Compare the2025 Mercedes G-ClassVS 2024 Tesla Model X

The G-Class’ pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Model X 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 G-Class are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Model X doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The G-Class has a standard Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Model X 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.

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

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the G-Class’ standard Downhill Speed Regulation allows you to creep down safely. The Model X doesn’t offer Downhill Speed Regulation.

The G-Class has a standard Surround View System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model X only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the G-Class’ 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 Model X doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The G-Class has standard Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions, remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model X doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the G-Class and the Model X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

There are almost 2 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the G-Class’ 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 Tesla vehicles. With 60 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Tesla.

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 Tesla With 34 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Tesla.

The G-Class stops much shorter than the Model X:

For better traction, the G-Class’ optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Model X (295/40R22 vs. 265/35R22).

The G-Class has a standard full size spare (not available on 580) so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Model X; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

The G-Class has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Model X’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The G-Class AMG 63 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Model X doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The AMG G 63 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Tesla doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Model X.

For greater off-road capability the G-Class has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Model X (9.5 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the G-Class to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The G 580’s minimum ground clearance is 1.7 inches higher than on the Model X (9.8 vs. 8.1 inches).

The G 550 is 1 foot, 5.1 inches shorter than the Model X, making the G-Class easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The G-Class has .2 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more front hip room, .8 inches more rear legroom and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Model X.

The G-Class has a much larger cargo volume than the Model X with its rear seat up (34.8 vs. 15 cubic feet).

The G-Class’ standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Model X 6-Passenger doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

The G-Class’ standard towing capacity is much higher than the Model X’s (7000 vs. 5000 pounds).

While the Model X w/22” wheels can only tow 3500, any G-Class can tow a minimum of 7000 pounds.

The G-Class 580 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 G-Class can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Model X can’t be towed flat on the ground.

An ASSYST PLUS is standard on the G-Class to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals based on odometer mileage. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model X.

The G-Class’ entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model X has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Model X, the G-Class has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The G-Class’ power window, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Model X’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the G-Class has a standard rear wiper. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The G-Class has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Model X doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The G-Class’ sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The Model X’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

The G-Class has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Model X doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

The G-Class offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Model X.