Compare the2025 Honda PassportVS 2024 Mercedes GLC Coupe

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Passport deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Passport’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.

The Passport’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 Passport and the GLC Coupe have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front 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 and rear cross-path warning.

Honda’s powertrain warranty covers the Passport 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLC Coupe. 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 Coupe ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Passport for 2 years and 24,000 miles. Honda 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.

There are almost 3 times as many Honda dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Passport’s warranty.

The engine in the Passport has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engine in the GLC Coupe has dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes With 12 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Honda higher than Mercedes.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 24 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

The Passport’s 3.5 SOHC V6 produces 25 more horsepower (280 vs. 255) than the GLC Coupe’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Honda Passport uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GLC Coupe requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Passport has 2.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC Coupe (19.5 vs. 17.4 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The Passport 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 traction, the Passport has larger standard tires than the GLC Coupe (245/60R18 vs. 235/55R19). The Passport EX-L/Black Edition’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GLC Coupe (265/45R20 vs. 255/45R20).

The Passport 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 Coupe doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Passport is 3 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the GLC Coupe.

For greater off-road capability the Passport has a 3 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the GLC Coupe (8.1 vs. 5.1 inches), allowing the Passport to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

To almost totally eliminate engine vibration in the passenger area, the Passport has an electronically controlled liquid-filled main engine mount. A computer-controlled electric current in the liquid changes its viscosity, allowing the mount to dampen the engine completely at all RPMs. The GLC Coupe uses conventional solid rubber engine mounts.

The Passport uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Passport has .6 inches more front headroom, .2 inches more front legroom, 4.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.7 inches more rear headroom, 2.4 inches more rear legroom and 6.1 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLC Coupe.

The Passport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLC Coupe with its rear seat up (41.2 vs. 19.2 cubic feet). The Passport has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLC Coupe with its rear seat folded (77.7 vs. 52.6 cubic feet).

The Passport’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the GLC Coupe’s (5000 vs. 3500 pounds).

A Trailer Stability Assist is standard on the Passport, using the Vehicle Stability Assist 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 Passport has a standard rear wiper. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Passport TrailSport/Black Edition has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The GLC Coupe doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Passport, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Honda Passport outsold the Mercedes GLC by 8% during 2023.