2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS Vs BMW X7: How Do They Stack Up?

Can the big Benz beat BMW’s seven-seater?

X7 Vs GLS

Jeff Perez

By: Jeff Perez

Apr 17, 2019 at 3:52pm ET

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The BMW X7 has made quite the impact, and not just because of its outrageous gaping maw. The three-row Bimmer is a genuinely a great vehicle, as we found out. It’s comfortable, fun to drive, and depending on how you spec it, imposing as hell. But now there’s a new contender in town: the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS.

The new and wholly improved Mercedes-Benz GLS made its debut at the 2019 New York Auto Show. Not only is it better looking than its predecessor (and arguably the X7), but it’s larger and more powerful, too, belting out a whopping 483 horsepower (360 kilowatts) with the range-topping, twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 equipped.

On paper, it all sounds promising for the big Benz. But how does the newcomer compare to the tried and tested X7? Take a look at these charts.

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

2019 BMW X7: First Drive

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 2019 BMW X7 Engines Turbo 3.0L I6 / Twin-Turbo 4.0L V8 Hybrid Turbo 3.0L I6 / Twin-Turbo 4.4L V8 Horsepower 362 / 483 335 / 456 Torque 369 / 516 330 / 479 Transmission 9-Speed Automatic 8-Speed Automatic Drive Type All-Wheel Drive All-Wheel Drive

On paper, at least, the Mercedes GLS is the more powerful of the two. With either the entry-level inline-six or the more-powerful V8, the GLS improves upon the X7's output by 27 horsepower, 39 and 37 pound-feet of torque, respectively. It has more gears, too – a nine-speed automatic over the BMW's eight-speed. But both offer all-wheel drive. What matters, though, is how these two crossovers actually put the power down.

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

2019 BMW X7: First Drive

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 2019 BMW X7 0-60 5.9 / 5.2 Seconds 5.8 / 5.2 Seconds Top Speed 130 MPH 130 MPH Drag Coefficient 0.32 0.34

The X7, with the smaller inline-six, is a bit quicker to 60 miles per hour than the GLS (5.8 seconds versus 5.9). But the two are identical with the larger V8s (5.2 seconds). Not that anyone will or should be topping out their three-row SUVs, both the X7 and GLS are electronically limited to 130 miles per hour (209 kilometers per hour). But the most important numbers aren't performance. What buyers in this segment will really car about is interior volume and passenger space.

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

2019 BMW X7: First Drive

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS 2019 BMW X7 Length 205.2 Inches 202.8 Inches Width 77.0 Inches 78.7 Inches Height 71.8 Inches 71.0 Inches Weight TBD 5,671 Pounds Wheelbase 123.4 Inches 122.2 Inches Seating Capacity 7 7 Towing TBD 7,500 Payload TBD 1,202 Cargo Capacity TBD 11.5 / 48.6 / 90.4 Cubic Feet

The Benz is clearly the bigger of the two crossovers. Though Mercedes hasn't released crucial figures like towing, payload, interior volume, or cargo capacity, it's a safe guess that the GLS will be a bit more spacious than the X7. The Mercedes is more than three inches longer than the X7 overall with a wheelbase more than an inch longer. It's taller, too, by nearly an inch. The only measurement where the BMW excels is width; the X7 is more than an inch wider than the GLS.

Both the Benz and the BMW come in either six- or seven-seat configurations. This is the first time Mercedes offers the GLS with six seats, removing the second row for a pair of captain's chairs instead. The GLS also gets an easy entry function to the third row for 2020, and a third row capable of carrying passengers that are up to 6-foot 5-inches tall.

What do you think?

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We'll be curious to see how much more spacious, if at all, the GLS is compared to the X7 once all the numbers are out.

Notably, the Mercedes-Benz GLS and the BMW X7 are both on our list of the SUVs with the Best Towing Capacity.