2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC vs 2021 Volvo XC90

The 2021 Volvo XC90 marked a significant shift in Volvo's design philosophy. Known for its conservative styling, Volvo managed to infuse the XC90 with more character while retaining its recognizable features. The XC90 maintained its boxy profile and blunt front end with a rectangular grille, but added softer lines, more chrome, and distinctive LED headlights with "Thor’s Hammer" daytime running lights. The Inscription trim, with its extra chrome and optional 21-inch alloy wheels, was the flashiest, while the R-Design and Momentum trims offered sportier and more basic looks, respectively. The XC90 shared its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform with other Volvo models, ensuring a cohesive design language across the brand.

Inside, the XC90 embraced "Swedish minimalism" with thoughtfully arranged, high-quality materials. The matte-finish wood trim and optional wool upholstery provided a natural and unique touch. The Orrefors crystal shifter in the Inscription trim added a high-end feel, though it seemed slightly out of place in the otherwise restrained interior. The XC90's design successfully balanced traditional Volvo elements with modern touches, creating a sophisticated and elegant SUV.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC took a different approach with its design, favoring a timeless aesthetic over aggressive styling. The GLC featured soft curves and rounded edges, with menacing LED headlights adding a touch of modern aggression. The long hood and wide grille gave the GLC a dramatic stance, reminiscent of a raised C-Class or E-Class sedan. This design choice emphasized the GLC's car-like characteristics, making it stand out in a market dominated by dynamic, forward-thinking designs.

The GLC's interior was a masterpiece of automotive design, with flowing lines and curves extending into the dash. The floating center touchscreen and the brand's move towards larger screens and a minimalist approach showcased Mercedes' ability to elevate automotive packaging to an art form. The GLC's cabin set the standard for compact luxury SUV interiors, combining elegance with functionality. The GLC was available in both conventional SUV and crossover "coupe" body styles, with the latter sacrificing some cargo space for a sharper look.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 offered three powertrains, all based on a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base T5 model featured a turbocharged engine producing 250 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The T6 model added a supercharger, increasing output to 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. The T8 Twin Engine plug-in hybrid, also known as Recharge, combined the T6 engine with electric assist, delivering a total of 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. The T5 came standard with front-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive was optional on the T5 and standard on the T6 and T8.

Despite the impressive 400 hp of the T8, the small engine struggled to provide the flexibility of larger six-cylinder or V8 engines found in competitors. The XC90's gasoline engine often had to assist even at low speeds, making it challenging to balance efficiency and power. The XC90 offered three drive modes—Pure (all-electric), Hybrid, and Power—but Pure mode was only practical at low speeds with gentle acceleration. The XC90 excelled in ride quality, thanks to an optional air-suspension system, and provided a quiet cabin. Most models had a 5,000-pound towing capacity, with the base FWD T5 rated at 4,000 pounds.

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. The GLC 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. The turbocharged engine provided ample power, and the GLC struck a balance between refined and responsive performance. The steering was precise, and the GLC handled higher-speed turns with confidence.

For those seeking more power, the AMG GLC43 featured a twin-turbocharged V6 with 385 hp, while the AMG GLC63 offered a twin-turbo V8 with 469 hp or 503 hp in the 63 S variant. These AMG models delivered sports car-like performance, with impressive acceleration and cornering capabilities.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 was available in six-seat or seven-seat configurations, with second-row captain’s chairs or a bench seat. Headroom and legroom in all three rows were average for the segment, with the third row being tight for adults. The seats in the second and third rows felt hard and lacked support. The optional power moonroof extended across the first two rows, enhancing the spacious feel. Standard four-zone climate control could be upgraded with a filtration system to trap fine particulate matter.

The Inscription trim featured 10-way power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats with backrest massage, but lacked a power-adjustable steering wheel. Storage space was limited, with a shallow center console storage bin and few storage options on the console. Cargo space for the T8 Recharge model was 11.2 cubic feet with all seats in place, 34.1 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, and 64.1 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded, placing it near the bottom of the segment. A hands-free power tailgate was standard.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 provided 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 17.6 and 49.4 cubic feet, respectively. The GLC's cargo space was mid-pack for compact luxury SUVs, with the BMW X3 offering more at 62.7 cubic feet. The GLC featured a decently sized center console, deep door pockets, and retractable cupholders, making good use of its interior space.

Rear-seat space in the GLC was adequate, with no need to slide the seats forward for legroom. The SUV provided plenty of headroom, while the Coupe's low roofline reduced headroom. Overall, the GLC SUV was recommended over the Coupe for most scenarios due to its better use of space.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 featured the Sensus infotainment system, which emphasized simplicity and functionality. The system included a 9-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto compatibility, Bluetooth, and a built-in WiFi hotspot. Standard USB ports included two front USB-A and two rear USB-C ports. Optional features included a 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins premium audio system and a head-up display (HUD).

The portrait-oriented touchscreen was user-friendly, allowing for easy navigation through menus. The lack of analog controls was not an issue, as the touchscreen worked well and complemented the minimalist interior design. However, the text and typeface made reading some menus difficult while driving, and the wireless charging pad was too small for most phones. The lack of front USB-C ports was also a drawback for drivers with newer phones.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC featured the Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) infotainment system, which included a 10.25-inch center touchscreen, center console touch controller, and advanced voice-control system. The system was intuitive, with both the touch controller and touchscreen offering a seamless flow through menus. The steering wheel had two touch-sensitive pads for customizing the digital instrument panel and navigating the main infotainment screen.

The MBUX system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but switching between the GLC's radio and smartphone music apps required navigating through menus. Despite this minor inconvenience, the system was highly regarded for its functionality and ease of use.

The 2021 Volvo XC90 received the highest "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for non-hybrid models. It earned top "Good" scores in all IIHS crash tests and a "Superior" rating for front-crash prevention in vehicle-to-vehicle testing, with an "Advanced" rating in vehicle-to-pedestrian testing. Headlights and LATCH child-seat anchors received "Acceptable" ratings. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded all 2021 XC90 models a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests, and four stars in rollover testing.

The XC90 offered a comprehensive list of standard safety features, including lane-keep assist, driver-attention monitor, traffic-sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic emergency braking, and Volvo's Pilot Assist driver aid. Pilot Assist combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering, providing smooth and quick reactions to other vehicles, though it struggled with highway curves.

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. Additional standard features included front- and rear parking sensors, hands-free parking assist, and a driver drowsiness monitor. The parking and proximity sensors were overly sensitive, triggering false positives at intersections, but could be deactivated.

Optional safety features included a 360-degree parking camera, dynamic cruise control, automatic high beams, and lane departure warning. Some of these features were standard on rival models.