Compare the2023 Land Rover DiscoveryVS 2022 Mercedes GLC

Both the Discovery and GLC have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Discovery 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.

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

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

The Discovery’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 Discovery and the GLC have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, 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 driver alert monitors.

The Land Rover Discovery weighs 974 to 1379 pounds more than the Mercedes GLC. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

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

The Discovery’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 41 more horsepower (296 vs. 255) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 273) than the GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Discovery P360’s optional 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid produces 100 more horsepower (355 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 Discovery P360 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Mercedes GLC:

The Discovery has 6.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC (23.8 vs. 17.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

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

For better traction, the Discovery has larger standard tires than the GLC (255/55R20 vs. 235/60R18). The Discovery’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GLC (285/40R22 vs. 255/45R20).

The Discovery’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GLC’s standard 60 series tires. The Discovery’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the GLC’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Discovery has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 18-inch wheels are standard on the GLC. The Discovery’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the GLC.

The Discovery offers an optional 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.

The front and rear suspension of the Discovery 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 Discovery 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 or off-road. The GLC’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Discovery has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Discovery’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 Discovery’s wheelbase is 2 inches longer than on the GLC (115.1 inches vs. 113.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Discovery is 2.7 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than on the GLC.

For greater off-road capability the Discovery has a 6.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the GLC (11.1 vs. 5 inches), allowing the Discovery to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Discovery has standard seating for 7 passengers; the GLC can only carry 5.

The Discovery has 1.6 inches more front headroom, 3.1 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, .1 inches more rear legroom and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLC.

Flexibility is maximized at the game, campground or a drive-in theatre in the Discovery when its optional tailgating rear seats are deployed, allowing people to sit facing out of the liftgate. (Do not use while vehicle is in motion.) The GLC doesn’t offer tailgating seats.

The Discovery’s cargo area provides more volume than the GLC.

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

The Discovery’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the GLC’s (5925 vs. 3500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Mercedes GLC is only 3500 pounds. The Discovery offers up to a 8200 lbs. towing capacity.

Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) is standard on the Discovery, using the Dynamic Stability Control 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.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Discovery 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.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Discovery HSE/Metropolitan offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLC doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The Discovery HSE/Metropolitan has standard front air conditioned seats and the Discovery offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The GLC doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Discovery HSE/Metropolitan 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 Land Rover Discovery has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the GLC.

The Discovery will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Discovery will retain 50.7% to 50.86% of its original price after five years, while the GLC only retains 44.8% to 45.61%.