2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC vs 2021 Ford Bronco Sport

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC featured a new front fascia with a trapezoidal grille and angled LED headlights, echoing the aggressive designs of the A-Class and CLS-Class. The taillights had square LEDs within the same housing, making it hard to distinguish from previous models unless parked side by side. While the GLC wasn't unattractive, it lacked visual excitement from most angles, especially in the mass-market GLC 300 model. The AMG versions, with their wide tires and vertical-bar grille, added some flair, and the GLC Coupe's fastback roof brought a touch of entertainment. However, the beige paint and 18-inch wheels of the test car made it blend into parking lots, despite its hefty price tag.

What truly set the GLC apart was its interior, which was among the best in the business. The all-black interior with stained gray ash wood was rich and luxurious, featuring a continuous sweep of wood from the air vents, padded and stitched leather seats and doors, and cold metal speaker covers. The fit, finish, and overall quality were impeccable. The 2020 model introduced a standard 10.3-inch touchscreen, replacing the previous smaller displays, and a new touchpad on the console. The steering wheel had more buttons and felt thicker and softer, with an optional 12.3-inch display replacing analog gauges. The shiny buttons for various functions were replaced by a blank plate, streamlining the design.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, a smaller sibling to the resurrected Bronco, captured some of the same rugged styling cues but was designed as a more suburban, everyday driver ready for weekend adventures. It had a modern retro look, reminiscent of the Land Rover lineup, with short front and rear overhangs for better approach angles and tall fender wells for trail driving. The front end echoed the larger Bronco, with bold white "BRONCO" lettering on the grille and tailgate, and a modest Ford blue oval badge on the tailgate. The wheels varied by trim level, with options for upgrading and upsizing.

The interior of the Bronco Sport was tastefully rugged, with an uncluttered design and unique HVAC vent shapes. The center stack featured convenient open storage cubbies and an 8-inch infotainment screen. The rotary gear selector and multiple storage compartments added to the practicality. The interior trim stepped up from cloth seats to leather-trimmed, heated sport-contour bucket seats, and Navy Pier Leather power front seats on the First Edition. The cargo space was designed to hold two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes, with over 100 factory and aftermarket accessories available for transporting various gear. The roof could hold up to 150 pounds, and the cargo hold featured smart additions like a slide-out work table and liftgate floodlamps.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 came with a new turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine, producing 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The 9-speed automatic transmission, available in rear-wheel drive (RWD) or 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD), was reprogrammed for better performance. The GLC 300 felt more responsive than previous models, holding gears longer and downshifting earlier. However, it still fell short compared to competitors like the BMW X3. The AMG GLC 43, with its twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine producing 385 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque, offered phenomenal performance, while the AMG GLC 63 4Matic Coupe's 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 cranked out 469 hp and 479 lb-ft, with an even more powerful version in the AMG GLC 63 S 4Matic Coupe.

Despite the impressive engines, the GLC 300's steering and handling were disappointing, with body roll, vague steering, and sloppy suspension control. The fuel economy for the GLC 300 4Matic was EPA-rated at 21 mpg city, 28 highway, and 24 combined, while the AMG models had lower ratings. A plug-in hybrid GLC 350e was expected to arrive in 2020.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport offered two engine choices: a 1.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged three-cylinder engine with 181 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque for the Base, Big Bend, and Outer Banks trims, and a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 245 hp and 275 lb-ft for the Badlands and First Edition trims. All models featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and AWD, with a terrain management system offering up to seven G.O.A.T. modes. The Bronco Sport performed well off-road, with a short wheelbase, independent suspension, and decent ground clearance. On-road, it had good manners, though the 1.5-liter engine could sound strained when pressed hard.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC's interior featured a mix of digital and physical controls, with a steep learning curve for new Mercedes drivers. The column shifter required an upward tap for Reverse and a downward tap for Drive, while the seat controls were on the doors. The MBUX system offered a touchscreen, thumb pad, and touchpad for controlling various functions, with customizable home screen shortcuts. The GLC had enough room for four adults, but the back seat's reclining mechanism was cumbersome. Cargo space was 19 cubic feet behind the seats and 57 with them folded, less than competitors like the BMW X3.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport's interior was designed for active buyers, with cargo space high enough to hold two 27.5-inch-wheel mountain bikes and over 100 accessories for transporting gear. The roof could hold up to 150 pounds, and the cargo hold featured smart additions like a slide-out work table and liftgate floodlamps. The front cabin had multiple storage compartments, though taller drivers might find outward visibility challenging. The driving position could be improved for better trail visibility.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC's MBUX system included advanced features like augmented reality for navigation, a cloud-based voice assistant, and AI-based suggestions. The system could show Yelp reviews, steer and brake on the highway, and offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Off-Road Engineering Package added hill-descent control and underbody shields, though the GLC wasn't designed for serious off-roading.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport featured an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen with SYNC 3, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Ford+Alexa, and SiriusXM capability. FordConnect with 4G LTE WiFi hotspot was standard, with a Bang & Olufsen sound system and 360-degree camera available on higher trims. The terrain management system offered up to seven G.O.A.T. modes, with trail control technology for off-roading. Intelligent access with push-button start, heated and leather-wrapped steering wheels, and a digital instrument panel were available on higher trims.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC was named a 2019 Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS and received a 5-star rating from the NHTSA. It featured Exit Warning Assist, Pre-Safe Sound, and Predictive Brake Priming, among other advanced safety features.

The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport came standard with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite, including pre-collision assist, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, and more. The Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package added adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, and road-sign recognition. AWD and a terrain management system with G.O.A.T. modes were standard on all models. Crash-worthiness ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not yet available.