Compare the2023 Mercedes GLC CoupeVS 2023 Audi A4 Allroad

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The GLC Coupe has a standard Maneuvering Brake Function that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The GLC Coupe has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the A4 Allroad’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GLC Coupe has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Active Brake Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the A4 Allroad.

The GLC Coupe’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GLC Coupe and the A4 Allroad 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, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras and available lane departure warning systems.

There are over 25 percent more Mercedes dealers than there are Audi dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the GLC Coupe’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 50 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 37 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Audi.

The GLC Coupe has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the A4 Allroad (17.4 vs. 15.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes GLC Coupe higher (6 out of 10) than the Audi A4 Allroad (5). This means the GLC Coupe produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the A4 Allroad every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLC Coupe, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the A4 Allroad.

For better stopping power the GLC Coupe’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the A4 Allroad:

For better traction, the GLC Coupe’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the A4 Allroad (F:255/45R20 & R:285/40R20 vs. 245/45R18).

The GLC Coupe’s optional 285/40R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the A4 Allroad’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLC Coupe has standard 19-inch wheels. Only 18-inch wheels are available on the A4 Allroad. The GLC Coupe offers optional 20-inch wheels.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the GLC Coupe can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The GLC Coupe’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLC Coupe’s wheelbase is 2.2 inches longer than on the A4 Allroad (113.1 inches vs. 110.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLC Coupe is 1.8 inches wider in the front and 2 inches wider in the rear than on the A4 Allroad.

The GLC Coupe is 4.2 inches shorter than the A4 Allroad, making the GLC Coupe easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GLC Coupe has 1.5 inches more front headroom, 1.4 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 1.5 inches more rear legroom and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the A4 Allroad.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GLC Coupe’s rear seats recline. The A4 Allroad’s rear seats don’t recline.

Optional Trailer Stability Assist on the GLC Coupe uses the Electronic Stability Program sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The GLC Coupe has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors optional at extra cost in the A4 Allroad, the GLC Coupe offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The GLC Coupe’s standard easy entry and exit feature raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The A4 Allroad’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The GLC Coupe’s optional adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The GLC Coupe offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The A4 Allroad doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The GLC Coupe’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The A4 Allroad Prestige’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Motor Trend selected the GLC Coupe as their 2017 Sport Utility of the Year. The A4 Allroad has never been chosen.

The Mercedes GLC outsold the Audi A4/S4 by over four to one during 2022.