There’s no lack of competition in this very tight segment of the market.
The BMW X3 is now the size of the original X5, and its turbocharged powertrains and riad and handling are now very impressive; but compared to the GLC its interior looks quite stark.
The Audi Q5 is probably our favorite in this class up until now; it has some great seats, impressive handling, and a spacious tall-wagon interior.
The Land Rover Discovery Sport is the new entry in this class; it’s more appealing than its rather stark interior might indicate—with some impressive off-road ability and no penalty in refinement.
The Volvo XC60 is exceptionally comfortable on the road and carries high safety ratings, handsome design, and a large cargo area, but it falls short in fuel economy and it’s now a dated design.
The Lincoln MKC is a bit of a wild card (or is it a Hail Mary?), as it manages to meet these models in many respects but not exceed them in any—and, well, its brand might not quite be there.
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 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC ClassBrowse Used Listings |  2016 Audi Q5Browse Used Listings |  2016 BMW X3Browse Used Listings |  2016 Land Rover Discovery SportBrowse Used Listings |  2016 Lincoln MKCBrowse Used Listings |  2016 Volvo XC60Browse Used Listings |
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| Quick Specs | |||||
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As a tangential—and far more sophisticated—replacement for the GLK, the savvy 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC is a far better match for American wants and needs. |
The 2016 Audi Q5 offers one of the greatest range of powertrain choices in its class, ensuring that almost anyone can find a version of this handsome small crossover to fit their tastes. |
The stylish 2016 BMW X3 skips the ruggedness thing entirely and instead succeeds in being one of the sportiest and tech-loaded yet fuel-efficient compact crossovers. |
The 2016 Discovery Sport takes most of Land Rover’s rugged, go-anywhere ability set and makes it part of an attractive, well-designed crossover wagon that suburban families are going to be happy with every single day of the year. |
The 2016 MKC doesn't redefine Lincoln on its own, but it's an appealing luxury crossover on far more than the merit of its brand. |
The 2016 Volvo XC60 remains a luxury-SUV contender, though a plethora of powertrains and options can take the $36,000 base price well over $50,000. |
| MSRP From | |||||
| $38,950 | $40,900 | $38,950 | $37,455 | $33,260 | $36,600 |
| Gas Mileage | |||||
| 21 MPG City / 28 MPG Hwy | 17 MPG City / 30 MPG Hwy | 19 MPG City / 34 MPG Hwy | 20 MPG City / 26 MPG Hwy | 19 MPG City / 29 MPG Hwy | 17 MPG City / 31 MPG Hwy |
| Engine | |||||
| Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Premium Unleaded I-4 | Intercooled Turbo Regular Unleaded I-4 |
| EPA Class | |||||
| Small SUV 2WD | Small SUV 4WD | Small Sport Utility Vehicles 2WD | N/A | Small SUV 2WD | Small Sport Utility Vehicles 2WD |
| Style Name | |||||
| RWD 4-Door GLC 300 | quattro 4-Door 2.0T Premium | RWD 4-Door sDrive28i | AWD 4-Door SE | FWD 4-Door Premier | FWD 4-Door T5 Drive-E |
| Drivetrain | |||||
| Rear Wheel Drive | All Wheel | Rear Wheel Drive | Four Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive | Front Wheel Drive |
| Passenger Capacity | |||||
| 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Passenger Doors | |||||
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Body Style | |||||
| Sport Utility | quattro Sport Utility | Sports Activity Vehicle | Sport Utility | Sport Utility | Sport Utility |
| Transmission | |||||
| Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD | Automatic w/OD |
| Detailed Spec Comparison | |||||
| 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC Class vs. 2016 Audi Q5 | 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC Class vs. 2016 BMW X3 | 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC Class vs. 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport | 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC Class vs. 2016 Lincoln MKC | 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC Class vs. 2016 Volvo XC60 | |
