Compare the2025 Mercedes GLE CoupeVS 2024 Audi Q5 Sportback

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 Coupe are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The Mercedes GLE Coupe 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 Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The GLE Coupe’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 Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GLE Coupe and the Q5 Sportback have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available lane departure warning systems.

The Mercedes GLE Coupe weighs 937 pounds more than the Audi Q5 Sportback. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

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.

The GLE Coupe’s 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 114 more horsepower (375 vs. 261) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 273) than the Q5 Sportback’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

The GLE Coupe has 4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Q5 Sportback (22.5 vs. 18.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes GLE Coupe higher (6 out of 10) than the Audi Q5 Sportback (5). This means the GLE Coupe produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Q5 Sportback every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLE Coupe, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q5 Sportback.

For better stopping power the GLE Coupe’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Q5 Sportback:

	GLE Coupe	Q5 Sportback
Front Rotors	14.8 inches	13.3 inches
Rear Rotors	13.6 inches	13 inches

For better traction, the GLE Coupe has larger standard tires than the Q5 Sportback (275/50R20 vs. 235/55R19). The GLE Coupe’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Q5 Sportback (F:285/40R22 & R:325/35R22 vs. 255/45R20).

The GLE Coupe’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 Q5 Sportback’s standard 55 series tires. The GLE Coupe’s optional 325/35R22 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLE Coupe has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Q5 Sportback. The GLE Coupe’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 21-inch wheels optional on the Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige.

The GLE Coupe offers an available or off-road. The Q5 Sportback’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The GLE Coupe has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The GLE Coupe’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The GLE Coupe’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 Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLE Coupe’s wheelbase is 4.6 inches longer than on the Q5 Sportback (115.6 inches vs. 111 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLE Coupe is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 4.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Q5 Sportback.

The GLE Coupe has 2.4 inches more front headroom, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Q5 Sportback.

The GLE Coupe has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q5 Sportback with its rear seat up (31.6 vs. 24.7 cubic feet). The GLE Coupe has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q5 Sportback with its rear seat folded (64.1 vs. 51.9 cubic feet).

The GLE Coupe’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Q5 Sportback’s (7700 vs. 4400 pounds).

Optional Trailer Stability Assist on the GLE Coupe 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 Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the Q5 Sportback, the GLE Coupe has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The GLE Coupe’s standard easy entry and exit feature raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. An easy entry system costs extra on the Q5 Sportback.

The GLE Coupe’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 Q5 Sportback does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The GLE Coupe’s standard Keyless-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless Start standard on the Q5 Sportback only offers hands-free access for the ignition, none to unlock the vehicle.

Heated windshield washer fluid is optional on the GLE Coupe to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid. Its standard heated washer nozzles will defrost the washer fluid but not the windshield.

The Q5 Sportback’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The GLE Coupe’s optional 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 GLE Coupe has standard dual-element sun visors that can block glare from two directions simultaneously. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer secondary sun visors.

The Mercedes GLE Coupe has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors costs extra on the Q5 Sportback.

The GLE Coupe offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Q5 Sportback.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes GLE has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige offers wireless charging.

The GLE Coupe 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 Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The GLE Coupe’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Q5 Sportback Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.