Compare the2025 Mercedes GLCVS 2024 Porsche Macan

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 Macan doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

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 GLC are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Macan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

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 Macan 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 Macan doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The GLC has a standard Maneuvering Brake Function that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Macan doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

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

The GLC has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Macan’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the GLC’s standard Rear Cross-Traffic Alert uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side and Active Brake Assist automatically engages the brakes to help avoid a collision. The Macan doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the GLC and the Macan 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, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available all wheel drive, lane departure warning systems and around view monitors.

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 Macan has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2024.

There are almost 2 times as many Mercedes dealers as there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the GLC’s warranty.

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

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

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

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes GLC higher (6 out of 10) than the Porsche Macan (5). This means the GLC produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Macan every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLC, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Macan.

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 Macan doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLC’s wheelbase is 2.6 inches longer than on the Macan (113.1 inches vs. 110.5 inches).

For greater off-road capability the GLC has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Macan (8.2 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the GLC to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The design of the Mercedes GLC amounts to more than styling. The GLC has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .29 Cd. That is significantly lower than the Macan (.35 to .37) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLC get better fuel mileage.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GLC’s rear seats recline. The Macan’s rear seats don’t recline.

The GLC has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Macan with its rear seat up (21.9 vs. 17.2 cubic feet). The GLC has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Macan with its rear seat folded (56.3 vs. 53 cubic feet).

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

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the GLC’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Macan doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The GLC has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Macan doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The GLC offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Macan doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

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 Macan’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 Macan doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the GLC has standard extendable sun visors. The Macan doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The GLC’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Macan’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

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

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

The Mercedes GLC outsold the Porsche Macan by 49% during 2023.