Compare the2023 Audi A6 AllroadVS 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
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Both the A6 Allroad and GLC have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The A6 Allroad has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The GLC’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Audi A6 Allroad 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 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The A6 Allroad has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The GLC doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The A6 Allroad Prestige has a standard backup collision prevention system 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the A6 Allroad. But it costs extra on the GLC.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the A6 Allroad’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The GLC doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the A6 Allroad Prestige 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.

The A6 Allroad’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 A6 Allroad 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 and rear cross-path warning.

The Audi A6 Allroad weighs 595 to 705 pounds more than the Mercedes GLC. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Audi A6 Allroad is safer than the Mercedes GLC:

	A6 Allroad	GLC
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	64 lbs.	87 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	292/435 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 Audi A6 Allroad is safer than the Mercedes GLC:

	A6 Allroad	GLC
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Movement	.9 inches	.9 inches
Hip Force	262 lbs.	409 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	43 G’s	46 G’s
Hip Force	716 lbs.	784 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	40 G’s
Hip Force	514 lbs.	787 lbs.

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

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the A6 Allroad its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 89 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLC has not been fully tested, yet.

Warranty

The A6 Allroad’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GLC’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 6 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

Engine

The A6 Allroad’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 80 more horsepower (335 vs. 255) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (369 vs. 273) than the GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Audi A6 Allroad is faster than the Mercedes GLC:

	A6 Allroad	GLC
Zero to 60 MPH	5.1 sec	6.9 sec
Quarter Mile	13.7 sec	15.2 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	102.8 MPH	89.6 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the A6 Allroad gets better mileage than the GLC:

			MPG
A6 Allroad
	AWD	3.0 turbo V6 Hybrid	21 city/30 hwy
GLC
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/27 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the A6 Allroad’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GLC doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The A6 Allroad has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC (19.3 vs. 17.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

The A6 Allroad offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The GLC doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The A6 Allroad’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The GLC doesn’t offer launch control.

Brakes and Stopping

For better stopping power the A6 Allroad’s brake rotors are larger than those on the GLC:

	A6 Allroad	GLC
Front Rotors	14.8 inches	13.5 inches
Rear Rotors	13 inches	12.6 inches

The A6 Allroad stops shorter than the GLC:

	A6 Allroad	GLC
60 to 0 MPH	119 feet	126 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the A6 Allroad has larger tires than the GLC (245/45R20 vs. 235/60R18).

The A6 Allroad’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GLC’s standard 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the A6 Allroad has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the GLC.

Suspension and Handling

The front and rear suspension of the A6 Allroad uses air springs for a smoother, controlled ride than the GLC, which uses coil springs. Air springs maintain proper ride height and ride more smoothly.

The A6 Allroad has a standard driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads. The GLC’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The A6 Allroad has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The A6 Allroad’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The GLC doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the A6 Allroad’s wheelbase is 2.1 inches longer than on the GLC (115.2 inches vs. 113.1 inches).

The A6 Allroad Prestige handles at .82 G’s, while the GLC 300 4MATIC pulls only .80 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The A6 Allroad Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the GLC 300 4MATIC (26.5 seconds @ .68 average G’s vs. 27.3 seconds @ .65 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the A6 Allroad Premium Plus has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the GLC (6.1 vs. 5 inches), allowing the A6 Allroad to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The A6 Allroad Prestige’s minimum ground clearance is 2.3 inches higher than on the GLC (7.3 vs. 5 inches).

Chassis

The design of the Audi A6 Allroad amounts to more than styling. The A6 Allroad has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is significantly lower than the GLC (.35) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the A6 Allroad get better fuel mileage.

Passenger Space

The A6 Allroad has .5 inches more front headroom, .5 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear headroom and .1 inches more rear legroom than the GLC.

Cargo Capacity

The A6 Allroad has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLC with its rear seat up (30 vs. 19.4 cubic feet). The A6 Allroad has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLC with its rear seat folded (63.8 vs. 56.5 cubic feet).

A low lift-over trunk design makes loading and unloading the A6 Allroad easier. The A6 Allroad’s trunk lift-over height is 27 inches, while the GLC’s liftover is 28.8 inches.

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Mercedes. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 16% lower rating, Mercedes is ranked 18th.

Ergonomics

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The A6 Allroad has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLC doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The A6 Allroad has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the GLC.

The A6 Allroad Prestige offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the GLC.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Audi A6 Allroad has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the GLC.

The A6 Allroad Prestige’s Park Assist Plus can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist Plus will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The GLC’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Audi A6 Allroad and the Mercedes GLC, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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