Compare the2024 Volvo XC40VS 2023 Mercedes GLC Coupe

Both the XC40 and GLC Coupe have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC40 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 Coupe’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.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the XC40 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the XC40’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The XC40’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 Coupe.

Both the XC40 and the GLC Coupe 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC40 the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 231 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLC Coupe has not been tested, yet.

The XC40’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GLC Coupe’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC40 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Volvo will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the GLC Coupe.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the XC40’s reliability 27 points higher than the GLC Coupe.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Volvo vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Volvo 10 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

On the EPA test cycle the XC40 T5 gets better fuel mileage than the GLC 300 Coupe (24 city/30 hwy vs. 20 city/26 hwy).

Regenerative brakes improve the XC40’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The XC40 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The XC40 stops much shorter than the GLC Coupe:

The XC40 B5 Plus handles at .86 G’s, while the GLC 300 Coupe pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the XC40’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the GLC 300 Coupe’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The XC40 is 8.5 inches shorter than the GLC Coupe, making the XC40 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The XC40 has .1 inches more front headroom, .1 inches more front legroom and .8 inches more rear headroom than the GLC Coupe.

The XC40 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLC Coupe with its rear seat up (20.4 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The XC40 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLC Coupe with its rear seat folded (57.5 vs. 49.4 cubic feet).

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC40 has a standard rear wiper. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volvo XC40 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the GLC Coupe.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Volvo XC40, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the XC40 second among small premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The GLC Coupe isn’t in the top three in its category.