Compare the2024 Subaru OutbackVS 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 Outback 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, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Outback. But it costs extra on the GLC.

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

The Outback’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.

Both the Outback and the GLC 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, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert 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 “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Outback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 131 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The GLC has not been fully tested, yet.

Subaru’s powertrain warranty covers the Outback 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.

There are over 66 percent more Subaru dealers than there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Outback’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 23 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 5 more horsepower (260 vs. 255) than the GLC’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Outback XT/Wilderness 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the Mercedes GLC:

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Outback lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability (That’s why Porsche uses boxer engines.). The GLC doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

On the EPA test cycle the Outback 2.5i gets better fuel mileage than the GLC 300 4MATIC (26 city/32 hwy vs. 24 city/32 hwy).

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

The Outback has 1.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC (18.5 vs. 17.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Outback has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The GLC doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Outback Wilderness/Onyx XT 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.

For better maneuverability, the Outback’s turning circle is 2.6 feet tighter than the GLC’s (36.1 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

The Subaru Outback may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 550 pounds less than the Mercedes GLC.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Outback has liquid-filled engine mounts. The liquid helps further dampen engine harshness. The GLC uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The front grille of the Outback 2.5i uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The GLC doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Outback has 2.1 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more front shoulder room, 2.1 inches more rear legroom and .8 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLC.

The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLC with its rear seat up (32.6 vs. 21.9 cubic feet). The Outback has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLC with its rear seat folded (75.6 vs. 56.3 cubic feet).

The Outback’s cargo area is larger than the GLC’s in every dimension:

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Outback’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Outback Base). The GLC doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Outback 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.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Outback, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Subaru Outback outsold the Mercedes GLC by over four to one during 2023.