Compare the2025 Mercedes GLE CoupeVS 2025 Lincoln Nautilus

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The GLE Coupe’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Nautilus doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the GLE Coupe’s standard Downhill Speed Regulation allows you to creep down safely. The Nautilus doesn’t offer Downhill Speed Regulation.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The GLE Coupe has Car-to-X Communication, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from other vehicles.

Both the GLE Coupe and the Nautilus 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, driver alert monitors and available lane departure warning systems.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Mercedes GLE Coupe is safer than the Lincoln Nautilus:

	GLE Coupe	Nautilus
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	84	146
Neck Injury Risk	24%	29.7%
Neck Stress	208 lbs.	317 lbs.
Neck Compression	17 lbs.	33 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	301/184 lbs.	359/332 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	209	333
Chest Compression	.4 inches	.5 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31%	35.1%
Neck Stress	125 lbs.	192 lbs.
Neck Compression	31 lbs.	37 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	401/438 lbs.	434/440 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Mercedes GLE Coupe is safer than the Lincoln Nautilus:

	GLE Coupe	Nautilus
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	40	60
Chest Movement	.7 inches	.7 inches
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	103	169
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	59 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the GLE Coupe is 1.4% less likely to roll over than the Nautilus.

Reliability

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 Lincoln vehicles. With 18 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Lincoln.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Lincoln With 33 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Lincoln.

Engine

The GLE Coupe’s 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 125 more horsepower (375 vs. 250) and 89 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 280) than the Nautilus’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The GLE Coupe’s 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 65 more horsepower (375 vs. 310) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 295) than the Nautilus’ optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mercedes GLE Coupe is faster than the Lincoln Nautilus 4 cyl. hybrid gas:

	GLE Coupe	Nautilus
Zero to 60 MPH	4.9 sec	6.9 sec
Quarter Mile	13.5 sec	15.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	103 MPH	96 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

The GLE Coupe has 2.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Nautilus Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (22.5 vs. 20.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The GLE Coupe has 2.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Nautilus’ standard fuel tank (22.5 vs. 20.3 gallons).

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLE Coupe, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Nautilus.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the GLE Coupe’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Nautilus:

	GLE Coupe	Nautilus
Front Rotors	14.8 inches	13.6 inches
Rear Rotors	13.6 inches	12.6 inches

The GLE Coupe’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Nautilus are solid, not vented.

The GLE Coupe stops much shorter than the Nautilus:

	GLE Coupe	Nautilus
60 to 0 MPH	106 feet	133 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GLE Coupe has larger standard tires than the Nautilus (275/50R20 vs. 255/60R19). The GLE Coupe’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Nautilus (F:285/40R22 & R:325/35R22 vs. 255/60R19).

The GLE Coupe’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Nautilus’ standard 60 series tires. The GLE Coupe’s optional 285/40R22 front and 325/35R22 rear tires have a lower 40 series front and 35 series rear profile than the Nautilus’ optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLE Coupe has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the Nautilus.

Suspension and Handling

The GLE Coupe has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The GLE Coupe’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLE Coupe’s wheelbase is 1.4 inches longer than on the Nautilus (115.6 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLE Coupe is .9 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than on the Nautilus.

The GLE 450 4MATIC Coupe handles at .90 G’s, while the Nautilus Black Label pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The GLE 450 4MATIC Coupe executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 3 seconds quicker than the Nautilus Black Label (25.8 seconds @ .74 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

Passenger Space

The GLE Coupe has .9 inches more front headroom, 4 inches more front hip room, .4 inches more front shoulder room, 3.7 inches more rear hip room and .5 inches more rear shoulder room than the Nautilus.

Cargo Capacity

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the GLE Coupe. The Nautilus doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Towing

The GLE Coupe’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Nautilus’ (7700 vs. 0 pounds).

Servicing Ease

The engine in the GLE Coupe is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Nautilus. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

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

The GLE Coupe’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Nautilus does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The GLE Coupe offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, certain gauge, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The GLE Coupe’s standard Keyless-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Intelligent Access standard on the Nautilus doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

Heated windshield washer fluid is optional on the GLE Coupe to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The Nautilus doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

The GLE Coupe’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Nautilus has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Recommendations

The Mercedes GLE outsold the Lincoln Nautilus by 75% during 2024.

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