Compare the2022 Buick EncoreVS 2022 Mercedes GLC Coupe

For enhanced safety, the front shoulder belts of the Buick Encore 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 Coupe has only front height-adjustable seat belts.

The Buick Encore has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

Both the Encore and the GLC Coupe 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, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, collision warning systems, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and with its optional front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Encore the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2016, a rating granted to only 207 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLC Coupe has not been tested, yet.

Buick’s powertrain warranty covers the Encore 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLC Coupe. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the GLC Coupe ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

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

There are over 5 times as many Buick dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Encore’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Encore’s reliability 20 points higher than the GLC Coupe.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick above average in initial quality. With 37 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Buick second in reliability, above the industry average. With 48 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Buick vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Buick fourth in overall reliability. Mercedes is ranked 20th.

On the EPA test cycle the Encore gets better mileage than the GLC Coupe:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Buick Encore uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GLC Coupe requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Encore 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 Coupe doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Buick Encore higher (7 out of 10) than the Mercedes GLC Coupe (6). This means the Encore produces up to 1.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the GLC Coupe every 15,000 miles.

The Encore stops much shorter than the GLC Coupe:

For better maneuverability, the Encore’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the GLC 300 Coupe’s (36.7 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The Buick Encore may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 750 pounds less than the Mercedes GLC Coupe.

The Encore is 1 foot, 2.9 inches shorter than the GLC Coupe, making the Encore easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Encore has liquid-filled engine mounts. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The GLC Coupe uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The Encore uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Encore has .7 inches more front headroom and .5 inches more rear headroom than the GLC Coupe.

The Encore has a much larger cargo volume than the GLC Coupe with its rear seat up (18.8 vs. 17.6 cubic feet).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Buick service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Buick fifth in service department satisfaction. With a 23% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Encore has a standard rear wiper. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Encore is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Insurance will cost less for the Encore owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Encore will cost $1725 to $1925 less than the GLC Coupe over a five-year period.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Encore is less expensive to operate than the GLC Coupe because it costs $346 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Encore than the GLC Coupe, including $499 less for a water pump, $236 less for a muffler, $13 less for front brake pads, $431 less for a starter, $452 less for fuel injection, $93 less for a fuel pump, $289 less for front struts and $746 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Buick Encore will be $20416 to $21167 less than for the Mercedes GLC Coupe.

The Buick Encore has won recognition from these important consumer publications:

The Buick Encore outsold the Mercedes GLC by 83% during the 2021 model year.