Compare the2025 Audi new Q5VS 2025 Mercedes GLE

Both the new Q5 and GLE have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The new Q5 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 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 new Q5 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The GLE doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the new Q5. But it costs extra on the GLE.

The new Q5’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.

The Audi new Q5 offers an optional Top View Camera System and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the Mercedes GLE doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

Both the new Q5 and the GLE have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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 and available around view monitors.

The new Q5’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GLE’s (12 vs. 5 years).

The Audi new Q5’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the GLE’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The new Q5’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 13 more horsepower (268 vs. 255) than the GLE 350’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the new Q5 gets better mileage than the GLE running its gasoline engine:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi new Q5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The GLE requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Audi new Q5 higher (6 out of 10) than the Mercedes GLE (4 to 6). This means the new Q5 produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the GLE every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Audi new Q5 as a “Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (SULEV). The Mercedes GLE is only certified to “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV) standards.

The new Q5 offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The GLE doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The new Q5’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The GLE doesn’t offer launch control.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the new Q5 can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. Run-flat tires aren’t available on some tire packages on the GLE.

For better maneuverability, the new Q5’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the GLE’s (38.7 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

The Audi new Q5 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 1500 pounds less than the Mercedes GLE.

The new Q5 is 8.6 inches shorter than the GLE, making the new Q5 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The new Q5 has .6 inches more front legroom and .9 inches more rear headroom than the GLE.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The new Q5 Premium Plus/Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLE doesn’t offer headlight washers.