New Range Rover vs BMW iX vs Mercedes G-Class: practicality

The iconic Range Rover has been renewed, but does this latest iteration have the right stuff? To find out, we’re pitting it against disparate luxury SUV rivals from BMW and Mercedes...

Lawrence Cheung

Published11 October 2022

Space and practicality

Front space, rear space, seating flexibility, boot

You’d have to be incredibly tall to struggle for space in the front of these luxury SUVs; each offers plenty of head and leg room for occupants well over six feet tall. The BMW iX, with its low dashboard and long, sloping front windscreen, feels the airiest, and while the Mercedes G-Class is the narrowest here by quite some margin, the front occupants would have to be very broad to bash elbows over its centre armrest.

All three offer plenty of storage space for phones and drinks up front, and the iX’s flat floor means there’s room for a small bag to be stowed between the front occupants. But the Range Rover wins in terms of storage capacity, with much deeper cubbies and two gloveboxes (rather than one) ahead of the passenger.

When it comes to rear head and leg room, none of our trio disappoints, but the Range Rover’s extra internal width makes it the most accommodating for three passengers sitting abreast. It has less of a hump in the floor than the G-Class, too, so the middle passenger will have no problem finding space for their feet.

The iX may have the flattest floor, but it provides the least foot space underneath its front seats, so it can feel a little restrictive when you want to stretch out in the back. Its rear seat bases are also closest to the floor, so passengers sit with their knees raised closer to their chins than in the others.

Our trio are more evenly matched when it comes to rear storage space, with map pockets on the backs of the front seats, door bins big enough for a drinks bottle and a pair of cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest.

All three cars have large boots with wide apertures that offer plenty of space for luggage on a family holiday. The Range Rover’s is the biggest, though, managing to absorb 10 carry-on suitcases with ease below its load cover. On paper, the iX offers less boot capacity than the G-Class, but we managed to squeeze in an extra suitcase (eight in total). The G-Class’s boot is relatively short from front to back; to make the most of the space it offers, you’ll have to stack items up high.

The iX’s hatchback boot is the easiest to access, while the other two are compromised; the G-Class requires a lot more space behind to fully open its side-hinged tailgate, while the Range Rover’s split tailgate means you have to stretch over the lower section in order to reach your luggage.

The rear seatbacks in all three cars can be reclined if passengers are looking to relax on a long journey. Those in the iX and Range Rover split in a versatile 40/20/40 configuration, and you can fold them down electrically with the press of a button. The Range Rover goes step one further in terms of convenience, enabling you to do so from the front seats via the touchscreen. You can also select Chauffeur mode, which moves the front passenger seat forward to maximise leg room for the occupant sitting behind it.

The G-Class, meanwhile, offers only 60/40 split rear seats, and they fold manually. However, its rear seat base tips forwards so the backrest can be folded down completely flat; the other two leave slight slopes in their boot floors when the seats are down.