Compare the2025 Lincoln NautilusVS 2025 Mercedes GLE Coupe

Both the Nautilus and GLE Coupe have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Nautilus 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 Coupe’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 Lincoln Nautilus 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 Coupe doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Nautilus’ 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 Coupe.

Both the Nautilus and the GLE Coupe 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, 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 Lincoln Nautilus has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and a “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The GLE Coupe has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

Lincoln’s powertrain warranty covers the Nautilus 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLE Coupe. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the GLE Coupe ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 39 percent more Lincoln dealers than there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Nautilus’ warranty.

The Nautilus has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The GLE Coupe doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

On the EPA test cycle the Nautilus gets better mileage than the GLE Coupe:

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

The Nautilus 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 Coupe doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lincoln Nautilus higher (7 out of 10) than the Mercedes GLE Coupe (6). This means the Nautilus produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the GLE Coupe every 15,000 miles.

The Nautilus has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The GLE Coupe doesn’t offer a CVT.

For better maneuverability, the Nautilus’ turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the GLE Coupe’s (37.5 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

The Lincoln Nautilus may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 400 to 750 pounds less than the Mercedes GLE Coupe.

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

The Nautilus has 9.5 cubic feet more passenger volume than the GLE Coupe (113.5 vs. 104).

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Nautilus’ rear seats recline. The GLE Coupe’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLE Coupe with its rear seat up (36.4 vs. 31.6 cubic feet). The Nautilus has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLE Coupe with its rear seat folded (71.3 vs. 64.1 cubic feet).

The Nautilus Hybrid can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Nautilus can be unhitched and driven around locally. The GLE Coupe can’t be towed flat on the ground.

A Trailer Sway Control is standard on the Nautilus, using the AdvanceTrac® 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 Coupe.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Nautilus’ exterior PIN entry system. The GLE Coupe doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Nautilus has a standard rear wiper. The GLE Coupe doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Nautilus 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 GLE Coupe.

The Nautilus’ standard oscillating air vents move back and forth and distribute air evenly inside the vehicle, making everyone more comfortable. The GLE Coupe doesn’t offer oscillating vents.

Motor Trend selected the Nautilus as their 2025 Sport Utility of the Year. The GLE Coupe has never been chosen.