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Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class vs Volkswagen Touareg

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Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class
Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

$105,990 - $199,999

2021 price

Volkswagen Touareg
Volkswagen Touareg

$79,990 - $148,950

2024 price

Summary

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class
2024 Volkswagen Touareg
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Turbo 6, 3.0L

Fuel Type
Premium Unleaded/Electric

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Fuel Efficiency
9.2L/100km (combined)

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Seating
7

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Dislikes
  • Hard lower door plastics
  • Could make even more noise
  • High fuel consumption

  • Disappointing ride quality
  • PHEV elements frustrating to use IRL
  • Limited appeal compared to other R models
2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class Summary

It’s fair to say Mercedes-AMG GLS63 buyers really want it all; good looks, cutting-edge technology, seven-seat practicality, leading safety and V8 performance to name a few key desirables. And, lucky for them, the new model is finally here.

Yep, the latest GLS63 is yet another exercise in excess, leaving very little to be desired by its buyers. Indeed, it ticks almost every box when it comes to a utility vehicle that well and truly puts the sports in Sports Utility Vehicle.

But, of course, this raises questions over whether or not the GLS63 is trying to do too much. And given this model does a whole lot more than its predecessor, these questions need to be answered again. Read on.

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2024 Volkswagen Touareg Summary

It’s big, it’s fast, it’s luxurious, Volkswagen’s Touareg has always been a stand-out large SUV.

This one, the full-fat R is the latest take on the halo Volkswagen model. It has big shoes to fill.

See, top-spec Touaregs in the past are hardly rivals to the Toyota LandCruisers and Hyundai Palisades of this world. They’re a different breed, with the first-generation Touareg powered by a variety of engines up to a 5.0-litre turbo-diesel V10, and the second-gen version packing petrol and diesel V8s in its upper levels.

They were the ultimate sleeper family SUV, ridiculous engines with rich VW Group lineage in a seemingly mainstream family-friendly package.

But this third-generation version can’t quite replicate the over-engined craziness of its predecessors. It has to think outside the box as emissions regulations crack down the world over.

This Touareg R is a plug-in hybrid. A performance-focused one at that. Can it hope to replicate the unhinged nature of its forebears and find an appropriate place atop the hierarchy of Volkswagen’s R models? Let’s find out.

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Deep dive comparison

2021 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class 2024 Volkswagen Touareg

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