Compare the2022 Mercedes GLC CoupeVS 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes GLC Coupe have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Jeep Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer pretensioners for the rear seat belts.

The GLC Coupe’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GLC Coupe. But it costs extra on the Grand Cherokee.

The GLC Coupe has a standard Surround View System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Grand Cherokee only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

The GLC Coupe’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GLC Coupe and the Grand Cherokee have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available lane departure warning systems.

The GLC Coupe comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Grand Cherokee’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the GLC Coupe has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Grand Cherokee.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Mercedes 15th in reliability. With 19 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 24th.

The GLC Coupe’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 13 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 260) than the Grand Cherokee’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Mercedes GLC Coupe is faster than the Jeep Grand Cherokee V6:

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLC Coupe, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Grand Cherokee.

The GLC Coupe’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Grand Cherokee’s standard 60 series tires. The GLC Coupe’s optional 255/45R20 front and 285/40R20 rear tires have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile than the Grand Cherokee’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLC Coupe has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the Grand Cherokee.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the GLC Coupe can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The GLC Coupe’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The GLC 300 Coupe handles at .79 G’s, while the Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The GLC 300 Coupe executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.2 seconds quicker than the Grand Cherokee Summit 4x4 (27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

The Mercedes GLC Coupe may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 1300 pounds less than the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The GLC Coupe is 6.5 inches shorter than the Grand Cherokee, making the GLC Coupe easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Mercedes GLC Coupe amounts to more than styling. The GLC Coupe has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Grand Cherokee (.371) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLC Coupe get better fuel mileage.

Pressing a switch automatically lowers the GLC Coupe’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the GLC Coupe’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Mercedes service is better than Jeep. J.D. Power ranks Mercedes 6th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 47% lower rating, Jeep is ranked 28th.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Grand Cherokee Limited/Trailhawk/Overland/Summit, the GLC Coupe offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The GLC Coupe offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The GLC Coupe’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch or automatically. The Grand Cherokee’s parking brake has to be released manually.

The GLC Coupe’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Grand Cherokee’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the GLC Coupe the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Grand Cherokee can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLC Coupe’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Grand Cherokee’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the GLC Coupe to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the GLC Coupe offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer cornering lights.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes GLC offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The GLC Coupe’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The Grand Cherokee’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

and e Mercedes GLC comes in four door bodystyles; the Jeep Grand Cherokee isn’t available as a .

The GLC Coupe will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the GLC Coupe will retain 52.83% of its original price after five years, while the Grand Cherokee only retains 48.05% to 52.75%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the GLC Coupe is less expensive to operate than the Grand Cherokee because typical repairs cost much less on the GLC Coupe than the Grand Cherokee, including $1 less for a muffler and $564 less for a timing belt/chain.

Motor Trend selected the GLC Coupe as their 2017 Sport Utility of the Year. The Grand Cherokee was Truck of the Year in 1993.