Compare the2025 Porsche CayenneVS 2025 Mercedes AMG GLE

Both the Cayenne and AMG GLE have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Cayenne has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The AMG GLE’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

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

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Cayenne helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The AMG GLE doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Cayenne’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the AMG GLE.

Both the Cayenne and the AMG GLE have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee 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, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The Cayenne’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the AMG GLE’s (12 vs. 5 years).

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Cayenne’s reliability 44 points higher than the AMG GLE.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Cayenne second among upper midsize premium suvs in their 2024 Initial Quality Study. The AMG GLE isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in initial quality. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche above average in long-term dependability. With 15 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mercedes is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Porsche 21 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid’s 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 126 more horsepower (729 vs. 603) and 73 lbs.-ft. more torque (700 vs. 627) than the AMG GLE 63 S’ optional 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid.

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

The Cayenne’s standard fuel tank has 1.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the AMG GLE (23.7 vs. 22.5 gallons).

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

The Cayenne Turbo has standard air brakes, which adjust the spoiler automatically during high-speed braking in order to shorten stopping distances. The AMG GLE doesn’t offer air brakes.

For better traction and acceleration, the Cayenne has larger standard rear tires than the AMG GLE (295/45R20 vs. 275/50R20).

The Cayenne’s standard 295/45R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the AMG GLE’s standard 50 series tires.

The Cayenne handles at 1.02 G’s, while the AMG GLE 63 S pulls only .90 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the Cayenne E-Hybrid has a greater minimum ground clearance than the AMG GLE (8.2 vs. 7.5 inches), allowing the Cayenne to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid’s minimum ground clearance is 2 inches higher than on the AMG GLE (9.5 vs. 7.5 inches).

The Porsche Cayenne may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 600 pounds less than the Mercedes AMG GLE.

The front grille of the Cayenne uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The AMG GLE doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Cayenne has .8 inches more front legroom and 2.1 inches more rear headroom than the AMG GLE.

A trailer sway control is standard on the Cayenne, using the Porsche Stability Management sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the AMG GLE.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Porsche second in service department satisfaction. With a 36% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 17th.

The Cayenne’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 AMG GLE does not have an oil pressure gauge.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Cayenne offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The AMG GLE doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Optional air conditioned front and rear seats keep the Cayenne’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The AMG GLE doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Cayenne has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the AMG GLE.

The Cayenne’s Active Parking Assistance can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote ParkAssist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The AMG GLE’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Porsche Cayenne, based on reliability, safety and performance.