Compare the2023 Audi Q5 SportbackVS 2022 Mercedes GLC Coupe

Both the Q5 Sportback and GLC Coupe have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q5 Sportback 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 Coupe’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 Q5 Sportback 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 Coupe 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.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Q5 Sportback’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The Q5 Sportback’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the GLC Coupe.

Both the Q5 Sportback and the GLC Coupe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

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 Q5 Sportback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 92 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLC Coupe has not been tested, yet.

The Q5 Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GLC Coupe’s (12 vs. 5 years).

The Audi Q5 Sportback’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the GLC Coupe’s engine uses an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

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.

The Q5 Sportback’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 6 more horsepower (261 vs. 255) than the GLC Coupe’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the Q5 Sportback gets better fuel mileage than the GLC 300 Coupe (22 city/29 hwy vs. 21 city/27 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the Q5 Sportback’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Audi Q5 Sportback uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The GLC Coupe requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Q5 Sportback has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC Coupe (18.5 vs. 17.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Q5 Sportback 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 Coupe doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Q5 Sportback’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 Coupe doesn’t offer launch control.

The Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GLC Coupe’s optional 45 series front tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige offers optional 21-inch wheels. The GLC Coupe’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Q5 Sportback has 1.3 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear legroom and .7 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLC Coupe.

The Q5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLC Coupe with its rear seat up (24.7 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The Q5 Sportback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLC Coupe with its rear seat folded (51.9 vs. 49.4 cubic feet).

The Q5 Sportback’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the GLC Coupe’s (4400 vs. 3500 pounds).

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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Q5 Sportback has a standard rear wiper. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q5 Sportback Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer headlight washers.

Insurance will cost less for the Q5 Sportback owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Q5 Sportback with a number “5” insurance rate while the GLC Coupe is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Q5 Sportback is less expensive to operate than the GLC Coupe because it costs $91 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Q5 Sportback than the GLC Coupe, including $148 less for a water pump, $85 less for front brake pads, $86 less for fuel injection, $54 less for front struts and $749 less for a power steering pump.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q5 Sportback, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Audi Q5 outsold the Mercedes GLC by 25% during the 2021 model year.