Compare the2024 Volvo XC60VS 2023 Mercedes GLC Coupe

Both the XC60 and GLC Coupe have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC60 Plus/Ultimate/Polestar 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.

The Volvo XC60 offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. Mercedes doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the GLC Coupe. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC60 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC60 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC60’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The GLC Coupe’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the XC60’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The XC60’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 XC60 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 IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC60 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLC Coupe has not been tested, yet.

The XC60’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the GLC Coupe’s (12 vs. 5 years).

Volvo pays for scheduled maintenance on the XC60 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.

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.

The XC60 T8’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 200 more horsepower (455 vs. 255) and 250 lbs.-ft. more torque (523 vs. 273) than the GLC Coupe’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the XC60 B5 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mercedes GLC Coupe:

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 T8 Extended Range running on electricity gets better mileage than the GLC 300 Coupe (66 city/60 hwy MPGe vs. 20 city/26 hwy).

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the GLC Coupe:

The XC60 T8 Extended Range can travel with zero emissions for 36 miles. The GLC Coupe can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the XC60’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The XC60 has 1.4 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC Coupe (18.8 vs. 17.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The XC60 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.

For better stopping power the XC60 Recharge Polestar Engineered’s brake rotors are larger than those on the GLC Coupe:

The XC60 stops shorter than the GLC Coupe:

For better traction, the XC60’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GLC Coupe (265/35R22 vs. 255/45R20).

The XC60’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the GLC Coupe’s optional 45 series front and 40 series rear tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC60 offers optional 21-inch wheels. The GLC Coupe’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The XC60 offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The GLC Coupe’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The XC60 Ultimate has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The XC60’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XC60 is 1.2 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than on the GLC Coupe.

The XC60 B5 Core handles at .87 G’s, while the GLC 300 Coupe pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The XC60 B5 Core executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the GLC 300 Coupe (26.6 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the XC60’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the GLC 300 Coupe’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The XC60 has .7 inches more front legroom, .9 inches more front shoulder room and .8 inches more rear legroom than the GLC Coupe.

The XC60 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLC Coupe with its rear seat up (24.4 vs. 17.6 cubic feet). The XC60 has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLC Coupe with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 49.4 cubic feet).

A Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) is standard on the XC60, using the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the GLC Coupe.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC60 has a standard rear wiper. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC60 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The XC60 Ultimate offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the GLC Coupe.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the XC60 is less expensive to operate than the GLC Coupe because it costs $155 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the XC60 than the GLC Coupe, including $366 less for a water pump, $351 less for a muffler, $61 less for front brake pads, $77 less for a starter, $94 less for fuel injection, $212 less for front struts, $34 less for a timing belt/chain and $762 less for a power steering pump.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC60 as the 2018 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The GLC Coupe has never been chosen.