Compare the2023 Mercedes GLCVS 2023 Dodge Hornet

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Mercedes GLC have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Dodge Hornet doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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 Hornet doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the GLC and Hornet have rear cross-traffic warning, but the GLC has Active Brake Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Hornet’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the GLC and the Hornet have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

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 Hornet’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

On the EPA test cycle the GLC gets better mileage than the Hornet running its gasoline engine:

The GLC has 6.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Hornet R/T’s standard fuel tank (17.4 vs. 11.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The GLC has 3.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Hornet GT’s standard fuel tank (17.4 vs. 13.5 gallons).

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

The GLC’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Hornet are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the GLC has larger standard tires than the Hornet (235/60R18 vs. 215/60R17). The GLC’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Hornet (F:255/45R20 & R:285/40R20 vs. 235/40R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLC has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Hornet GT.

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 Hornet doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLC’s wheelbase is 9.3 inches longer than on the Hornet (113.1 inches vs. 103.8 inches).

The GLC has 2.5 inches more front headroom, 4.7 inches more front hip room, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom, 4.8 inches more rear hip room and 1.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Hornet.

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

The GLC has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Hornet with its rear seat folded (59.3 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

The GLC’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Hornet’s (5291 vs. 2000 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 Hornet doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The engine in the GLC is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Hornet. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat optional at extra cost in the Hornet, 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 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 Hornet doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the GLC offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Hornet doesn’t offer cornering lights.

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

When the GLC is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Hornet’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The GLC’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Hornet offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The GLC has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the Hornet. The GLC also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Hornet.

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 Hornet.

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 Hornet 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 Hornet’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

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

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