Audi Q2 vs Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
What's the difference?

Audi Q2

$21,990 - $36,888

2021 price

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Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

$63,419 - $183,541

2025 price

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Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class

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Summary

2021 Audi Q2

2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

By Laura Berry

By Stephen Ottley

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 4, 2.0L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Premium Unleaded/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

7.0L/100km (combined)

7.3L/100km (combined)

Seating

Likes

Good value
SQ2 has great performance
Angular looks

More power and torque
More fuel efficient
Stylish cabin

Dislikes

Cabin feels old
Could have more standard safety tech
Rear legroom limited

Misses V8 soundtrack
Big price rise over previous model
Smaller boot, no spare tyre

2021 Audi Q2 Summary

Audi’s littlest and most affordable SUV, the Q2, has been updated with new looks and tech, but something else has snuck in with it. Or should I say roared in? It’s the SQ2, with a whopping 300 horsepower and a snarling bark.

So, this review has something for everybody. It’s for those who want to know what’s new for the Q2 in this latest update - those thinking of buying a cool-looking little SUV from Audi - and for those who want to wake their neighbours up and frighten their friends.

Ready? Let’s go.

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2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Summary

Let’s make one thing clear from the very beginning - this new Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S E Performance is technically superior to the model it replaces. Whether it’s actually better or not, is the real question at the heart of the matter.

Why? Because, like the C63 sedan stablemate, AMG has opted to replace the previous model’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine with a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder hybrid powertrain. It was a move brought about in part because of increasingly stricter emissions standards in Europe, but also ties-in with the German firm’s success in modern Formula One racing.

While the new hybrid system offers more power, more torque and better fuel economy, as the lukewarm response to the C63 has demonstrated, the hard reality for AMG is that its buyers associate it with V8 and even V12 engines. That emotional pull is hard to replace with logic, even if the new model offers technical superiority.

But how does the new powertrain suit the GLC63 - is it just technically better or is it holistically improved?

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Deep dive comparison

2021 Audi Q2 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Verdict

The Q2 is good value and great to drive – especially the SQ2. The exterior looks new, but the cabin feels older than the larger Q3, and most other Audi models.

More standard advanced safety tech would make the Q2 even more appealing, as would a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. While we’re at it, a hybrid variant would make enormous sense.

So, a great car, but Audi could offer more to make it an even better proposition for buyers.

Verdict

Like I said right from the start, this new, hybrid version of the AMG GLC63 is technically superior to the model it replaces in every meaningful way. It is faster, more powerful and more fuel efficient and therefore a better performance SUV than the model it replaces.

Is it a better model than the one it replaces? Ultimately that will come down to how much stock you put into the soundtrack and your feelings on an AMG not powered by a V8 engine.

Because if you can see past that, then the AMG GLC63 is an absolutely fantastic performance SUV. Not only does the new powertrain make it faster in a straight line, but the chassis is very well-balanced, making for an engaging driving experience.

For those who can look past the smaller engine they will be rewarded with an incredibly fast and rewarding-to-drive member of the AMG family.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

Audi Q2 vs Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Audi Q2 vs Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class
What's the difference?