2024 Jeep Compass vs 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE

The 2024 Compass Sport carries over last year's major powertrain upgrade without any increase to the base price: $35,995. That's very close to the littlest Jeep, the Renegade, and more than $10,000 below the similarly sized Cherokee (and prices on those last two are from 2023 because both have been discontinued). It's also cheaper than a Ford Escape and many other compact SUVs but without the bargain-bin interior of older Compass models. While upper trims get too pricey for their britches, the base-model Compass we tested provides real value in an era where new-car prices increase every few months.

The 2024 Jeep Compass offers good tech and impressive safety features, and it arrives with a sub-$40,000 base MSRP. The Compass still lags behind some of the competition in terms of materials quality and performance. Now in its second year past a 2023 facelift, however, it’s many strides better than older iterations.

G-Wagens aside, the now-discontinued M-Class is what cemented Mercedes-Benz’s place in the SUV jungle. The descendant of that pioneering model is the 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLE, which continues as the automaker’s entry into a midsize luxury SUV segment populated by the Acura MDX, Audi Q7, BMW X5, Genesis GV80, and Lexus RX. Mercedes also sells a GLE Coupe that competes with the BMW X6. A new GLE 450 4Matic Coupe is available for 2025.

Verdict: The GLE is a solid luxury SUV for families, but its competition is equally good.