Compare the2023 Mercedes GLC CoupeVS 2023 Land Rover Discovery

The GLC Coupe’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Discovery doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes GLC Coupe are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Land Rover Discovery doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

The Mercedes GLC Coupe has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Discovery doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The GLC Coupe has standard NECK-PRO front head restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the NECK-PRO front head restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Discovery doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The GLC Coupe offers an optional Post Collision Brake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Discovery 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 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 Discovery doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Both the GLC Coupe and the Discovery have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, 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, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available lane departure warning systems.

There are almost 2 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much 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 Land Rover vehicles. With 4 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Land Rover.

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 Land Rover With 89 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Land Rover.

On the EPA test cycle the GLC Coupe gets better mileage than the Discovery:

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLC Coupe, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Discovery.

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 Discovery 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 Discovery doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The GLC 300 Coupe handles at .79 G’s, while the Discovery R-Dynamic S pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The GLC 300 Coupe executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Discovery R-Dynamic S (27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .6 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the GLC 300 Coupe’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the Discovery’s (38.7 feet vs. 40.7 feet).

The Mercedes GLC Coupe may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 to 1200 pounds less than the Land Rover Discovery.

The GLC Coupe is 11.8 inches shorter than the Discovery, making the GLC Coupe easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GLC Coupe is 7.2 inches narrower than the Discovery, making the GLC Coupe easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The GLC Coupe is 10.4 inches shorter in height than the Discovery, making the GLC Coupe much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

The design of the Mercedes GLC Coupe amounts to more than styling. The GLC Coupe has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .33 Cd. That is lower than the Discovery (.36) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLC Coupe get better fuel mileage.

The GLC Coupe has a much larger cargo volume than the Discovery with its rear seat up (17.6 vs. 9.1 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the GLC Coupe. The Discovery doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

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. An easy entry system costs extra on the Discovery.

If the windows are left open on the GLC Coupe the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Discovery can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the GLC Coupe to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. Heated windshield washer nozzles cost extra on the Discovery.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the GLC Coupe offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Discovery doesn’t offer cornering lights. The GLC Coupe also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the GLC Coupe has standard extendable sun visors. The Discovery doesn’t offer extendable visors.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the GLC Coupe to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Discovery doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

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 Discovery 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 Discovery’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 Discovery has never been chosen.

The Mercedes GLC outsold the Land Rover Discovery by over 48 to one during 2022.