Nissan Rogue vs Mercedes-Benz GLE

The 2025 Nissan Rogue is one of the main players in the highly competitive compact SUV segment. Ever since the first Rogue went on sale for the 2008 model year, Nissan has made sure to constantly update and improve what’s now the automaker’s best-selling model in the U.S.

For the 2025 model year, the Rogue gets a little off-road bravado added to its winning recipe. The Rogue Rock Creek trim is equipped with adventure gear like all-wheel drive (AWD), all-terrain tires, a tubular roof rack, a surround-view camera system, and hill-descent control. It also has trim-specific exterior design touches like red trim pieces on the alloy wheels and front grille and “Rock Creek” badges on the front seats. Nissan’s ProPilot Assist 2.1 highway driving assist system is also newly available on the Rogue.

Verdict: With its reasonable price tag and impressive array of comfort features and tech touches, the Rogue is aimed right at the heart of the compact SUV segment. This year’s improvements add a little more polish to the Rogue, particularly with the outdoorsy Rock Creek model and latest generation of Nissan’s hands-free highway driving technology. This is an extremely well-rounded choice, though not everything is perfect.

Mercedes introduced the ML-Class in the late 1990s—a blobby-looking luxury SUV focused on on-road comfort. Almost 30 years later, the GLE—the ML’s replacement—follows that model’s founding formula but with modern powertrains and technology. The 2026 GLE-Class is available in standard and “coupe” body styles equipped with four-, six-, and eight-cylinder engines. For the 2026 model year, the six-cylinder GLE 450 features a standard AMG Line exterior design and there's a new Manufaktur Edition.

Verdict: The midsize Mercedes GLE is the second most popular model the company sells in the U.S. (behind the smaller GLC crossover SUV). That’s easy to understand, given consumer preferences for SUVs and the GLE’s overall appeal. Still, it is time for Mercedes to redesign this model.