2020 Lincoln Aviator vs 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator slotted below the Navigator and above the compact MKC and its replacement, the Lincoln Corsair. Lincoln's return to using real vehicle names was a positive sign, indicating a move away from copying imports. The Aviator featured a unified look across Lincoln's lineup, with handsome headlights and an upright chrome grille. Its tapered roofline and low, wide beltline gave it an elongated, almost boat-like appearance.

Inside, the Aviator's cabin boasted a flowing design with soft-touch materials and selective use of brightwork. The seats were both elegant and sturdy, with shifter buttons resembling piano keys. The front seats were incredibly comfortable, using plush leather throughout, even in less obvious places like the sides of the center console. The Aviator also had unique touches like a massive panoramic moonroof and warning jingles recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, showcasing Lincoln's commitment to a holistic luxury experience.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC received a new front fascia with a trapezoidal grille and angled LED headlights, mimicking the aggressive look of the A-Class and CLS-Class. The taillights featured square LEDs within the same housing. While the GLC wasn't ugly, it lacked visual drama from most angles, especially in the mass-market GLC 300 model. The AMG versions, with their wide tires, vertical-bar grille, and lower stance, added some visual excitement. The GLC Coupe's fastback roof brought more entertainment to the mix. However, the GLC's beige paint and 18-inch wheels made it easy to lose in parking lots, despite its high price tag.

What saved the GLC was its interior, one of the best in the business. The all-black interior with stained gray ash wood looked rich, with a continuous sweep of wood from the air vents, padded and stitched leather on the seats and doors, and cold metal covers on the stereo speakers. The fit, finish, and overall quality were impeccable. The GLC's interior could be even more impressive with brighter colors and woods.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine, producing 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. The Grand Touring trim combined this engine with a 100-hp electric motor, resulting in a net 494 hp and 630 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains used a 10-speed automatic transmission, with the base V6 offering rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), while the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) was AWD. Both versions could accelerate from 0-60 mph in about 4 seconds.

The Grand Touring's combination of electric and gas power provided hushed, confident acceleration, smoothing out the driving experience with its electric power at low speeds. The Aviator's steering was light, and its brakes were cushioned but effective. The driving style aimed for soft refinement, similar to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV. The Aviator had an "Excite" drive mode for a more dynamic experience, but its 5,600-pound weight limited its agility. Fuel economy for the RWD Aviator was 18 mpg city, 26 highway, 21 combined, while the AWD version achieved 17, 24, 20. The PHEV had a combined 23 mpg, with a 21-mile electric-only range and a 56 miles-per-gallon equivalent combined rating.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 featured a new turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine, producing 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. The 9-speed automatic transmission routed power to either RWD or Mercedes' 4Matic AWD, with the GLC 300 Coupe coming standard with 4Matic. The reprogrammed transmission and new engine improved the GLC 300's performance, holding gears longer and downshifting earlier. However, the engine fell short in sound quality, vibration, and response compared to competitors.

The AMG GLC 43, arriving in late 2019, had a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 with 385 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque, offering linear and strong power delivery. The AMG GLC 63 4Matic Coupe featured a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 with 469 hp and 479 lb-ft, while the AMG GLC 63 S 4Matic Coupe topped at 503 hp and 516 lb-ft. The V8 models had an electronic locking rear differential, AMG-tuned adaptive dampers, and an air suspension. However, the GLC 300's steering and handling were disappointing, with body roll, vague steering, and sloppy suspension control. Fuel economy for the GLC 300 4Matic was 21 mpg city, 28 highway, 24 combined, while the AMG models had lower ratings.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator, with its three rows, competed with the Audi Q7, Infiniti QX60, Mercedes-Benz GLE, Land Rover Discovery, and Cadillac XT6. The optional second-row captain's chairs were fantastic, while the power-closing third row was adequate for adults but best suited for kids on longer trips. Dropping the second and third rows provided 77 cubic feet of cargo space, comparable to the Cadillac XT6.

The Aviator had some confusing controls, such as the seats and door handles. The 30-way seats had a massage function but required navigating a seat-control menu on the center touchscreen. The door-release function was also unconventional, with a button on the back of the handle instead of a traditional handle. This could be confusing for passengers, and the manual door release only worked for the driver's door.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC had a mix of digital and physical controls, with a steep learning curve for those unfamiliar with modern Mercedes vehicles. 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 infotainment system used a touchscreen, thumb pad, and touchpad, with selectable items that glowed when highlighted. Shortcut buttons for popular features were below each menu item on the home screen, which could be rearranged and reskinned.

The GLC had enough room for four adults, but the back seat's reclining mechanism was perplexing, requiring folding down the seats and adjusting metal latches. Cargo space was 19 cubic feet behind the seatbacks and 57 with them folded, less than the BMW X3.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came standard with the Sync 3 infotainment system, operated via a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The screen used a landscape layout, providing a better interface for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Aviator also had a fully digital instrument panel and a massive head-up display, offering a lot of information in a minimalist and unobtrusive manner.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC featured the MBUX infotainment system with cool tricks like augmented reality for navigation. The system used a windshield-mounted camera to show a live feed of the road, overlaying arrows and street names. MBUX also had a cloud-based voice assistant, AI-based tasks, and standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Wireless device charging was optional. The Off-Road Engineering Package included hill-descent control, additional driving modes, and underbody shields.

The 2020 Lincoln Aviator came with standard safety features, including front and side-impact airbags, traction control, and a tire pressure monitoring system. The Lincoln Co-Pilot360 suite included forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Other safety tech included blind-spot monitoring and a head-up display.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC was named a 2019 Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS and received a 5-star rating from the NHTSA. New for 2020 was Exit Warning Assist, which used blind-spot-monitoring radar sensors to detect approaching cyclists or cars. Other features included Pre-Safe Sound, which played "pink noise" to protect eardrums in a crash, and Predictive Brake Priming, which moved the brake pads closer to the discs in anticipation of hard braking.