2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC was a testament to timeless design, eschewing the aggressive styling trends of its contemporaries for a more classic aesthetic. Its exterior featured soft curves and rounded edges, complemented by menacing LED headlights that added a touch of modern aggression. The long hood and wide grille gave it a dramatic stance, reminiscent of a raised C-Class or E-Class sedan, emphasizing its car-like characteristics. Inside, the GLC's cabin was an artful blend of soft lines and curves, with a flowing dash and a floating centre touchscreen with rounded edges. Mercedes-Benz was known for its minimalist approach, and the GLC's interior set the standard for compact luxury SUV cabins.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, on the other hand, shared its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer, resulting in a traditional SUV styling with a tall hood, broad shoulders, and an upright profile. It distinguished itself with a standard black roof, model-specific hood, front fascia, and grille, featuring laser-etched knurling in the grille slots. The Grand Wagoneer boasted a new body-on-frame architecture, independent suspension, and weight-saving materials like an aluminum hood and doors. Inside, it shared styling features with the Wagoneer but offered more convenience features and higher-quality materials, including 24-way power front seats with memory, massage, and lumbar support, as well as Nappa leather upholstery and American Walnut wood trim.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 came equipped with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 255 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. It featured a nine-speed automatic transmission and 4MATIC all-wheel drive. The GLC offered various drive modes, including Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+, but even in Comfort mode, the turbocharged engine provided ample power. The AMG GLC 43 and AMG GLC 63 S variants offered more potent powertrains, with the latter boasting a twin-turbo V8 producing 503 horsepower.

In contrast, the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was powered by a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine, delivering 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, it could accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in approximately six seconds. The Grand Wagoneer featured standard four-wheel drive with the Quadra-Drive II system, offering five drive modes and a Quadra-Lift air suspension system for adjustable ride height. Despite its impressive power, the Grand Wagoneer was best driven at a leisurely pace due to its size and weight, which affected its handling and ride quality.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC offered 1,600 litres of cargo space with the rear seats folded, dropping to 550 litres with the seats up. The GLC Coupe's fastback profile reduced these figures to 1,400 and 500 litres, respectively. The GLC provided ample storage options, including a centre console, deep door pockets, and retractable cupholders. Rear-seat space was decent, with adequate legroom and headroom, although the Coupe's low roofline compromised headroom.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer seated seven with standard second-row captain's chairs or eight with an optional third-row bench seat. It offered more third-row headroom and second-row legroom than its competitors, but front-row space was more limited. With all three rows in place, it provided 775 litres of cargo space, expanding to 2,007 litres with the third row stowed. The Grand Wagoneer had a maximum towing capacity of 4,472 kilograms and featured a standard sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and large storage bins.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC featured the MBUX infotainment system with a 10.25-inch centre touchscreen, centre console touch controller, and advanced voice-control system. It included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a learning curve for navigating the system. The steering wheel had touch-sensitive pads for customizing the digital instrument panel and navigating the infotainment screen.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer boasted a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a McIntosh audio system. It featured a second-row touchscreen for climate control and an optional rear-seat entertainment system. The Uconnect 5 infotainment system offered an Android-based operating system and over-the-air updates, although the screen response was occasionally slow.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC required the $2,700 Intelligent Drive Package for advanced safety features like automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, and blind-spot monitoring. Parking sensors and hands-free parking assist were part of the Premium Plus Package, but the sensors were overly sensitive.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer included standard safety features such as a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. Optional features included intersection collision assist, driver-attention monitor, and night vision. The Active Lane Management System combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centring, with a hands-free version planned for future release.