2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS vs 2021 Volvo XC60

The 2021 Volvo XC60, though no longer purely Swedish, benefited greatly from its acquisition by Geely Holding Group. This transition allowed Volvo to shed its Ford-era constraints and emerge with a near-luxury lineup of cars and crossover SUVs. The XC60, positioned between the XC40 and XC90, was built on Volvo’s SPA platform, sharing its elegant, tailored design with other 60-series and 90-series vehicles. The XC60 featured a distinctive upright grille with Volvo’s iron mark logo and Thor’s hammer-shaped LED daytime running lights, embodying a quintessentially Swedish aesthetic. The interior was equally impressive, with clean lines, authentic materials, and a serene atmosphere, highlighted by a 9-inch portrait-oriented infotainment touchscreen and meticulously designed HVAC vents.

In contrast, the 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 offered a more subtle, less flashy look compared to its competitors like the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator. The GLS 450 featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine with a nine-speed automatic transmission, assisted by Mercedes’ EQ Boost mild-hybrid system. The interior, while luxurious, was somewhat subdued, with leather upholstery, a panoramic roof, and ambient lighting. The GLS also boasted a digital instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen housed under one piece of glass, providing a sleek and modern look. However, the suspension left something to be desired, exhibiting poor body control and excessive motion over bumps and in corners.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 offered a range of powertrains, all centered around a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The T5 models produced 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, while the T6 models upped the ante with 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, thanks to the addition of a supercharger. The T8 models, being plug-in hybrids, combined a gasoline engine with an 87-hp electric motor, resulting in a total output of 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. The T8 Polestar Engineered variant pushed these figures to 415 hp and maintained the same torque. The XC60’s AWD system and torque vectoring allowed for agile handling, making it a solid and secure road companion. Fuel economy ranged from 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway for the T5 FWD to 27 mpg combined for the T8 PHEV, with the T8 achieving 57 MPGe in electric-only mode.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, producing 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, with an additional 21 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque available from the EQ Boost mild-hybrid system. This setup provided ample power for the large SUV, and the inline-six engine’s inherent smoothness added to the luxury feel. However, the GLS 450’s air suspension struggled with body control, leading to excessive bouncing and leaning in corners. The GLS 450 had a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds, which was competitive but fell short of some rivals like the Lexus LX and Lincoln Navigator.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 excelled in providing comfort and functionality. The front seats were highly adjustable and heated, making them ideal for cold climates. The heating system, including the rear glass heater and windshield defroster, performed exceptionally well in sub-freezing temperatures. The XC60 offered 21.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats and up to 63.6 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. It also had a towing capacity of up to 3,500 pounds.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS came standard with a seven-seat configuration, with an optional six-seat version featuring individual captain’s chairs. The second-row seats could slide forward and fold for third-row access, and the bench seat could slide fore and aft as one piece. The GLS offered 17.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, expanding to 84.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. The air suspension could lower the vehicle for easier loading and unloading. However, the touchscreen was difficult to reach, and some ergonomic issues detracted from the overall experience.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 featured the Sensus infotainment system, which used a tablet-style touchpad interface. The system was intuitive for frequent iPad users, with swipe, pinch, and pull gestures. The screen was divided into function quadrants, making it easy to navigate between audio, navigation, vehicle, and communication functions. Smartphone integration included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a WiFi hotspot. The Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system provided exceptional sound quality.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS came with the MBUX infotainment system, featuring a 12.3-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, and natural-language voice recognition. The 13-speaker Burmester audio system was standard, with a head-up display as an option. The voice recognition system, activated by saying “Hey Mercedes,” was the easiest to use, while the touchpad controller was overly sensitive and cumbersome. The graphics on both the touchscreen and instrument cluster were impressive, but the navigation system had some issues.

The 2021 Volvo XC60 was a testament to Volvo’s commitment to safety. It received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS and five-star ratings from the NHTSA for the T5/T5 AWD and T6 AWD models. Standard safety features included LED headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, collision avoidance, and various mitigation systems. The semi-autonomous Pilot Assist system was available, integrating adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. The XC60 was also governed to a top speed of 112 mph for safety reasons.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS came with a comprehensive list of standard safety features, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, a driver-attention monitor, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, a surround-view camera system, Crosswind Assist, parking assist, and Pre Safe. However, many advanced driver-assistance features were optional, such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and second-row side airbags. Crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of publication.