Compare the2025 Honda PilotVS 2025 Mercedes GLE

The Honda Pilot 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 GLE doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Pilot deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Pilot’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The GLE’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

With its standard Collision Mitigation Braking System, the Honda Pilot is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Mercedes GLE, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

The Pilot’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 GLE.

Both the Pilot and the GLE have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda Pilot is safer than the GLE:

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the Pilot 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLE. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the GLE ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are almost 3 times as many Honda dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Pilot’s warranty.

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 Pilot’s reliability 29 points higher than the GLE.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 25 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 Honda vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes With 12 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Mercedes.

The Pilot’s 3.5 DOHC V6 produces 30 more horsepower (285 vs. 255) than the GLE 350’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda Pilot is faster than the GLE 350 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

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

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Pilot’s fuel efficiency. The GLE doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Pilot uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GLE requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Pilot has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLE 450e’s standard fuel tank (18.5 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Pilot has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GLE doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Pilot, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a nine-speed automatic is available for the GLE.

The Pilot has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The GLE doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Pilot TrailSport has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the GLE; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Pilot is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 1.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the GLE.

The Pilot TrailSport handles at .85 G’s, while the GLE 450 pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Pilot Elite executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the GLE 350 4MATIC (27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Pilot TrailSport’s turning circle is 1.7 feet tighter than the GLE’s (37.7 feet vs. 39.4 feet). The Pilot’s turning circle is 1.6 feet tighter than the GLE’s (37.8 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

The Honda Pilot may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 500 to 1050 pounds less than the Mercedes GLE.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Pilot has an electronically controlled liquid-filled main engine mount. A computer-controlled electric current in the liquid changes its viscosity, allowing the mount to dampen the engine completely at all RPMs. The GLE uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

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

The Pilot uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The GLE doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Pilot offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the GLE can only carry up to 7.

The Pilot has .7 inches more front legroom, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, 3.3 inches more rear headroom and 3.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLE.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pilot’s middle and third row seats recline. The GLE’s third row seats don’t recline.

The Pilot’s cargo area is larger than the GLE’s in almost every dimension:

A Trailer Stability Assist is standard on the Pilot, using the Vehicle Stability Assist 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 GLE.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 7% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 14th.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Pilot has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the GLE only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Pilot’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the GLE’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

Insurance will cost less for the Pilot owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Pilot will cost $2345 to $8370 less than the GLE over a five-year period.

The Pilot will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Pilot will retain 55.18% to 56.17% of its original price after five years, while the GLE only retains 49.45% to 53.48%.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Pilot, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes GLE isn't recommended.

The Honda Pilot outsold the Mercedes GLE by over two to one during 2024.