Compare the2026 Mercedes GLSVS 2026 Land Rover Range Rover

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes GLS are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Land Rover Range Rover doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

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

The Mercedes GLS 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 Range Rover doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The GLS 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 Range Rover 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 GLS 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 Range Rover doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

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 Range Rover doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.

Both the GLS and the Range Rover have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover With 27 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Land Rover.

On the EPA test cycle the GLS gets better mileage than the Range Rover running its gasoline engine:

The GLS has 4.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Range Rover 550e PHEV’s standard fuel tank (23.8 vs. 18.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLS, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Range Rover.

The GLS stops much shorter than the Range Rover:

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

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 Range Rover’s standard 50 series tires. The GLS’ optional 325/35R23 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Range Rover’s optional 40 series tires.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLS’ wheelbase is 5.4 inches longer than on the Range Rover SWB (123.4 inches vs. 118 inches).

The GLS 450 handles at .92 G’s, while the Range Rover SWB pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Maybach GLS 600 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.7 seconds quicker than the Range Rover LWB SE (26.5 seconds @ .69 average G’s vs. 29.2 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Maybach GLS 600’s turning circle is .2 feet tighter than the Range Rover SWB’s (35.7 feet vs. 35.9 feet).

The GLS has .1 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, .6 inches more rear headroom, 1.5 inches more rear legroom, 3.1 inches more third row headroom and 6.5 inches more third row shoulder room than the Range Rover LWB SE.

The GLS’ cargo area provides more volume than the Range Rover LWB SE.

The GLS’ liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The Range Rover’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

While the Range Rover 550e SWB can only tow 6614, any GLS can tow a minimum of 7700 pounds.

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 Range Rover doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid. Its optional heated washer nozzles will defrost the washer fluid but not the windshield.

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

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 Range Rover doesn’t offer a third row rear seat center armrest.

The Mercedes GLS outsold the Land Rover Range Rover by 25% during 2024.