2016 Honda Pilot vs 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class edges it, 77 to 74, on safety. The Honda Pilot is ahead on fuel & range and performance. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 4 and it flips.
2016 Honda Pilot
The 2016 Honda Pilot is sold in the U.S. as a gas large SUV with 4 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Pilot 2WD, is EPA-rated at 23 mpg c…
2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
The 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class is sold in the U.S. as a gas large SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the GL450 4matic, is EPA-rat…
2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class
Slight edgeThe Mercedes-Benz GL-Class edges it, 77 to 74, on safety. The Honda Pilot is ahead on fuel & range and performance. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 4 and it flips.
| Category · weight | 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Classoverall 77 | 2016 Honda Pilotoverall 74 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 72 | 100 | |||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 74.5 | 41.6 | |||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | |||||||||||
| Space & cargonot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 89.3 | 100 | |||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | |||||||||||
| Tech & comfortnot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | Specs not available | Specs not available | |||||||||
| Overall | 77 | 74 | |||||||||
Safety-only comparison · 3 of 7 categories compared · specs not available for Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and Honda Pilot
Mercedes-Benz GL-Class: safety only (EPA and NHTSA record; specs not available) · Honda Pilot: safety only (EPA and NHTSA record; specs not available). Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 4 and the answer flips.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class wins
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (20 against 1,725 filed with NHTSA).
- It has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 66 against 55).
Where the 2016 Honda Pilot answers
- It costs $1,450 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($2,900 against $4,350).
- It is rated 23 combined against 19 (EPA mpg or MPGe).
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
specs not availableSafety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPMercedes-Benz GL-Class
Top recalls
- high Suspension 18V272000 · 9,725 vehicles
- high Steering 17V241000 · 58,323 vehicles · filed unfixed
- high Air Bags 17V177000 · 51 vehicles
- high Suspension 17V081000 · 37 vehicles
- high Air Bags 16V903000 · 47,799 vehicles
- high Power Train 16V900000 · 48 vehicles
Honda Pilot
Top recalls
- critical Structure 21V932000 · 724,826 vehicles
- high Structure 26V365000 · 965,561 vehicles · filed unfixed
- high Fuel System, Gasoline 23V858000 · 2,490,460 vehicles
- high Engine And Engine Cooling 23V751000 · 248,999 vehicles
- high Fuel System, Gasoline 17V219000 · 136 vehicles
- high Fuel System, Gasoline 16V417000 · 39 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Mercedes-Benz GL-Class | Honda Pilot | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | — | — |
| Price range across trims | — | — |
| Powertrains | GAS | GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | GL450 4matic | Pilot 2WD |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 19 | 23 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $4,350 | $2,900 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | — | — |
| Powertrain warranty | — | — |
| Roadside assistance | — | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class or the 2016 Honda Pilot?
The Mercedes-Benz GL-Class edges it, 77 to 74, on safety. The Honda Pilot is ahead on fuel & range and performance. Raise the fuel & range weight from 3 to 4 and it flips. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class scores 77 and the 2016 Honda Pilot 74. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which has the better safety record, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class or the 2016 Honda Pilot?
2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class: no NHTSA rating yet, grade D, 7 recalls (1 filed with no repair available). 2016 Honda Pilot: 5 NHTSA stars, grade F, 8 recalls (1 filed with no repair available). Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class and the 2016 Honda Pilot?
Where the 2016 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class wins: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (20 against 1,725 filed with NHTSA) and has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 66 against 55). Where the 2016 Honda Pilot answers: it costs $1,450 a year less to fuel on the EPA's estimate ($2,900 against $4,350) and is rated 23 combined against 19 (EPA mpg or MPGe).