Compare the2024 Toyota 4RunnerVS 2024 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 4Runner 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.

The Toyota 4Runner has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The GLC doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the 4Runner 4WD’s standard Downhill Assist Control allow you to creep down safely. The GLC doesn’t offer Downhill Assist Control.

The 4Runner’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the GLC.

Both the 4Runner and the GLC have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available four-wheel drive and around view monitors.

Toyota’s powertrain warranty covers the 4Runner 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.

Toyota pays for scheduled maintenance on the 4Runner for 2 years and 25000 miles. Toyota 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.

There are over 3 times as many Toyota dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the 4Runner’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the 4Runner first among upper midsize suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The GLC isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. With 7 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Toyota higher than Mercedes.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Toyota above average in long-term dependability. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Mercedes is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Toyota vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Toyota second in overall reliability. Mercedes is ranked 29th.

The 4Runner’s 4.0 DOHC V6 produces 15 more horsepower (270 vs. 255) than the GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Toyota 4Runner uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GLC requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The 4Runner has 5.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC (23 vs. 17.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better traction, the 4Runner has larger standard tires than the GLC (245/60R20 vs. 235/60R18). The 4Runner’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GLC (265/70R17 vs. 255/45R20).

The Toyota 4Runner’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Mercedes GLC only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

The 4Runner 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 4Runner TRD Off-Road offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect 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 better maneuverability, the 4Runner’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the GLC’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The design of the Toyota 4Runner amounts to more than styling. The 4Runner has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .36 Cd. That is lower than the GLC (.39). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the 4Runner get better fuel mileage.

The 4Runner offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the GLC can only carry 5.

The 4Runner has 1 inch more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLC.

The 4Runner’s cargo area provides more volume than the GLC.

The 4Runner 5-Passenger’s optional sliding cargo floor is capable of supporting 440 pounds, to make loading and unloading cargo easier and safer. The GLC doesn’t offer a sliding load floor.

The 4Runner’s cargo area is larger than the GLC’s in almost every dimension:

The 4Runner’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the liftgate door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The GLC’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the 4Runner 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 TRD Pro was selected by Petersen's 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine as their 2015 4x4 of the Year. The GLC has never been chosen.

The Toyota 4Runner outsold the Mercedes GLC by almost three to one during 2023.