Compare the2024 Jeep WranglerVS 2023 Mercedes GLC

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 Wrangler 4-Door are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The GLC doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Wrangler. But it costs extra on the GLC.

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

Both the Wrangler and the GLC have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

Jeep’s powertrain warranty covers the Wrangler 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLC. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the GLC ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Wrangler for 2 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 2 visits). Mercedes doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the GLC.

There are over 6 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Wrangler’s warranty.

The Wrangler has a solid front axle with a floating power axle for durability that the GLC 4MATIC’s independent front suspension and exposed front driveshafts don’t offer.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Wrangler has a standard 180-amp alternator (240-amp - Wrangler optional). The GLC’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

The Wrangler’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 15 more horsepower (270 vs. 255) than the GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Wrangler’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 30 more horsepower (285 vs. 255) than the GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Wrangler 4xe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 120 more horsepower (375 vs. 255) and 175 lbs.-ft. more torque (470 vs. 295) than the GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Wrangler Rubicon 392’s standard 6.4 V8 produces 215 more horsepower (470 vs. 255) and 175 lbs.-ft. more torque (470 vs. 295) than the GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the Wrangler 4-door running on electricity gets better mileage than the GLC:

The Wrangler 4xe 8-speed Auto can travel with zero emissions for 21 miles. The GLC can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Wrangler Rubicon 392’s fuel efficiency. The GLC doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Wrangler 4-door’s standard fuel tank has 4.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC (21.5 vs. 17.4 gallons).

The Wrangler offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and fuel economy. The GLC doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The Wrangler Rubicon 392’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The GLC doesn’t offer launch control.

For better traction, the Wrangler has larger standard tires than the GLC (245/75R17 vs. 235/60R18). The Wrangler 4-door Rubicon 392/Xteme 35’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GLC (315/70R17 vs. 255/45R20).

The Wrangler has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The GLC doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Wrangler has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the GLC; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Wrangler Rubicon has an active front sway bar, which helps keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnects at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The GLC doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Wrangler 4-door’s wheelbase is 5.3 inches longer than on the GLC (118.4 inches vs. 113.1 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Wrangler 2-door’s turning circle is 6 feet tighter than the GLC’s (32.7 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The Wrangler 4-door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLC with its rear seat up (31.7 vs. 21.9 cubic feet). The Wrangler 4-door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLC with its rear seat folded (72.4 vs. 59.3 cubic feet).

The Wrangler’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the left swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The GLC’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Wrangler can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Wrangler can be unhitched and driven around locally. The GLC can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Wrangler Automatic offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The GLC doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Wrangler’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The GLC does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Wrangler has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the GLC only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Jeep Wrangler JL comes in four door and soft top bodystyles; the Mercedes GLC isn’t available as a soft top.

Motor Trend selected the Wrangler as their 2019 Sport Utility of the Year. The GLC was Sport Utility of the Year in 2017.

The Jeep Wrangler outsold the Mercedes GLC by almost three to one during 2022.