Compare the2023 GMC TerrainVS 2022 Mercedes GLC

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
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 Terrain 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.

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

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

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

	Terrain	GLC
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	17%	23%
Neck Compression	10 lbs.	87 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	363/349 lbs.	378/445 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.7 inches
Neck Compression	51 lbs.	115 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 GMC Terrain is safer than the Mercedes GLC:

	Terrain	GLC
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	357 lbs.	409 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	630 lbs.	784 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	40 G’s	40 G’s
Hip Force	730 lbs.	787 lbs.

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

Warranty

GMC’s powertrain warranty covers the Terrain 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.

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

There are over 4 times as many GMC dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Terrain’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Terrain third among compact suvs in their 2022 Initial Quality Study. The GLC isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that GMC vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks GMC above average in initial quality. With 27 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 long-term dependability statistics that show that GMC vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes With 3 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks GMC higher than Mercedes.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that GMC vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks GMC 4 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
Terrain
	FWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/29 hwy
	AWD	1.5 turbo 4-cyl.	24 city/28 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 GMC Terrain uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GLC requires premium, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

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

Environmental Friendliness

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

Tires and Wheels

The Terrain has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The GLC doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

For better maneuverability, the Terrain w/17” wheels’ turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the GLC’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Terrain SLE has a 1.9 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the GLC (6.9 vs. 5 inches), allowing the Terrain to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Terrain SLT/AT4/Denali’s minimum ground clearance is 2.9 inches higher than on the GLC (7.9 vs. 5 inches).

Chassis

The GMC Terrain may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 200 to 350 pounds less than the Mercedes GLC.

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

Passenger Space

The Terrain has 2.2 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom and 2.4 inches more rear legroom than the GLC.

Cargo Capacity

The Terrain has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLC with its rear seat up (29.6 vs. 19.4 cubic feet). The Terrain has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLC with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 56.5 cubic feet).

Towing

Trailer Sway Control is standard on the Terrain, using the StabiliTrak® sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the GLC.

Ergonomics

The Terrain’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The GLC does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Terrain 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 Terrain owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Terrain will cost $460 to $2665 less than the GLC over a five-year period.

The Terrain will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Terrain will retain 48.41% to 52.67% 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 Terrain is less expensive to operate than the GLC because typical repairs cost much less on the Terrain than the GLC, including $385 less for a water pump, $30 less for front brake pads, $240 less for a starter, $86 less for fuel injection, $326 less for front struts and $484 less for a power steering pump.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the GMC Terrain will be $5636 to $17962 less than for the Mercedes GLC.

Recommendations

The GMC Terrain outsold the Mercedes GLC by 21% during the 2021 model year.

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