Compare the2021 Cadillac XT5VS 2020 Mercedes GLC

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front shoulder belts of the Cadillac XT5 are height-adjustable, and the rear seat shoulder belts have child comfort guides to move the belt to properly fit children. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages children to buckle up. The Mercedes GLC has only front height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the XT5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GLC doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The GLC doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the XT5 Premium Luxury/Sport helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The GLC doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the XT5 and the GLC have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Cadillac XT5 is safer than the Mercedes GLC:

	XT5	GLC
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	20 lbs.	87 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	122/416 lbs.	378/445 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Cadillac XT5 is safer than the Mercedes GLC:

	XT5	GLC
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
Hip Force	184 lbs.	409 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	46 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	12 inches	13 inches
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	40 G’s

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

Cadillac’s powertrain warranty covers the XT5 2 years and 20,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLC. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the GLC ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

The XT5’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the GLC’s (6 vs. 5 years).

There are over 2 times as many Cadillac dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the XT5’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the XT5 has a standard 170-amp alternator (155-amp - XT5 V6 without Towing Package). The GLC’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2020 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Cadillac vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac 14th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 40 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 30th, below the industry average.

Engine

The XT5’s optional 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 55 more horsepower (310 vs. 255) than the GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Cadillac XT5 V6 is faster than the Mercedes GLC:

	XT5	GLC
Zero to 60 MPH	6.4 sec	6.9 sec
Quarter Mile	15 sec	15.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	91.4 MPH	89.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the XT5’s fuel efficiency. The GLC doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Cadillac XT5 uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine for maximum performance). The GLC requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The XT5 FWD’s standard fuel tank has 2 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC (19.4 vs. 17.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The XT5 AWD’s standard fuel tank has 4.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC (21.7 vs. 17.4 gallons).

The XT5 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GLC doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Environmental Friendliness

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Cadillac XT5 higher (6 out of 10) than the Mercedes GLC (5). This means the XT5 produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the GLC every 15,000 miles.

Brakes and Stopping

The XT5 stops much shorter than the GLC:

	XT5	GLC
60 to 0 MPH	111 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Cadillac XT5’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Mercedes GLC only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The XT5 offers an optional space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the GLC; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XT5 is 1 inch wider in the front and 1.1 inches wider in the rear than on the GLC.

The XT5 AWD handles at .82 G’s, while the GLC 300 4MATIC pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For greater off-road capability the XT5 has a 2.8 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the GLC (7.8 vs. 5 inches), allowing the XT5 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The XT5 has 1.9 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front legroom, 1 inch more front shoulder room and 1.7 inches more rear legroom than the GLC.

Cargo Capacity

The XT5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLC with its rear seat up (30.2 vs. 19.4 cubic feet). The XT5 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLC with its rear seat folded (63 vs. 56.5 cubic feet).

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Cadillac service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Cadillac third in service department satisfaction. With a 10% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked fifth.

Ergonomics

The XT5’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The GLC does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XT5 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the GLC only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the XT5 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the XT5 will cost $480 less than the GLC over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XT5 is less expensive to operate than the GLC because typical repairs cost much less on the XT5 than the GLC, including $336 less for a water pump, $145 less for front brake pads, $284 less for a starter, $122 less for fuel injection, $163 less for a fuel pump, $319 less for front struts and $429 less for a power steering pump.

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