2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC vs 2022 Subaru Outback

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC had a design that stood out for its timeless aesthetic, characterized by soft curves and rounded edges. While it still embodied modern aggression with its menacing LED headlights, it avoided the overly sharp and aggressive look of some competitors. The long hood and wide grille gave the GLC a dramatic stance, reminiscent of a raised C-Class or E-Class sedan, emphasizing its car-like characteristics. Inside, the GLC’s cabin was an automotive work of art, with flowing lines and a minimalist approach that elevated the interior to an art form. The soft lines and curves extended to the floating center touchscreen, and the overall design set a high bar for compact luxury SUV cabins.

The GLC was available in both a conventional SUV format and a crossover “coupe” body style. The coupe version, while sharp-looking, sacrificed some cargo space for its design. Standard equipment on the entry-level GLC 300 included 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, and a power liftgate. Inside, it featured synthetic leather upholstery, power-adjustable and heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, and a fully digital instrument panel. The MBUX infotainment system with a 10.2-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto was also standard. Optional packages added features like navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, ambient lighting, and more. The AMG GLC43 and AMG GLC63 offered more potent powertrains and additional performance upgrades.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness, on the other hand, was designed to stretch the notion of the Outback as a station wagon, bringing it closer to a Jeep with its 9.5 inches of ground clearance and aggressive all-terrain tires. The Wilderness featured a unique grille design, black 17-inch wheels, blacked-out exterior trim with Anodized Copper accents, and a glare-reducing matte black hood decal. The roof rack and roof rail system were new, supporting a 700-pound static load, ideal for rooftop camping. Inside, the cabin was dominated by dark gray and black StarTex water-repellant upholstery, with Anodized Copper stitching and accents, and standard all-weather floor mats.

The Outback Wilderness was part of the turbocharged Outback family, priced between the Onyx XT and the Limited XT. Our test car included a power sunroof, navigation system, and reverse automatic braking, bringing the total cost to $39,965. The modifications to the Wilderness injected purpose and personality into the Outback’s styling, making it stand out from standard versions.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 came standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. It offered rear-wheel drive or optional 4MATIC all-wheel drive. The GLC featured steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and Dynamic Select with Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+ drive modes. Despite these performance features, the GLC 300 was generally responsive and balanced, with precise turn-in and confident high-speed turns. For those seeking more power, the AMG GLC43 offered a twin-turbocharged V6 with 385 horsepower, while the AMG GLC63 featured a twin-turbo V8 with up to 503 horsepower.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness was powered by a turbocharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine, producing 260 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. This engine, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), provided a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. The Wilderness achieved an EPA rating of 24 mpg in combined driving, though our test averaged 21.3 mpg on a mountainous route. The CVT, while functional, lacked the engagement of a dual-clutch automatic transmission. The Outback Wilderness featured all-wheel drive, 9.5 inches of ground clearance, and all-terrain tires, making it highly capable off-road. It also had improved approach, breakover, and departure angles, a dual function X-Mode traction system, and hill descent control.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 offered 56.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and 19.4 cubic feet with the seats up. The GLC Coupe’s fastback profile reduced these figures to 49.4 and 17.6 cubic feet, respectively. The GLC had a decently sized center console, deep door pockets, and retractable cupholders, making good use of its interior space. Rear-seat space was adequate, with plenty of legroom and headroom in the SUV, though the Coupe’s low roofline cut into headroom.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured dark gray StarTex upholstery, which was water-repellant but could be uncomfortable in hot weather. The front seats were heated, with the driver’s seat offering 10-way power adjustment and the front passenger seat 8-way power adjustment. Rear seat room was generous, with plenty of space for knees, feet, and heads, and included rear air conditioning vents and dual USB charging ports. The cargo area measured 32.5 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 75.7 cubic feet with the rear seat folded flat. The Outback Wilderness also had a robust roof rack with a 700-pound static load rating, suitable for rooftop camping.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC featured the MBUX infotainment system with a 10.25-inch center touchscreen, center console touch controller, and advanced voice-control system. The system was intuitive, with both touch controller and touchscreen options. The steering wheel had touch-sensitive pads for customizing the digital instrument panel and navigating the main infotainment screen. The system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, though switching between the GLC’s radio and smartphone music apps could be cumbersome.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness had an 11.6-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen infotainment and climate control system. While it had physical knobs for volume and tuning and buttons for temperature control, most functions required the touchscreen. The voice recognition technology was less responsive to natural commands, making Apple CarPlay or Android Auto preferable. The Outback Wilderness lacked a premium sound system, which was available in other trims. However, it featured PIN code entry technology, allowing the key fob to be left inside the vehicle during outdoor activities.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC came with standard safety features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. It also included front- and rear parking sensors, hands-free parking assist, and a driver drowsiness monitor. Optional safety features included a 360-degree parking camera, dynamic cruise control, automatic high beams, and lane departure warning. The parking and proximity sensors were overly sensitive, but could be deactivated.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness featured the EyeSight advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, lane-centering assistance, and a driver monitoring system. It also had steering-responsive headlights, blind-spot warning with lane-change assistance, and rear cross-traffic warning. The Outback Wilderness did not have Subaru’s DriverFocus distraction mitigation technology. The 2021 Outback earned a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and a 5-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.