Compare the2025 Mercedes G-ClassVS 2025 Cadillac Escalade ESV

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes G-Class have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Cadillac Escalade ESV doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

The G-Class has a standard Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Escalade ESV doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the G-Class. But it costs extra on the Escalade ESV.

Both the G-Class and the Escalade ESV have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Cadillac vehicles. With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Cadillac.

The G 550’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 23 more horsepower (443 vs. 420) than the Escalade ESV’s 6.2 V8. The AMG G 63’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 157 more horsepower (577 vs. 420) and 167 lbs.-ft. more torque (627 vs. 460) than the Escalade ESV’s 6.2 V8. The G 580’s standard electric motors produces 159 more horsepower (579 vs. 420) and 399 lbs.-ft. more torque (859 vs. 460) than the Escalade ESV’s 6.2 V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the AMG G 63 4.0 turbo V8 is faster than the Cadillac Escalade ESV:

On the EPA test cycle the G-Class running on electricity gets better mileage than the Escalade ESV:

On the EPA test cycle the G-Class running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Escalade ESV:

The G 580 can travel with zero emissions for 239 miles. The Escalade ESV can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the G-Class’ fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Escalade ESV doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The G-Class AMG 63’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 Escalade ESV doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the G-Class’ standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Escalade ESV:

The G-Class stops much shorter than the Escalade ESV:

For better traction, the G-Class’ optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Escalade ESV (295/40R22 vs. 285/40R24).

The G-Class AMG 63 offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Escalade ESV doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The AMG G 63 offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Cadillac doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Escalade ESV.

The G 580 handles at .80 G’s, while the Escalade ESV Sport 4WD pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The AMG G 63 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escalade ESV Premium Luxury 4WD (28.2 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 29 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

The Mercedes G-Class may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 450 pounds less than the Cadillac Escalade ESV.

The G 550 is 3 feet, 9 inches shorter than the Escalade ESV, making the G-Class easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Escalade ESV, the G-Class has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The G-Class has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Escalade ESV doesn’t offer headlight washers.