Compare the2025 Mercedes GLCVS 2025 Toyota Highlander

Safety
Warranty
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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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 Highlander doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The GLC has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Highlander doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

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 Highlander 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 Highlander doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GLC has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert with Active Brake Assist, systems which detect vehicles approaching from the sides and can automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. Only the Highlander Limited/Platinum offers Parking Support Brake.

Both the GLC and the Highlander 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, post-collision automatic braking systems, 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 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the GLC is much safer than the Highlander:

	GLC	Highlander
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Forces L/R	112/180 pounds	270/315 pounds
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Forces L/R	112/180 pounds	270/315 pounds
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL

The Mercedes GLC has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” to “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Highlander is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

Warranty

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 Highlander’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Engine

The GLC 350e’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 48 more horsepower (313 vs. 265) and 96 lbs.-ft. more torque (406 vs. 310) than the Highlander’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the GLC 300 is faster than the Toyota Highlander:

	GLC	Highlander
Zero to 30 MPH	2.6 sec	3.1 sec
Zero to 60 MPH	6.6 sec	7.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.1 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	94 MPH	92 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the GLC running on electricity gets better mileage than the Highlander:

			MPGe
GLC
	AWD	350e Electric Motor	60 city/70 hwy
Highlander
			MPG
	FWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy

On the EPA test cycle the GLC running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Highlander:

			MPG
GLC
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/31 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/28 hwy
Highlander
	FWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.4 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy

The GLC 350e can travel with zero emissions for 54 miles. The Highlander can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the GLC’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Highlander doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

Transmission

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 Highlander.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	GLC	Highlander
Front Rotors	13.5 inches	13.3 inches

The GLC’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Highlander are solid, not vented.

The GLC stops shorter than the Highlander:

	GLC	Highlander
60 to 0 MPH	127 feet	133 feet	Consumer Reports
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	142 feet	143 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the GLC’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Highlander (255/45R20 vs. 235/65R18).

The GLC’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Highlander LE/XLE’s standard 65 series tires. The GLC’s optional tires have a lower 45 series profile than the Highlander XSE/Limited/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

The GLC has a standard automatic load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Highlander doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The GLC has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Highlander doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

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 Highlander doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For greater off-road capability the GLC has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Highlander (8.2 vs. 8 inches), allowing the GLC to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The GLC is 9.2 inches shorter than the Highlander, making the GLC easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The GLC has .1 inches more front headroom, 1.8 inches more front hip room, .3 inches more rear headroom and 1.3 inches more rear hip room than the Highlander.

Cargo Capacity

The GLC has a much larger cargo volume than the Highlander with its rear seat up (21.9 vs. 16 cubic feet).

Pressing a button automatically lowers the GLC’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Highlander doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Servicing Ease

The GLC uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Highlander uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The engine in the GLC is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Highlander. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Highlander Limited/Platinum, 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 Highlander doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The GLC’s standard Keyless-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the vehicle, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Smart Key System standard on the Highlander 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 rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Highlander’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer fluid is optional on the GLC to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The Highlander doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

The GLC’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Highlander offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The Mercedes GLC has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the Highlander Limited/Platinum.

The Mercedes GLC has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Homelink® is only available on the Highlander XLE/XSE/Limited/Platinum.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes GLC has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the Highlander XLE/XSE/Limited/Platinum offers wireless charging.

The GLC’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Highlander doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Recommendations

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

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