Compare the2025 Mercedes AMG GLEVS 2025 Audi SQ8

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 AMG GLE are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The SQ8 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mercedes AMG GLE has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The SQ8 doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the AMG GLE and the SQ8 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, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors 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 Audi SQ8:

	AMG GLE	SQ8
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	84	296
Neck Injury Risk	24%	30%
Neck Stress	208 lbs.	235 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	209	238
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31%	34%
Neck Compression	31 lbs.	117 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

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 Audi SQ8:

	AMG GLE	SQ8
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	40	60
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.7 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	103	141
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	677 lbs.	684 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	15 inches
HIC	264	282
Spine Acceleration	35 G’s	49 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Mercedes AMG GLE (with optional crash prevention) has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The SQ8 has not yet been fully evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

Warranty

There are over 25 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the AMG GLE’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 36 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

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 Audi With 57 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

Engine

The AMG GLE 63 S’ standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 103 more horsepower (603 vs. 500) and 59 lbs.-ft. more torque (627 vs. 568) than the SQ8’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the AMG GLE 63 S 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid is faster than the Audi SQ8:

	AMG GLE	SQ8
Zero to 60 MPH	3.2 sec	3.6 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	8.1 sec	9.5 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	4.6 sec	5.1 sec
Quarter Mile	11.6 sec	12.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	118 MPH	112 MPH
Top Speed	174 MPH	129 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the AMG GLE 53 gets better fuel mileage than the SQ8 (18 city/23 hwy vs. 15 city/21 hwy).

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the AMG GLE 63 S’ fuel efficiency. The SQ8 doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes AMG GLE higher (4 to 6 out of 10) than the Audi SQ8 (2). This means the AMG GLE produces up to 27.7 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the SQ8 every 15,000 miles.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes AMG GLE, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the SQ8.

The AMG GLE’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The SQ8 doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the AMG GLE 63 S CCB’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the SQ8:

	AMG GLE 63 S CCB	SQ8
Front Rotors	16.5 inches	15.8 inches
Rear Rotors	14.6 inches	13.8 inches

The AMG GLE 63 S offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The SQ8 doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

Suspension and Handling

The AMG GLE’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 SQ8 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the AMG GLE is .3 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the SQ8.

For better maneuverability, the AMG GLE’s turning circle is 4.2 feet tighter than the SQ8’s (39.4 feet vs. 43.6 feet).

Chassis

The design of the Mercedes AMG GLE amounts to more than styling. The AMG GLE has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .35 Cd. That is lower than the SQ8 (.37). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the AMG GLE get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The AMG GLE offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the SQ8 can only carry 5.

The AMG GLE has 3.4 inches more front headroom and .7 inches more rear legroom than the SQ8.

Cargo Capacity

The AMG GLE has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the SQ8 with its rear seat up (33.3 vs. 30.5 cubic feet). The AMG GLE has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the SQ8 with its rear seat folded (74.9 vs. 60.7 cubic feet).

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the AMG GLE’s optional second row seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The SQ8 doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

Optional Trailer Stability Assist on the AMG GLE uses the Electronic Stability Program sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The SQ8 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

Heated windshield washer fluid is optional on the AMG GLE to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The SQ8 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid. Its standard heated washer nozzles will defrost the washer fluid but not the windshield.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The AMG GLE’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the SQ8’s headlights are rated “Acceptable.”

The SQ8’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The AMG GLE’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

To better shield the driver and front passenger’s vision, the AMG GLE has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The SQ8 doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

The AMG GLE has a 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 SQ8 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

The Mercedes GLE outsold the Audi Q8/SQ8/RS Q8 by almost five to one during 2023.

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