Compare the2026 Mercedes GLC Coupe VS 2026 Subaru Outback

The GLC Coupe’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Outback doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The GLC Coupe has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Outback doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

The GLC Coupe offers optional Post-Collision Brake, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Outback doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Earlier warning of stopped traffic, traffic signals, dangerous road conditions, weather, or accidents, can keep driver's safer and prevent crashes. The GLC Coupe has Car-to-X Communication, a system that seamlessly communicates important warnings to the driver about impending danger, if they're available. The Outback doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.

Both the GLC Coupe and Outback have rear cross-traffic warning, but the GLC Coupe has Active Brake Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Outback’s Rear Cross Traffic Alert doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the GLC Coupe and the Outback 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, all-wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available lane departure warning systems.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4189-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Mercedes GLC Coupe is safer than the Outback:

	GLC Coupe	Outback
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Shoulder Deflection	.55 in	.63 in
Shoulder Force	134 lbs.	201 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.38 in	2.44 in
Shoulder Force	67 lbs.	469 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The GLC Coupe comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Outback’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GLC Coupe first among compact premium suvs in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Outback isn’t in the top three in its category.

The GLC Coupe’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 75 more horsepower (255 vs. 180) and 117 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 178) than the Outback 2.5i’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The GLC Coupe’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 18 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 277) than the Outback XT/Wilderness’ standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the GLC Coupe gets better mileage than the Outback:

			MPG
GLC Coupe
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/31 hwy
Outback
	AWD	2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/29 hwy
		Wilderness 2.4 turbo flat-4	21 city/27 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the GLC Coupe’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Outback doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Mercedes GLC Coupe higher (6 out of 10) than the Subaru Outback (5 to 6). This means the GLC Coupe produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Outback every 15,000 miles.

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

	GLC Coupe	Outback
Front Rotors	13.5 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	12.6 inches	11.8 inches

For better traction, the GLC Coupe has larger standard tires than the Outback (235/55R19 vs. 225/65R17). The GLC Coupe’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Outback (F:255/45R20 & R:285/40R20 vs. 225/65R17).

The GLC Coupe’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Outback Wilderness’ standard 65 series tires. The GLC Coupe’s optional 255/45R20 front and 285/40R20 rear tires have a lower 45 series front and 40 series rear profile than the Outback XT’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GLC Coupe has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Outback Wilderness. The GLC Coupe’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 19-inch wheels on the Outback XT.

The GLC Coupe has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Outback doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The GLC Coupe’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Outback doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLC Coupe’s wheelbase is 5.6 inches longer than on the Outback (113.7 inches vs. 108.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLC Coupe is 1.7 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Outback.

The GLC Coupe is 4.1 inches shorter than the Outback, making the GLC Coupe easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the GLC Coupe’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Outback doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The GLC Coupe’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Outback’s (3500 vs. 2700 pounds).

The GLC Coupe uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Outback uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the Outback (except Premium), the GLC Coupe has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position and outside mirror angle and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The GLC Coupe’s standard easy entry and exit feature raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Outback doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The GLC Coupe offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Outback doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The power windows standard on both the GLC Coupe and the Outback have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the GLC Coupe is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Outback prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

If the windows are left open on the GLC Coupe the driver can close all of them at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Outback can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The GLC Coupe’s standard Keyless-Go allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the cargo door, and start the engine, all without removing the key from pocket or purse. Keyless Access and Start standard on the Outback doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear doors.

The GLC Coupe’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Outback’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer fluid is standard on the GLC Coupe to defrost the washer nozzles and quickly clear ice and frost from the windshield without scraping. The Outback doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid.

The Mercedes GLC Coupe has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors costs extra on the Outback and aren't offered on the Premium/Limited.

The GLC Coupe has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning is only available on the Outback Premium/Limited/Wilderness/Touring/Onyx.

The Mercedes GLC Coupe has a standard Homelink wireless remote control system for garage door operation and device management, conveniently located on the rear view mirror. Homelink® eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries. Subaru charges extra for Homelink® on the Outback.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Mercedes GLC has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Outback.

The GLC Coupe’s Active Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Outback doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Motor Trend selected the GLC as their 2017 Sport Utility of the Year. The Outback has never been chosen.