SUV Comparison: 2021 Lexus RX 350 and 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350

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The typical crossover is all about utility, comfort, and the flexibility needed for a family or an active lifestyle. There is a small box up front for the engine and a big box out back for the occupants, although that format is shifting with the advent of “couped” crossovers. In the case of the Lexus RX 350 and Mercedes-Benz GLE 350, both add an upscale swagger to the basics that puts them squarely in the luxury category.

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A week with these two proved they have just one thing in common — the “three-five-zero” found on the liftgate. Other than this, these two highly desirable crossovers are polar opposites. Here, curmudgeonly Graeme Fletcher and upwardly-mobile Renita Naraine compare their thoughts on the two and which of them has the winning formula.

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SUV Comparison: 2021 Lexus RX 350 and 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 Back to video

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The Lexus RX 350 Black Line arrived with an as-tested price of $65,500; the Mercedes-Benz GLE 350 had an as-tested sticker of $79,000.

Graeme Fletcher: The biggest difference, style aside (and without a rant about the left turn into left field Lexus has taken), is the approach to the infotainment system. In the case of the GLE, the two 12.3-inch screens for the instrumentation and infotainment meld together to form one cohesive unit that works well. It’s a seamless package that can be operated through steering wheel-mounted controls or a console-mounted touch-pad.

The RX 350’s 12.3-inch infotainment screen has a clean design, but trying to control the mouse-like icon through the console-mounted touch pad proved to be a challenge when parked; it was almost impossible when driving. The delicate touch required reminded me of the little red button buried in the keyboard of early computers. Mercifully, there is a saving grace — the screen is touch-sensitive and there are Menu, Map, and Back hard buttons ahead of the touch-pad, which gives it a passing grade — barely.

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Renita Naraine: Well, I’ve never been a huge fan of Toyota’s infotainment system and layout and, I guess, Lexus got the crappy end of that, too. It’s not horrible, but it’s just not up to standards, in my opinion. The touch-pad in the RX 350 is extremely pointless, and I agree with you, very difficult to use. Meanwhile, I kind of appreciate the mini-controls in the GLE; the little touchpads remind me of the ones on the old BlackBerry phones (I miss those) and it’s also easier to access since it’s on the steering wheel and not in between the driver and front passenger’s seats.

I found that the GLE was better equipped in most of its features and technology; it felt like it had more luxury than the Lexus. My kids had way too much fun with the ambient lighting — who needs fireworks when you’ve got all the lights in the car?

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Speaking of kids, it was a whole lot easier for me to fit my three car seats into the GLE than the RX 350. The Benz is actually a bit bigger overall with dimensions of 1,999 mm in width and 1,794 mm in height (not that the height will ever be an issue for me); meanwhile the Lexus has a width of 1,895 mm and 1,720 mm in height. The extra width is greatly appreciated from the inside; it meant not having to struggle to find a seat belt for my middle passenger in a booster seat.

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And when it comes to cargo space, I need a huge trunk that can not only fit my stroller, but it needs room for a week’s worth of groceries to feed the eight mouths in my household. Again, the GLE has more space, but the RX 350 wasn’t horrible with space in the trunk. Though the Lexus has just over 100 L less space in the trunk, it still managed to hold all my essentials.

What did you think of the interior?

GF: I loved the look of the Mercedes-Benz — the cockpit design really is the crown jewel. That said, the dainty shifter lever felt fragile, so I worried I would break it off in my bear paws! My beef with the RX was it felt busy. Everything needed thinking about rather than coming naturally.

Up front, I thought seat comfort was a tie with both featuring nicely bolstered bucket seats. The disappointment was the faux leather. The GLE’s Artico is as tacky as the RX’s NuLuxe. Both lack the quality and feel of the real stuff. Given the prices here, leather should be the order of the day. However, I was reminded by my wife the plasticized covering is better for a young family — one wipe cures all!

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I agree with you about the size — the GLE’s width and the more squared-off nature of the rear roofline opened up a lot more usable space. It also brought cleaner sightlines than the RX 350’s edgy design.

I’ll let you lead off with the driving experience.

RN: I’d have to agree with your wife on that one, Graeme. I would much rather have my kids make a mess on fake leather, but also true that for a luxury vehicle’s price tag, it should come with the fancy stuff — that I would instantly cover with some kind of seat protector.

As for the drive, they’re both luxury cars and you can definitely feel the added power. After testing some non-luxury SUVs for a few weeks, I can definitely say that there was a major difference from the moment I started driving the Lexus. It felt smooth and easy to handle, almost like I was floating.

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That being said, I preferred the Benz’s drive. It felt heavier, but just as smooth. I also found the seats a bit more comfy in the GLE; the RX’s bucket seats lacked some cushioning and I felt it on a few bumps and potholes. I know it’s meant to be sporty, and for the most part it’s smooth, but at the end of the day I’m not racing, I’m driving on normal — bumpy — roads in the GTA. I guess you’d be better at diving into the details of the drive and why it might feel the way it does.

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GF : I agree with you, Renita, about the composure both bring to their respective drives. They are very comfortable, long-distance cruisers that don’t complain when the road starts to twist. The difference, for me, boiled down to the smoothness in the delivery of power. I preferred the RX’s 3.5L V6 as it seemed less lumpy, which brought a more refined feel. My beef with the Benz was the turbo-four seemed to get annoyed (gruff-sounding) when it was forced to work. About town, this was not an issue, but running down an on-ramp trying to get up to speed it just felt like I was asking too much. I did, however, like the GLE’s turbocharged mid-range. It had an edge over the V6 in this regard. This shows up in the run to 100 kilometres an hour — at 7.1 seconds, the GLE is two-tenths crisper then the RX.

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No question the GLE likes a twisty road more than the RX, although the Black Line Edition’s F Sport performance dampers do a better job of keeping body roll at bay than the base suspension. Again, in both cases, the steering effort is light, the response is precise, and the feed-back commendable. I did smile when I found a G-Force meter in the RX’s dash. It is, in a word, superfluous!

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So, to the big question, Renita, which would you park in your driveway and why?

RN : I wish I could say it was a close call, but it’s so far from that. There’s no doubt in my mind I would choose the GLE, except I don’t want to park it on my driveway; I want to drive it everywhere. My main priority is space, and the GLE has a bit more. I’ve always had a soft spot for RX 350s, because I do actually really like them (minus the ugly, in-your-face grille, and the colour of the tested Lexus). However, with such similar starting prices, I think the GLE has so much more to offer in luxury, comfort, and overall features.

Are we on the same page, or at least in the same chapter? Which luxury vehicle was your favourite of these two?

GF: Renita, I think it’s fair to say we are on the same page. I enjoyed the RX 350 for its drive, comfort, and smooth V6 engine. I did not care for the infotainment system. Like you, I felt the GLE was a better overall package, especially in terms of the cabin layout and the crisper handling. The turn-off was the $9,100 in options on the tester; some were nice, but none were game-changers. Give me the base GLE 350 ($69,900) and I’m a happy camper.