yukon XL offers up to a 8300 lbs. towing capacity.

The Yukon XL 4WD with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Yukon XL can be unhitched and driven around locally. The GLS can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Trailer Sway Control is standard on the Yukon XL, using the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the GLS.

The Yukon XL’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The GLS does not have an oil pressure gauge.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Yukon XL’s available exterior PIN entry system. The GLS doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Yukon XL has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the GLS only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Yukon XL has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the GLS.

The Yukon XL is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The GLS doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Yukon XL owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Yukon XL will cost $6505 to $12830 less than the GLS over a five-year period.

The Yukon XL will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Yukon XL will retain 53.07% to 55.7% of its original price after five years, while the GLS only retains 45.74% to 47.18%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Yukon XL is less expensive to operate than the GLS because typical repairs cost much less on the Yukon XL than the GLS, including $305 less for a water pump, $116 less for front brake pads, $388 less for a starter, $208 less for fuel injection, $282 less for front struts and $662 less for a power steering pump.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Yukon XL second among large suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The GLS was rated third in its category.

The GMC Yukon/Yukon XL outsold the Mercedes GLS by over three to one during 2023.