Compare the2025 Mercedes GLSVS 2025 Cadillac Escalade ESV

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes GLS have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Cadillac Escalade ESV doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The GLS offers an optional Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Escalade ESV doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GLS. But it costs extra on the Escalade ESV.

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

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the GLS uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Escalade ESV uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the GLS and the Escalade ESV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 and driver alert monitors.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the GLS have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the engine in the Escalade ESV.

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 Cadillac vehicles. With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Cadillac.

The GLS 580’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 90 more horsepower (510 vs. 420) and 78 lbs.-ft. more torque (538 vs. 460) than the Escalade ESV’s 6.2 V8. The Maybach GLS 600’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 130 more horsepower (550 vs. 420) and 78 lbs.-ft. more torque (538 vs. 460) than the Escalade ESV’s 6.2 V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the GLS 450 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Cadillac Escalade ESV:

On the EPA test cycle the GLS gets better mileage than the Escalade ESV:

Regenerative brakes improve the GLS’ fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Escalade ESV doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

For better stopping power the GLS’ standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Escalade ESV:

The GLS stops much shorter than the Escalade ESV:

For better traction and acceleration, the GLS has larger standard rear tires than the Escalade ESV (315/40R21 vs. 275/50R22). The GLS’ optional rear tires are larger than the largest rear tires available on the Escalade ESV (325/35R23 vs. 285/40R24).

The GLS’ standard 275/45R21 front and 315/40R21 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escalade ESV’s standard 50 series tires. The GLS’ optional 325/35R23 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Escalade ESV’s optional 40 series tires.

The front and rear suspension of the GLS uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the Escalade ESV, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The GLS offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Cadillac doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Escalade ESV.

The GLS’ 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 Escalade ESV doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The GLS 450 handles at .92 G’s, while the Escalade ESV Sport 4WD pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Maybach GLS 600 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.5 seconds quicker than the Escalade ESV Premium Luxury 4WD (26.5 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Maybach GLS 600’s turning circle is 7.6 feet tighter than the Escalade ESV’s (35.7 feet vs. 43.3 feet). The GLS’ turning circle is 3.5 feet tighter than the Escalade ESV w/24” Wheels’ (41 feet vs. 44.5 feet).

The Mercedes GLS may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 450 pounds less than the Cadillac Escalade ESV.

The GLS 450 is 1 foot, 10.1 inches shorter than the Escalade ESV, making the GLS easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Unibody construction lowers the GLS’ center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Escalade ESV doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The GLS has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Escalade ESV doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

The GLS’ standard towing capacity is much higher than the Escalade ESV’s (7700 vs. 7300 pounds).

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Escalade ESV, the GLS has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, suspension setting, power steering assist, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

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

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

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the GLS to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Escalade ESV doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The GLS has standard heated front and optional heated second and third row seats, which keep the driver and passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Cadillac doesn’t offer heated seats in the third row of the Escalade ESV.

The GLS offers an optional center folding armrest for the third row rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and can provide a barrier between children. The Escalade ESV doesn’t offer a third row rear seat center armrest.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GLS is less expensive to operate than the Escalade ESV because it costs $218 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the GLS than the Escalade ESV, including $467 less for a muffler, $63 less for a fuel pump, $328 less for front struts, $619 less for a timing belt/chain and $223 less for a power steering pump.