Last updated: 2026-10-10

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Mercedes-Benz GLE: Reliability Compared

Land Rover Range Rover Sport reliability comparison

Land Rover Range Rover Sport

57
MixedReliability score: 57 out of 100, rated Mixed
VS
More ReliableMercedes-Benz GLE reliability comparison

Mercedes-Benz GLE

67
GoodReliability score: 67 out of 100, rated Good

The Mercedes-Benz GLE is clearly more reliable than the Land Rover Range Rover Sport. Owners filed far fewer complaints about it relative to sales, and the Sport has more recalls and more crash-linked reports, including its dial shifter rolling away.

How Do the Land Rover Range Rover Sport and Mercedes-Benz GLE Generations Compare?

Shoppers choosing a GLE are really choosing between two generations. The current fourth generation (W167) began with the 2020 model year and received a facelift for 2024. The third generation (W166) ran from 2012 to 2019 and was facelifted in 2016. The 2019 is the end of the older generation and ranks among the strongest years. The 2020 launched the new design and ranks among the weakest. The 2024 facelift year also ranks strong. Most used shoppers will be weighing a 2019, an early fourth-generation car, or a facelifted 2024 and later car.

Verdict

The Mercedes-Benz GLE is more reliable than the Land Rover Range Rover Sport, scoring 67/100 vs 57/100.

Reliability favors the GLE by a large margin. Owners filed far fewer complaints about it relative to sales, and federal recall records show fewer recalls across a similar span of model years. Its worst problems, cylinder head failure and water in the footwells, are expensive but concentrated. The Range Rover Sport spreads trouble across screens, coolant pipes, steering and the dial shifter, and its power train complaints carry the most crash links of any area on either model. Neither is trouble-free, but the GLE is the safer bet.

Key Differences

  1. 1Mercedes-Benz GLE has 79 fewer total recalls
  2. 2Mercedes-Benz GLE has 55.8 fewer complaints per 10k sold
  3. 3Mercedes-Benz GLE scores 10 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

0Land Rover Range Rover Sport
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3Mercedes-Benz GLE
Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Mercedes-Benz GLE: Which Is More Reliable?

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Mercedes-Benz GLE at-a-glance reliability comparison
MetricLand Rover Range Rover SportMercedes-Benz GLE
Reliability Score57/10067/100
Years Tracked98
Total Recalls17798
Complaints per 10k Sold56.40.6
Year Wins17

What Are the Common Problems With the Land Rover Range Rover Sport and Mercedes-Benz GLE?

Water and heat define the Mercedes pattern, while the Land Rover pattern is broader. In the GLE, water reaches the footwells and shorts wiring, and cylinder heads fail with misfires and limp mode, often near 50,000 miles with quoted repairs of $7,000 to $13,500. Its adaptive cruise also brakes hard for no reason. The Range Rover Sport sees screens go black, coolant pipes split at the seam, and power steering assist cut out mid-turn. Its dial shifter can leave park while the driver is stepping out, including a crash into a building. Steering has crash-linked reports on the Sport but none on the GLE. Service brakes have them on the GLE but not the Sport.

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Mercedes-Benz GLE common problem areas comparison
ComponentLand Rover Range Rover SportMercedes-Benz GLE
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM13.8Above Avg0.1Very Low
POWER TRAIN6.6Average0.1Very Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER6.6Average0.1Very Low
ENGINE4.8Average0.1Very Low
VISIBILITY/WIPER4.1Average—None
STEERING3.7Average—None
STRUCTURE1.9Low—None
AIR BAGS1.6Low—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING1.5Low—None
SUSPENSION1.3Low—None
SERVICE BRAKES0.7Very Low—None
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL0.7Very Low—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING0.7Very Low—None
SEAT BELTS0.4Very Low—None
VISIBILITY0.4Very Low—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES0.4Very Low—None
LANE DEPARTURE0.1Very Low—None
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM0.1Very Low—None
FUEL SYSTEM—None—None
TIRES—None—None
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE—None—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION—None—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Mercedes-Benz GLE Reliability Compare by Year?

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Mercedes-Benz GLE year-by-year reliability scores
YearLand Rover Range Rover SportMercedes-Benz GLEEdge
202675/1003R / 0C65/1001R / 3CLand Rover Range Rover Sport
202464/10022R / 47C70/1008R / 59CMercedes-Benz GLE
202352/10027R / 125C70/1005R / 29CMercedes-Benz GLE
202253/10023R / 94C68/10011R / 58CMercedes-Benz GLE
202153/10023R / 72C65/10022R / 76CMercedes-Benz GLE
202042/10037R / 138C61/10036R / 112CMercedes-Benz GLE
201956/10014R / 90C70/1006R / 22CMercedes-Benz GLE
201847/10019R / 167C69/1009R / 51CMercedes-Benz GLE

Best years to cross-shop: The 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Sport scored 64/100 and the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE scored 70/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs the Mercedes-Benz GLE?

Pick the GLE if you want the lower chance of a surprise. Aim for 2019, the last year of the third generation, or 2024, which carries the fourth-generation facelift. Both rank among its strongest years. Skip 2020, the first fourth-generation year, and 2026, which rank weakest. Ask for proof of any cylinder head work, and check the footwells for damp carpet before you buy. Pick the Range Rover Sport only if the driving experience matters more to you than low risk, and you accept the repair exposure. The 2025 and 2026 years rank strongest, though newer cars have had less time to collect complaints. Avoid 2020 and 2018, its weakest years. Before buying any year, ask whether the coolant crossover pipes near the supercharger have been replaced, since failures cluster between about 42,651 and 69,908 miles. Test the screens and the dial shifter on a long drive.

Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs Mercedes-Benz GLE: Common Questions

Is the Mercedes-Benz GLE more reliable than the Land Rover Range Rover Sport?
Yes, by a large gap. The GLE has a good reliability standing and the Range Rover Sport a mixed one. Owners reported 0.6 complaints per 10,000 GLEs sold against 56.4 for the Sport. The Sport also has more recalls and more crash-linked power train reports.
Which has more recalls, the GLE or the Range Rover Sport?
The Range Rover Sport has more. Federal recall records show 177 recalls across 9 model years for the Sport and 98 across 8 model years for the GLE. Recall counts grow with time on the road, but the Sport's total is still clearly higher.
What is the biggest problem with the Mercedes-Benz GLE?
Electrical trouble leads, mainly water getting into the footwells and shorting wiring. The most costly failure is the cylinder head, which brings misfires and limp mode, often near 50,000 miles. Quoted repairs ran from $7,000 to $13,500, and many cases landed after warranty ended.
What goes wrong with the Range Rover Sport most often?
Electrical complaints lead, mostly frozen or black screens that take climate, radio and backup camera controls with them. Engine trouble is the costly one. Plastic coolant pipes split at the seam, often at highway speed, and some cases end in a full engine replacement.
Is the Range Rover Sport dial shifter a safety concern?
Owners have reported it as one. In power train complaints, the car leaves park by itself and rolls or reverses while the driver door is open. One report describes a crash into a building with 2 injuries. The GLE has no similar pattern in this data.

Related Reliability Comparisons

Decided between Land Rover Range Rover Sport and Mercedes-Benz GLE? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Land Rover Range Rover Sport and Mercedes-Benz GLE

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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