Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class vs Alfa Romeo Stelvio

The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class starts from $199,900 before on-road costs, while the Alfa Romeo Stelvio opens at $82,950. That makes the Alfa Romeo Stelvio the more affordable entry point by $116,950.

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 $219,890 and $91,245 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs favour the Alfa Romeo Stelvio by roughly $4,275 in fuel alone.

Both the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class and Alfa Romeo Stelvio hold a 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

Where the two diverge is in active safety technology. Both models are evenly matched with 7 out of 10 key ADAS systems.

Both include the essentials: autonomous emergency braking, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera. Airbag count is 9 in the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class and 6 in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class adds a 360-degree camera that the Alfa Romeo Stelvio misses.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class features a 12.3-inch touchscreen, while the Alfa Romeo Stelvio gets a 8.8-inch display. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class stands out with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, head-up display, wireless charging, panoramic roof and Burmester audio that you will not find on the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio counters with Apple CarPlay, ventilated seats and Harman Kardon audio. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class uses a Petrol producing 270kW and 500Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 5.9 seconds.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio responds with a Petrol making 206kW and 400Nm, paired to a automatic driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class has the clear power advantage at 270kW vs 206kW. In the real-world sprint, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is 0.2s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class measures 5,207mm long on a 3,135mm wheelbase, 521mm longer than the Alfa Romeo Stelvio at 4,686mm (2,818mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 680L in the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class and 525L in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, giving the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class a 155L advantage. The Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class seats 7 vs 5.

For towing, the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class leads with a 3,500kg braked capacity vs 1,814kg. That 1,686kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,993/year for the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class and $2,138/year for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. That is a $855 annual difference in favour of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

Estimated annual total: $2,993 (Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class) vs $2,138 (Alfa Romeo Stelvio). The Alfa Romeo Stelvio saves you roughly $855 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class) vs 5 years / 150,000km (Alfa Romeo Stelvio). Both match on warranty length.