Compare the2026 Jeep Grand CherokeeVS 2026 Mercedes GLC

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The GLC doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Grand Cherokee Limited Reserve/Summit helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The GLC doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Grand Cherokee’s standard lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. A lane departure warning system costs extra on the GLC.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee offers an optional 360-degree camera and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the Mercedes GLC doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

Both the Grand Cherokee and the GLC have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

Jeep’s powertrain warranty covers the Grand Cherokee 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Mercedes covers the GLC. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the GLC ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

There are over 6 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Grand Cherokee’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Grand Cherokee has a standard 160-amp alternator (240-amp - Grand Cherokee optional). The GLC’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 24 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is rated below average.

The Grand Cherokee Laredo’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 38 more horsepower (293 vs. 255) than the GLC 300’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Grand Cherokee’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 11 more horsepower (324 vs. 313) than the GLC 350e’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Jeep Grand Cherokee uses regular unleaded gasoline. The GLC requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Grand Cherokee has 10.1 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC 350e’s standard fuel tank (23 vs. 12.9 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Grand Cherokee has 6.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the GLC’s standard fuel tank (23 vs. 16.4 gallons).

The Grand Cherokee has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The GLC doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the Grand Cherokee’s brake rotors are larger than those on the GLC:

For better traction, the Grand Cherokee has larger standard tires than the GLC (265/60R18 vs. 235/60R18). The Grand Cherokee Summit’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the GLC (275/45R21 vs. 255/45R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Grand Cherokee Summit has standard 21-inch wheels. The GLC’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Grand Cherokee has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The GLC doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Grand Cherokee offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the GLC; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Grand Cherokee offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The GLC’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Grand Cherokee’s wheelbase is 3.6 inches longer than on the GLC (116.7 inches vs. 113.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Grand Cherokee is 1.3 inches wider in the front and .8 inches wider in the rear than on the GLC.

For better maneuverability, the Grand Cherokee’s turning circle is .7 feet tighter than the GLC’s (38 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Grand Cherokee has a greater minimum ground clearance than the GLC (8.4 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Grand Cherokee to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Grand Cherokee Summit’s minimum ground clearance is 2.7 inches higher than on the GLC (10.9 vs. 8.2 inches).

The front grille of the Grand Cherokee uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The GLC doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Grand Cherokee Altitude/Limited/Summit uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The GLC doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Grand Cherokee has .6 inches more front legroom, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, .8 inches more rear legroom and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the GLC.

The Grand Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the GLC with its rear seat up (37.7 vs. 21.9 cubic feet). The Grand Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the GLC with its rear seat folded (70.8 vs. 56.3 cubic feet).

The Grand Cherokee’s cargo area is larger than the GLC’s in every dimension:

Maximum trailer towing in the Mercedes GLC is limited to 3500 pounds. The Grand Cherokee offers up to a 6200 lbs. towing capacity.

The Grand Cherokee Summit can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Grand Cherokee can be unhitched and driven around locally. The GLC can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Trailer Sway Control is standard on the Grand Cherokee, using the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the GLC.

The Grand Cherokee’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The GLC does not have an oil pressure gauge.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Grand Cherokee has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the GLC only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the Grand Cherokee’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the GLC’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Grand Cherokee to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The GLC doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Grand Cherokee Limited Reserve/Trailhawk/Summit has standard front air conditioned seats and the Grand Cherokee Summit also has them in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The GLC doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Grand Cherokee Summit has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the GLC.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee stands out above the Mercedes GLC by offering not one, but two Qi-compatible phone chargers. This convenience helps travelers with multiple devices to keep powered up on-the-go. Wireless charging eliminates lost or cluttered charging cables and one of them provide more flexibility.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Grand Cherokee third among midsize SUVs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The GLC isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee outsold the Mercedes GLC by almost three to one during 2025.