2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC vs 2024 Honda Passport

We reviewed the GLC SUV when it was all-new for the 2023 model year and available with only one powertrain. AMG variants have rejoined the GLC 300 for 2024, and the GLC Coupe, which was a carryover last year, now catches up with the redesigned GLC SUV. For the purposes of this review, we’ve focused our attention on the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43, which we spent a week putting through its paces on our home turf.

Verdict: We suspect the AMG-tuned GLC misses the mark on what most shoppers are looking for in a luxury crossover, but for the right driver, it may very well prove worth the wait. For everyone else, the GLC 300 has everything we feel we have a right to hope for from a sub-$60k Mercedes-Benz.

While many automakers resort to daring designs or flashy tech in their efforts to stand out amid a crowded midsize SUV market, Honda takes a different approach. The 2024 Honda Passport has been refreshed for this year, but few would notice. There are no big-screen TVs in this SUV, no futuristic materials or shocking styling choices. Instead, the Passport goes simple: a proven engine, easy-to-use technology, and enough (but not too much) capability to make it appealing in all weather.

The Honda Passport’s V6 engine makes impressive power, and the TrailSport trim level tested in this review adds extra capability courtesy of some all-terrain tires and an off-road-tuned suspension. Although its 2024 refresh doesn’t make the Honda Passport a segment leader in any specific category, it will still find plenty of buyers who want a practical, spacious, safe, and reliable crossover SUV.