Compare the2024 Mercedes GLCVS 2025 Mazda CX-70

The GLC’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The CX-70 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The GLC has standard NECK-PRO front head restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the NECK-PRO front head restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The CX-70 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The GLC offers optional Car-to-X Communication, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The CX-70 doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.

Both the GLC and the CX-70 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

The Mercedes GLC achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The CX-70 has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

The GLC comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The CX-70’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. With 2 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Mazda.

On the EPA test cycle the GLC gets better mileage than the CX-70 running its gasoline engine:

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLC, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the CX-70.

For better stopping power the GLC’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the CX-70:

The GLC’s optional 285/40R20 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the CX-70 Premium’s 45 series tires.

The GLC’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The CX-70 doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

The Mercedes GLC may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 700 to 900 pounds less than the Mazda CX-70.

The GLC is 1 foot, 3.1 inches shorter than the CX-70, making the GLC easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The GLC has 1.6 inches more front headroom, 2.8 inches more front hip room, .4 inches more rear headroom and 2.8 inches more rear hip room than the CX-70.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the GLC. The CX-70 doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The GLC’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the CX-70’s (5291 vs. 3500 pounds).

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the CX-70 Premium, the GLC has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The GLC’s standard easy entry and exit feature raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The CX-70 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The power windows standard on both the GLC and the CX-70 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the GLC is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The CX-70 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The GLC’s standard Keyless-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Advanced Keyless Entry and Start standard on the CX-70 doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

The GLC’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The CX-70’s power window (except driver window) switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

The GLC’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting and stopping automatically, with the driver only responsible for switching from reverse to drive. The CX-70 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The GLC is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The CX-70 doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Motor Trend selected the GLC as their 2017 Sport Utility of the Year. The CX-70 has never been chosen.