2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC vs 2021 Ford Edge

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC featured a new front fascia with a trapezoidal grille and angled LED headlights, echoing the aggressive design cues of the A-Class and CLS-Class. The taillights had square LEDs within the same housing, making it hard to distinguish from previous models unless parked side by side. While the GLC wasn't unattractive, it lacked visual excitement from most angles, especially in the mass-market GLC 300 variant. The AMG versions, with their wide tires, vertical-bar grille, and lower stance, added some visual drama, as did the GLC Coupe’s fastback roof. However, the beige paint and 18-inch wheels of the test car made it blend into parking lots, despite its over $60,000 price tag.

What truly set the GLC apart was its interior, considered one of the best in the business. The all-black interior with stained gray ash wood was rich and luxurious, featuring a continuous sweep of wood from the three circular 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 2020 model also introduced a standard 10.3-inch touchscreen, replacing the older 7- and 8.4-inch displays, and a new touchpad on the console. The steering wheel, identical to the one in the E-Class, had more buttons and felt thicker and softer. A 12.3-inch display could replace the analog gauges in the instrument cluster, and the previously aligned shiny buttons for various functions were replaced by a blank plate.

The 2021 Ford Edge retained much of its styling from the 2019 refresh, which successfully integrated the current Ford look with the existing Edge body shell. The Edge presented a cleaner alternative to the more elaborate designs of the Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Titanium models featured extra chrome to signify their higher status, while the ST trim boasted a blacked-out grille, standard 20-inch wheels, and a body kit. The ST-Line offered the same exterior styling as the ST but without the performance upgrades and higher price tag.

Inside, the Edge's design began to show its age, with awkward tweaks over the years to accommodate new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models came with leather upholstery, and the ST models had sporty front seats with added bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrast stitching. Despite these updates, the interior design didn't feel as fresh as the exterior.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 came with a new turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine, producing 255 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque, a slight improvement over the previous model. The 9-speed automatic transmission, available in rear-wheel drive (RWD) or Mercedes' 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD), featured significant reprogramming, making the GLC 300 feel more responsive. However, the engine still fell short compared to competitors like the BMW X3. The AMG GLC 43, arriving in late 2019, featured 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 and AMG GLC 63 S 4Matic Coupe boasted even more powerful V8 engines, with 469 hp and 503 hp, respectively. Despite these impressive engines, 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 EPA-rated at 21 mpg city, 28 highway, and 24 combined.

The 2021 Ford Edge featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, producing 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Edge ST performance model came with an EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6, producing 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque on 93-octane fuel, with standard AWD and model-specific suspension tuning. The Edge ST aimed to compete with performance SUVs like the Porsche Macan, though it fell short of that benchmark. The Edge offered respectable towing capacities, with the base FWD four-cylinder model towing up to 3,958 pounds, the AWD four-cylinder model up to 4,122 pounds, and the V6-powered Edge ST up to 4,525 pounds.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC featured 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 located on the doors. The new Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) system offered a simplified layout with selectable items that glowed when highlighted. The GLC had enough room for four adults, but the back seat's reclining mechanism was cumbersome. Cargo space was 19 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 57 cubic feet with them folded, less than competitors like the BMW X3.

The 2021 Ford Edge remained competitive in interior space, offering the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers and ample legroom in both rows. Dual-zone automatic climate control was standard. Cargo space was 39.2 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 73.4 cubic feet with them folded, behind only the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The Edge featured a foot-activated power liftgate on higher trim levels. The rotary shift knob freed up space on the center console, though the narrow width limited its usefulness. A storage nook below the raised console was difficult to reach and easy to forget.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC's MBUX system included advanced features like augmented reality for navigation, overlaying directional arrows and street names on a live feed from the windshield-mounted camera. The system also used a cloud-based voice assistant for various tasks and could track user behavior to make suggestions. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, with optional wireless device charging. The Off-Road Engineering Package added hill-descent control and additional driving modes for rocky or snowy roads.

The 2021 Ford Edge featured the latest Sync 4 infotainment system, with standard wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a 12-inch touchscreen. Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot were also standard. The Edge ST models came with a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The Edge had four USB ports, including two rear USB ports added for the 2021 model year. Sync 4's simple graphics and straightforward menu layouts made it user-friendly, and not all competitors offered wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC was named a 2019 Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS, scoring top ratings in all crash tests and for its standard forward emergency braking. The NHTSA gave the GLC its highest 5-star rating in all crash tests. New for 2020 was Exit Warning Assist, which used blind-spot-monitoring radar sensors to detect approaching cyclists or cars for up to 3 minutes after shutting down the car. Other features included Pre-Safe Sound and Predictive Brake Priming.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS Top Safety Pick, with top ratings in all crash tests and for vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention. It received lower ratings for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use, and headlights. The NHTSA gave the Edge a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover tests. Standard safety features under the Ford Co-Pilot360 banner included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, post-collision braking, dynamic brake support, and rear parking sensors. Adaptive cruise control and Evasive Steering Assist were standard on all but the base SE trim.