Compare the2023 Mercedes GLCVS 2023 Subaru Outback

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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

The GLC offers an optional Surround View System to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Outback only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

The GLC 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 Outback’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GLC has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Active Brake Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. Subaru charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Outback and its not available on the Base and the Outback’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert does not include automatic braking.

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

Warranty

The GLC comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Outback’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Reliability

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 Subaru vehicles. With 2 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Subaru.

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 Subaru With 31 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Subaru.

Engine

The GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 73 more horsepower (255 vs. 182) and 119 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 176) than the Outback 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 18 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 277) than the Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Mercedes GLC is faster than the Outback XT/Wilderness 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder:

	GLC	Outback
Zero to 60 MPH	5.7 sec	5.8 sec
Quarter Mile	14.4 sec	14.6 sec
Top Speed	130 MPH	117 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

			MPG
GLC
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	25 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/31 hwy
Outback
	AWD	XT 2.4 turbo flat-4	22 city/29 hwy
		Wilderness 2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/26 hwy

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

Brakes and Stopping

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

	GLC	GLC	Outback
Front Rotors	13.5 inches	14.6 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12.6 inches	12.6 inches	11.8 inches

The GLC stops much shorter than the Outback:

	GLC	Outback
70 to 0 MPH	161 feet	191 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GLC has larger standard tires than the Outback (235/60R18 vs. 225/65R17). The GLC’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Outback (F:255/45R20 & R:285/40R20 vs. 225/65R17).

The GLC’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Outback’s standard 65 series tires. The GLC’s optional 255/45R20 front and 285/40R20 rear tires have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile than the Outback Onyx/Limited/Touring’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLC has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Outback. The GLC’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels on the Outback Onyx/Limited/Touring.

Suspension and Handling

The GLC has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Outback doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLC’s wheelbase is 5 inches longer than on the Outback (113.1 inches vs. 108.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLC is 2 inches wider in the front and 1.7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Outback.

The GLC 300 4MATIC handles at .88 G’s, while the Outback Wilderness pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

The GLC is 5.6 inches shorter than the Outback Wilderness, making the GLC easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The GLC has 1.2 inches more front headroom, 3.5 inches more front hip room, .6 inches more rear headroom and 3.5 inches more rear hip room than the Outback.

Cargo Capacity

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the GLC’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Outback doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Towing

The GLC’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Outback’s (5291 vs. 2700 pounds).

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the GLC 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 Outback doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

The GLC uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Outback uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Outback Limited/Touring, the GLC 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’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 Outback doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The GLC offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Outback doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the GLC and the Outback have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the GLC is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outback prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

The GLC’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Outback’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the GLC 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 Outback can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLC’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Outback’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The GLC’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Subaru only offers heated mirrors on the Outback Premium/Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx.

The GLC has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Outback Premium/Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx.

Both the GLC and the Outback offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the GLC has available rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Outback doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes GLC has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Outback and isn’t available on the Outback Base.

The GLC 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 Outback doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The GLC’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 Outback doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

The GLC is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Outback doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Recommendations

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