New BMW X4 vs. Mercedes GLC Coupe

How does the new BMW X4 stack up against the Mercedes GLC Coupe? Let’s see.

Look and Feel

The X4 updates offers an impressively roomy cabin and delivers a very tactile driving experience.With a playful, bold exterior, it really communicates the coupe design well, and the drive feels low to the ground even with solid clearance to handle off-road situations.

The Mercedes GLC coupe looks more car-like but also sacrifices visibility and cabin room. There’s a little bit too much attention to jazzing up the exterior. It looks too busy.

Interior and Visibility

The GLC has a lot going for it, but the interior isn’t one of those things. That there’s such a cramped area for visibility in pretty much every direction is a serious design oversight and makes the cabin feel claustrophobic. The dedication to a rounded look also makes the rear seats cramped.

The X4 could have more room for rear visibility, but it’s still preferable to the GLC. In every other way it gives you a clear and spacious line of sight. The interior is classy and simple. It uses smart exterior design to lend the rear a more rounded look than it actually has, suggesting a strong curve while maintaining nice head room in the rear seats. The ergonomic design of console and dashboard are appealing.

Cargo space is comparable between the two, with the X4 getting the edge on the GLC, 19 cubic feet to 18 cubic feet.

Power and Scaling Up

When it comes to performance, each model has a range of different specifications. The new BMW X4‘s entry option has a 248 horsepower engine, the GLC a 241 horsepower engine. That will get you similar zero to 60 mph times around 6 seconds, but the X4 boasts more powerful models that can get your zero to 60 mph time down to 4.4 seconds. The GLC doesn’t come close, even when scaling up.

The Mercedes does have a nice, agile feel to it, but that agility outpaces the rest of its performance. The new BMW X4 combines sharp driving with more substance.

Mileage on both comes down to the same 21/28 mpg city/highway measure.

That leaves us with a pretty clear picture. These comparisons are sometimes a tighter fight, but the new BMW X4 seriously outpaces the Mercedes GLC Coupe in nearly every category.