Compare the2025 Mercedes GLEVS 2024 Porsche Macan

The GLE’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Macan doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The GLE has a standard Maneuvering Assistant that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Macan doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The GLE has Car-to-X Communication, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Macan doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from other vehicles.

The GLE has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Macan’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GLE’s standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Active Brake Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Macan doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The 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 Macan doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GLE and the Macan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras and available lane departure warning systems.

The Mercedes GLE weighs 406 to 1603 pounds more than the Porsche Macan. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Mercedes 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 Macan has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

There are almost 2 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the GLE’s warranty.

The GLE has more powerful engines than the Macan:

On the EPA test cycle the GLE running on electricity gets better mileage than the Macan:

On the EPA test cycle the GLE running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Macan:

The GLE 450e can travel with zero emissions for 50 miles. The Macan can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The GLE’s standard fuel tank has 2.7 gallons more fuel capacity than the Macan (22.5 vs. 19.8 gallons).

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLE, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Macan.

For better stopping power the GLE’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Macan:

For better traction, the GLE has larger standard tires than the Macan (255/50R19 vs. 235/55R19). The GLE 580’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Macan (F:285/40R22 & R:325/35R22 vs. F:265/40R21 & R:295/35R21).

The GLE’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Macan’s standard 55 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLE 580 offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Macan’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires available on the GLE can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Macan doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The GLE 450/580 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Porsche doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Macan.

The 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 Macan doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLE’s wheelbase is 7.4 inches longer than on the Macan (117.9 inches vs. 110.5 inches).

The GLE’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (53.5% to 46.5%) than the Macan’s (55.7% to 44.3%). This gives the GLE more stable handling and braking.

For greater off-road capability the GLE Airmatic has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Macan (9.2 vs. 8.9 inches), allowing the GLE to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The design of the Mercedes GLE amounts to more than styling. The GLE has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Macan (.35 to .37) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLE get better fuel mileage.

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

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GLE’s middle row seats recline. The Macan’s rear seats don’t recline.

The GLE has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Macan with its rear seat up (33.3 vs. 17.2 cubic feet). The GLE has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Macan with its rear seat folded (74.9 vs. 53 cubic feet).

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

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the GLE’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Macan doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The GLE’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Macan’s (7700 vs. 4409 pounds).

The GLE has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Macan doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The GLE’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 Macan has neither an oil pressure gauge nor a temperature gauge.

The GLE offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, certain gauge, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Macan doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The GLE’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Macan’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

Heated windshield washer fluid is optional on the GLE to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The Macan doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

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

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the GLE has standard extendable sun visors. The Macan doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The GLE offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Macan.

The GLE offers an optional 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 Macan doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The GLE’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Macan’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

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

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GLE is less expensive to operate than the Macan because it costs $27 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the GLE than the Macan, including $369 less for a muffler, $67 less for front brake pads, $112 less for front struts and $792 less for a timing belt/chain.

The Mercedes GLE outsold the Porsche Macan by over two to one during 2023.