Compare the2023 Subaru OutbackVS 2022 Mercedes GLC

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Outback 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 Outback (except Base/Premium) offers optional Reverse Automatic Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The GLC doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

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

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Outback’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The GLC doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Outback’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the GLC.

Both the Outback and the GLC have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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 blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

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

	Outback	GLC
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	57 lbs.	87 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	230/249 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 Subaru Outback is safer than the Mercedes GLC:

	Outback	GLC
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	28	69
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	101 lbs.	117 lbs.
Hip Force	247 lbs.	409 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	116	134
Hip Force	635 lbs.	784 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	146	206
Hip Force	674 lbs.	787 lbs.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Outback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLC has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Outback 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLC. 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 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 65 percent more Subaru dealers than there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Outback’s warranty.

Reliability

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 Outback’s reliability 21 points higher than the GLC.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 17 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

Engine

The Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 5 more horsepower (260 vs. 255) and 4 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 273) than the GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Outback XT/Wilderness 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mercedes GLC:

	Outback	GLC
Zero to 60 MPH	5.9 sec	6.9 sec
Quarter Mile	14.6 sec	15.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	95.9 MPH	89.6 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Outback lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The GLC doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Outback gets better mileage than the GLC:

			MPG
Outback
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/32 hwy
		XT 2.4 turbo flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
GLC
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy

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

The Outback has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC (18.5 vs. 17.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The Outback has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The GLC doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Outback stops shorter than the GLC:

	Outback	GLC
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Outback Wilderness/Onyx XT has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the GLC; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare or run-flat tires, either of which has mileage and speed limitations.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Outback’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the GLC’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Outback has a 3.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the GLC (8.7 vs. 5 inches), allowing the Outback to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Outback Wilderness’ minimum ground clearance is 4.5 inches higher than on the GLC (9.5 vs. 5 inches).

Chassis

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

Passenger Space

The Outback has 2.3 inches more front headroom, 2 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 2.2 inches more rear legroom and .9 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLC.

The front step up height for the Outback is 1 inches lower than the GLC (19” vs. 20”). The Outback’s rear step up height is 4 inches lower than the GLC’s (18.5” vs. 22.5”).

Cargo Capacity

The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLC with its rear seat up (32.6 vs. 19.4 cubic feet). The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLC with its rear seat folded (75.6 vs. 56.5 cubic feet).

The Outback’s cargo area is larger than the GLC’s in almost every dimension:

	Outback	GLC
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	42”/75”	36.6”/61.3”
Max Width	51”	49.4”
Min Width	43.3”	43.3”
Height	32.1”	31.1”

Ergonomics

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Outback’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Outback Base). The GLC doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Outback 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 Outback owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Outback will cost $880 to $3315 less than the GLC over a five-year period.

The Outback will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Outback will retain 52.14% to 55.07% of its original price after five years, while the GLC only retains 44.8% to 45.61%.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Outback is less expensive to operate than the GLC because typical repairs cost much less on the Outback than the GLC, including $490 less for a water pump, $576 less for a muffler, $181 less for front brake pads, $246 less for a starter, $336 less for fuel injection, $86 less for a fuel pump, $147 less for front struts and $915 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Outback will be $19501 to $21173 less than for the Mercedes GLC.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Outback, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Mercedes GLC isn't recommended.

The Subaru Outback outsold the Mercedes GLC by over two to one during 2022.