2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC vs 2021 Ford Edge

The 2021 Ford Edge maintained a consistent design since its 2019 refresh, which aligned its exterior with Ford's contemporary styling. This update successfully integrated the modern Ford aesthetic with the existing Edge body, offering a cleaner look compared to the more elaborate designs of competitors like the Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Edge Titanium models featured additional chrome accents, while the ST trim boasted a blacked-out grille, 20-inch wheels, and a body kit. Inside, the Edge's interior began to show its age, with a design that struggled to keep up with new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models offered leather upholstery, and the ST models included sporty front seats with contrast stitching.

In contrast, the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC embraced a timeless design with soft curves and rounded edges, maintaining a modern yet less aggressive look compared to rivals like the Lexus NX. The GLC's long hood and wide grille gave it a dramatic stance, reminiscent of a raised C-Class or E-Class sedan. Inside, the GLC's cabin was a masterpiece, with flowing lines and a minimalist approach that set a high standard for luxury SUV interiors. The GLC was available in both conventional SUV and crossover "coupe" body styles, with the latter sacrificing some cargo space for a sleeker appearance. Standard features on the GLC 300 included 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, and a power liftgate, with options for enhanced multimedia and premium packages.

The 2021 Ford Edge offered a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, delivering 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It came with standard front-wheel drive and optional all-wheel drive. The Edge ST performance model featured a more powerful EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 engine, producing 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque on 93-octane fuel, with standard all-wheel drive and model-specific suspension tuning. The Edge ST also offered an optional package with upgraded brakes and 21-inch wheels. While the Edge ST aimed to compete with performance SUVs like the Porsche Macan, it was more refined than its competitors, though the non-ST models' turbo-four engine felt somewhat sluggish. The Edge's towing capacity ranged from 3,958 pounds for the base FWD model to 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered ST.

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, mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel drive or optional 4MATIC all-wheel drive. The GLC featured steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters and Dynamic Select drive modes, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+. While the GLC's powertrain was responsive, it occasionally exhibited lag when pulling away from a stop. For those seeking more power, the AMG GLC43 offered a twin-turbocharged V6 with 385 horsepower, while the AMG GLC63 and GLC63 S featured a twin-turbo V8 with 469 and 503 horsepower, respectively, delivering sports car-like performance.

The 2021 Ford Edge provided competitive interior space, with the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers and ample legroom in both rows. It offered 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 73.4 cubic feet with them folded, trailing only the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. The Edge's center console featured a rotary shift knob to free up space, though the console's narrow width limited its utility. A foot-activated power liftgate was available on higher trims.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 offered 56.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded and 19.4 cubic feet with them up. The GLC Coupe's fastback design reduced these figures to 49.4 and 17.6 cubic feet, respectively. The GLC's interior made efficient use of space, with a decently sized center console and deep door pockets. The rear seats provided adequate legroom and headroom, though the Coupe's low roofline compromised headroom. Overall, the conventional GLC SUV was recommended for its better space utilization.

The 2021 Ford Edge featured the Sync 4 infotainment system with a 12-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Edge ST models included a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The Edge also had four USB ports, including two rear USB ports added for 2021. Sync 4's simple graphics and menu layouts were user-friendly, and the Edge stood out for offering wireless smartphone connectivity.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC came with the MBUX infotainment system, featuring a 10.25-inch touchscreen, center console touch controller, and advanced voice-control system. The system was intuitive, with both touch controller and touchscreen options. The steering wheel had touch-sensitive pads for customizing the digital instrument panel and navigating the infotainment screen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, though switching between the GLC's radio and smartphone apps required navigating through menus. Overall, the MBUX system was highly regarded for its functionality.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS "Top Safety Pick," earning top ratings in crash tests and front crash prevention tech. However, it received lower ratings for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, LATCH anchor ease of use, and headlights. The NHTSA awarded the Edge a five-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, and rear parking sensors. Adaptive cruise control and Evasive Steering Assist were standard on all but the base trim.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC came with standard safety features like automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. It also included parking sensors, hands-free parking assist, and a driver drowsiness monitor. The parking sensors were overly sensitive, but could be deactivated. Optional safety features included a 360-degree parking camera, dynamic cruise control, automatic high beams, and lane departure warning.