BMW 8 Series vs Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

The BMW 8 Series starts from $294,900 before on-road costs, while the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class opens at $199,900. That makes the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class the more affordable entry point by $95,000.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $324,390 and $219,890 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class by roughly $4,135 in fuel alone.

ANCAP safety ratings have not been published for both models yet. We will update this section when crash test results are available.

The BMW 8 Series features a 10.3-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class gets a 12.3-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The BMW 8 Series stands out with heated front seats, ventilated seats and Bowers & Wilkins audio that you will not find on the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class counters with Burmester audio and ambient lighting. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the BMW 8 Series gets vernasca leather upholstery while the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class offers nappa leather.

The BMW 8 Series uses a Petrol producing 390kW and 750Nm of torque, sent through a auto to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 3.9 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class responds with a Petrol making 270kW and 750Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 6.1 seconds.

The BMW 8 Series has the clear power advantage at 390kW vs 270kW. In the real-world sprint, the BMW 8 Series is 2.2s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The BMW 8 Series measures 5,082mm long on a 3,023mm wheelbase, 133mm shorter than the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class at 5,215mm (3,135mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 440L in the BMW 8 Series and 355L in the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, giving the BMW 8 Series a 85L advantage. The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class seats 7 vs 4.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $3,050/year for the BMW 8 Series and $2,223/year for the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. That is a $827 annual difference in favour of the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class.

Estimated annual total: $3,050 (BMW 8 Series) vs $2,223 (Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class). The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class saves you roughly $827 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (BMW 8 Series) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class). Both match on warranty length.