2022 Honda Odyssey vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE was an adequate-looking vehicle, though it didn't quite match the aesthetic appeal of its competitors like the BMW X5. The exterior design showed promise with its aggressive nose and sloping hood, but it lost its distinctiveness past the A-pillar, making it almost indistinguishable from older models. The flat taillights and contoured rear helped mitigate its minivan-like appearance, but it still lacked the pitch-perfect proportions seen in BMW, Audi, Jaguar, or even Lincoln SUVs. In AMG trim, the GLE attempted a sporty look but fell short when compared to rivals like the BMW X5 M or Porsche Cayenne Turbo.

However, Mercedes made significant improvements to the GLE's interior. The 2021 model featured a redesigned, more streamlined, and cohesive interior that was a masterpiece in quality, layout, colors, and textures. The red and black interior of the tested GLE Coupe was both loud and luxurious, surpassing even Porsche or Audi in opulence. The twin arching grab handles, LED lighting, and a mix of wood, metal, leather, suede, and plastic made the interior a delight to touch and operate. Despite some flimsy gear selectors and turn signal stalks, the GLE exuded a sense of pampering, though it required high-end options to truly feel luxurious.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey, while adhering to the classic minivan design, offered a sense of style that was somewhat comparable to the handsome 2022 Kia Carnival. The kinked sliding doors and dramatic hockey-stick character lines added a touch of flair to its otherwise clean flanks. The Elite trim level, with its dark gray 19-inch aluminum wheels, topped the lineup that included the base LX, EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, with prices ranging from $33,040 to $48,770.

Inside, the Odyssey Elite featured quality leather, supportive front seats with power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, and a tri-zone automatic climate control system. The interior design was open-concept, with a low console between the front seats and plenty of storage space. The second-row Magic Slide seats allowed for flexible configurations, making it easier to tend to children or create a pass-through to the third-row seat. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, and the cargo space was impressive, offering 32.8 cubic feet behind the third row and up to 144.9 cubic feet with the second-row seats removed.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE excelled as a multi-purpose vehicle with a complex suspension and engine setup. The base GLE 350 featured a coil-sprung setup, while the GLE 450 had self-leveling air springs with adaptive dampers. The AMG Ride Control+ on the AMG models included Roll Stabilization and Active Curve systems, allowing the GLE to lean into turns like a motorcyclist. The E-Active Body Control could change the spring rate, damping, and height for each wheel independently, and even bounce the vehicle to free it from sand.

The AMG GLE 53 Coupe had an electric supercharger integrated with the powertrain, ensuring instant throttle response without lag. The GLE 450 had a turbo 3.0-liter inline-six with 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, while the AMG GLE 53 increased this to 429 hp and 384 lb-ft. The GLE 580 featured a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with 483 hp and 516 lb-ft, and the GLE 63 S topped the range with 603 hp and 627 lb-ft. All GLE models, except the base GLE 350, were hybrids with a 48-volt battery system, providing up to 21 additional horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque for brief periods. The GLE 450 returned 21/26/23 mpg, while the GLE 350 4Matic achieved 19/26/22 mpg.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. Unlike its competitors, the Odyssey did not offer all-wheel drive or an electrified powertrain. The Odyssey's EPA fuel economy estimate was 22 mpg in combined driving, compared to the hybrid Toyota Sienna's 36 mpg and the plug-in hybrid Chrysler Pacifica's 30 mpg.

Despite this, the Odyssey was enjoyable to drive, with quick acceleration, responsive handling, and remarkable composure on mountain roads. However, repeated use of the brakes on downhill grades led to pedal vibration and an audible grumble, indicating a need for more heat-resistant brakes. The Odyssey averaged 22.6 mpg during a test drive in Southern California.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE offered a roomy interior with optional third-row seating, allowing for up to seven passengers. The second-row seats had power controls for recline, fore-aft, and headrest adjustments, and could slide and fold for easier access to the third row. The GLE Coupe, however, was limited to five passengers and had a more constricted rear space due to its sloping roofline and slimmer windows. Cargo capacity was 34 cubic feet behind the second row and 75 cubic feet with all rows folded, while the Coupe offered 23 and 61 cubic feet, respectively.

The new MBUX infotainment system improved usability with a single touchpad and a simplified interface. Seat controls on the doors, rocker switches on the center console, and shortcuts for driving modes on the steering wheel were easy to use. However, the thumbpads on the steering wheel were fussier and required some getting used to.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey provided easy access with wide-opening doors and a lower ride height. The Elite trim featured quality leather, supportive front seats with power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, and a tri-zone automatic climate control system. The interior had numerous storage spaces, including shelving in the front door panels and a handy floor tray between the dashboard and center console.

The second-row Magic Slide seats allowed for flexible configurations, making it easier to tend to children or create a pass-through to the third-row seat. The third-row seat was comfortable for adults, with good leg support and foot room. Cargo space was impressive, with 32.8 cubic feet behind the third row, 88.8 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 144.9 cubic feet with the second-row seats removed.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE featured a 12-inch touchscreen with Interior Assistant, which could read certain hand gestures. The system could be controlled with the touchpad or the right thumbpad, and it became easier to use with practice. The AMG models had a Track Pace app, Seat Kinetics, and various comfort features like heated armrests and bolsters that automatically inflated when steering. The head-up display and instrument panel could be reconfigured in dozens of layouts, and the ambient lighting had 64 colors. The navigation system projected the front camera feed with overlay arrows and street names, and the natural voice assistant responded to the command "Mercedes."

The 2022 Honda Odyssey Elite was packed with technology, but its infotainment features were increasingly outclassed by rivals. Starting with the EX trim, the Odyssey had an 8-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Touring trim added navigation and HondaLink connected services, including WiFi hotspot access. The Touring and Elite trims also featured CabinWatch and CabinTalk technology, a rear-seat camera system, and an in-vehicle public address system.

The rear-seat entertainment system, standard on Touring trim, had a single 10.2-inch display screen that folded down from the ceiling and showed media from CDs, DVDs, or Blu-Ray discs. The Elite trim added an 11-speaker premium audio system and a wireless charging pad. However, the 8-inch touchscreen felt small, and the embedded navigation system required specific voice commands, making it less user-friendly than smartphone-based navigation.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE earned the Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for its top ratings in six crash tests, headlights, and standard forward emergency braking. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not rated the GLE. Standard safety features included blind-spot monitoring and a driver attention monitor. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, evasive steering assist, front cross-traffic braking, and semi-automated control. The GLE also had Pre-Safe Sound, which played a "pink noise" to reduce hearing damage in a crash, and Pre-Safe Impulse Side, which inflated the side bolsters of the front seats to better position occupants in a side impact.

The 2022 Honda Odyssey came standard with Honda Sensing, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and lane-centering assist. The Odyssey also had automatic high-beam headlights and a rear-seat reminder system. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available starting with the EX trim. However, Honda Sensing lacked refinement, sometimes issuing invalid warnings or taking preventative actions that were ill-advised. The blind-spot monitoring system's warning light was located on the windshield pillar, making it less intuitive to use.

The 2022 Odyssey earned an overall five-star rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS.