Audi Q7 vs Mercedes-Benz GLC300

What's the difference?

Overall, changes to the Q7 aren’t quite revolutionary, but that’s okay because it was already a fantastic large SUV.

The fact Audi has kept the price around the same mark and introduced a cheaper entry-grade should be welcome news for prospective buyers.

But even the existing variants are capable and impressive family haulers… and now they’re just that little bit better.

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

The GLC300 Coupe isn't quite as great when it comes to being a family car as the regular SUV version of the GLC, and that's purely down to the sloping roofline which not only makes access more difficult to the second row but reduces boot capacity.

That said, the GLC300 Coupe makes a much better family car than a Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan, or any sedan.

Easy and enjoyable to drive, packed with great features and still practical, the GLC300 Coupe would still cut it as a good family car.

The phrase ‘evolution not revolution’ is applicable here, cliche as it is, with the Q7 having been given a Botox-style lift at the front end.

The standard matrix LED headlights have a higher lighting signature than before, with the lighting elements leading into the lines down the shoulder of the SUV.

The grille now features a hexagonal honeycomb insert, the vertical line styling is now a thing of the past and the functional side vents are a little more aggro.

Overall, it’s a sharper look that brings the Q7 up to date with Audi’s current design language, down to the more angular wheel choices.

At the rear, the new tail-lights are ‘joined’ via a chrome strip spanning the rear, and the lower bumper (with real exhaust exits) has had a refresh.

Audi’s new CI badging (or ‘corporate identity’, pretty sexy stuff) is also present, which includes a new typeface for the ‘Q7’ badge at the rear, which is no longer italicised and is separate from the red ‘S line’ rhombus.

The four rings badge is also flatter and is white with black outlines, rather than a three-dimensional chrome badge.

Inside, the changes are more than skin-deep. In fact, the skin is the same, you’d be hard pressed to notice anything different about the Q7’s interior between pre- and post-facelift without diving into the electronics.

Coupe SUVs aren’t for everybody… they’re not even for lots of people. But the design of an SUV with its roof cut down so that it meets the tailgate at an almost sportscar-like angle appeals to more than a few fans. The thing is they don’t just like the look, they love it, and they also probably enjoy how much the styling makes other people cranky.

To my eyes the GLC300 Coupe is the best execution of the bodystyle compared to those of BMW and Audi. There’s an elegance to the GLC300 Coupe and the AMG-line adds a tough look that only enhances the solid, powerful but pretty look.

The GLC Coupe is a mid-sized SUV and this new generation model is a bit bigger the previous one and now measures 31mm longer at 4763mm end to end, it’s 1890mm wide, 1605mm tall and has a wheelbase of 2888mm.

It’s also more aerodynamic than ever. No seriously, it’s drag coefficient is now 0.27 and it looks like a bar of soap - and it's about as slippery as one, too.

More curved surfaces await inside with a dashboard that pours down into the large centre console and it's adorned with a sloping and large portrait-style media screen. 

At night or in tunnels the ambient lighting glows through the air vents and skirts the edges of the door trims, console and dashboard.

It’s a minimalist and high-tech cockpit with modern sports seats up front and a Nappa leather wrapped steering wheel with its twin blade design.  

So, how does the coupe design work for family practicality? Let’s take a look.

Audi has changed the layout and added new apps in the main 10.1-inch multimedia touchscreen, though fortunately it still has shortcuts to all the Big Dogs in terms of functions: media, navigation, phone, etc.

On top of that, everything is still in big, easy-to-see (and press) blocky buttons on the main screen.

The 8.6-inch screen below also still has climate controls readily available, and there are still physical buttons for a bunch of functions including drive modes.

The wide 12.3-inch driver display also remains familiar, though now has a higher resolution and more functionality in terms of on-road help and safety - which we’ll come to later in this review.

Aside from the tech, ‘spacious’ is an understatement when it comes to the big Audi’s cabin. In the front seats especially, the Q7’s central tunnel and dashboard are easy to reach without feeling like an enclosure as they wrap around the front passengers.

However, if I had to level one criticism at the usefulness of the Q7’s front row, it would be that despite there being physically plenty of room, storage is at a premium. 

For something this big, there aren’t many places to put items that aren’t your phone or a drink. 

There are door card holders for bigger bottles, some space for small items, and the cupholders of course, but the space under the central armrest including the phone charger is stingy.

Fortunately, the second row is not lacking space and is modular in its adjustability. Occupants can move seats, adjust their angle, and even sort out the middle seat separately. 

Depending on how high up the variant chain you go, separate climate controls for the middle row and the panoramic sunroof help create a comfortable and roomy feeling.

The second row can also be tucked up behind the front row for easier access to the third row, which (if the second row is slid forward a tad) is just spacious enough for an average adult to be relatively comfortable for a short trip. 

The third row seats are able to be folded or raised with switches that are accessible from the side doors or the (electric) tailgate, where there’s also a switch to lower or raise the rear suspension by 55mm to aid loading.

On that, the Q7 has a claimed luggage capacity of roughly 295L with all seats up, 780L with the third row folded down and 1908L with the second row lowered.

SUVs are the most practical cars for families because of the better access to the cabin thanks to their large doors and slightly elevated ride height, their big boots with wide and tall hatch openings and their high flat rooflines. They’re essentially raised station wagons.

A coupe-style SUV still has four doors but they are less boxy due to the sloping roofline which falls away quickly to meet the tailgate at a lower point. The effect is a sporty-looking shape but practicality is lost in this exercise of form over function.

The second row doorways aren’t as large as those on the regular SUV. I did a side-by-side test and felt like I had to duck under the sloping roof when getting out of the back seat.

The smaller opening also made it trickier to lift my toddler daughter into her baby seat.

The sidesteps are also surprisingly handy for bigger kids and my eight-year-old used them every time when climbing into the car.

Cabin storage is outstanding with huge door pockets and cupholders in both rows, and while the 545-litre boot in the GLC300 Coupe is 80 litres smaller than the cargo capacity of the regular GLC SUV, it's bigger than the previous version of the Coupe.

As for people space, there’s enough headroom for me at 189cm tall in the back seat and heaps of legroom, even behind my driving position.

I’ve mentioned the lack of climate control in the second row, but also should point out that there are no USB ports back there either.

There are USB ports in the big centre console box upfront and a long cord should be able to make it to the second row. 

There’s a wireless phone charger but it's housed in the bowels of the centre console too, and you’ll need to weave your hand while clasping the phone under the shiny black trapdoor, past the cupholders possibly with drinks in them and almost under the dashboard.

Mercedes-Benz is offering Australia just the GLC300 grade in both the SUV and Coupe body styles.

High-performance AMG variants are out overseas now and will arrive in Australia soon, too.

You can expect to pay more for these AMG beasts - a lot more than the $113,900 list price of the GLC300 Coupe.

Still the GLC300 Coupe does come standard with an AMG Line body kit and 20-inch AMG alloy wheels. LED headlights are also standard, so is the panoramic glass roof, tinted rear glass, proximity unlocking and a power tailgate.

Inside there’s synthetic leather Artico upholstery, sports heated front seats, Nappa leather steering wheel, an 11.9-inch media display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a head-up display. There’s also dual-zone climate control and wireless phone charging.

The value is good in terms of features, although the price is slightly higher compared to the rivals such as the BMW X4 xDrive30i ($106,400) and Audi Q5 Sportback 55TFSI ($110,200).

It’s worth pointing out, too, that the GLC300 Coupe is about $10K more than the GLC300 SUV version. Why? The coupe versions of prestige SUVs always tend to be pricier than their regular more boxy SUV siblings. Somebody in marketing will be able to explain why.

Having lived with the GLC300 Coupe with my family over the past few days I can say the proximity unlocking which works by touching even the back door handles is excellent, the tinted windows are dark and cut out much of the sun's glare, but there’s no climate control in the second row. There are air vents back there, which is good.

I found that on hot days the semi-transparent shade on the glass roof couldn’t stop the cabin from heating up quickly.

The four drivetrain options for the Q7 line-up are split between the two ‘grades’, with the 45 TFSI and TDI powering the 'entry-level' cars and the 50 TDI and 55 TFSI as the feature-packed variants.

The most affordable option is the 45 TFSI, which runs a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine making 185kW and 370Nm.

Like all variants in the Q7 range, the 45 TFSI engine powers all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. Audi claims the 45 TFSI will hit 100km/h in 7.3 seconds, if that’s your thing when it comes to three-row SUVs.

The rest of the line-up is powered by different versions of the brand’s 3.0-litre V6, all turbocharged, and all with 48-volt ‘mild hybrid’ (MHEV) tech aiming to increase efficiency.

The 45 TDI is, of course, a turbo-diesel 3.0-litre V6 that makes 170kW and 500Nm, also sending power and torque to all four wheels via the same style transmission. Audi says this one knocks over 100km/h in 7.1 seconds.

Similarly, but with more power and torque, the 50 TDI is also powered by a turbo-diesel unit as the name suggests. This one puts out 210kW and 600Nm, making it likely the best choice for towing and such even though all V6 variants boast a 3500kg braked towing capacity. The 50 TDI’s figure to hit 100km/h is a claimed 5.9 seconds.

Finally, the 55 TFSI makes 250kW and 500Nm, and boasts a 5.9-second claimed 0-100km/h time.

The GLC300 Coupe has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine making 190kW of power and 400Nm of torque.

There’s also an overboost function which allows the engine to make an extra 17kW and 200Nm just for a brief moment, but that extra dollop of grunt combined with the regular output provides impressive acceleration (0-100km/h in about 6.3 seconds) for overtaking or moving quickly when you need to.

A smooth nine-speed automatic transmission sends the drive to all-four wheels.

The GLC300 Coupe is all-wheel drive and while there’s a setting for rougher terrain, along with one for comfort, eco and sport, but I’d make sure that it doesn’t get any more adventurous than tame gravel and dirt roads.

Mercedes-Benz refers to the GLC300 Coupe as a mild hybrid and this is because it has a 48-volt system and an integrated starter-generator.

This type of hybrid doesn’t use electric motors, doesn’t drive the wheels and won’t save much fuel, but it will provide efficiencies by supporting the engine and when coasting, plus will reduce petrol consumption to a small degree.

As you might expect, diesel versions of the Audi Q7 are claimed to use less fuel than their petrol counterparts, so let’s start with those. 

The 45 TDI boasts a claimed 7.0L/100km consumption figure, while the 50 TDI is a little higher at 7.1 litres. Both have 75-litre fuel tanks, and should therefore theoretically get more than 1000km out of a fill.

On to the petrol models, the four-cylinder TFSI 45 has a claimed 9.3L/100km efficiency figure and the V6 TFSI 55's number is 9.0L/100km.

Given the nature of the driving and groups sharing cars during the launch event, we’ll wait until we’re next in a Q7 for a longer time before doing our own efficiency test.

As we mentioned above the GLC300 Coupe's 48-volt mild hybrid system is not the kind of hybrid that will allow you to drive miles on electric power, nor will it dramatically reduce fuel consumption in the way a parallel, series or plug-in hybrid will. But every bit of efficiency helps.

Mercedes-Benz says the GLC300 Coupe will use 7.7L/100km after a combination of open and urban roads. 

We had the GLC300 Coupe for just two days, but in that time my family covered 176km of regular daily usage which took in motorways but mainly suburban duties such as the school run, supermarket dashes, that sort of thing.

In our fuel test we measured 14.48 litres at the fuel pump which works out to be an on-test fuel use figure of 8.2L/100km and not far off the manufacturer’s claim. 

While this fuel consumption isn’t overly high, a plug-in hybrid or even a parallel or series hybrid could return about 5.0L/100km or less.

Mercedes-Benz has dropped plug-in hybrids from its Australian range which is a shame because it would be good to see more efficient options in the GLC range. Of course if you want more efficiency from a Benz of the same size, there is always the fully electric EQB or EQC.

Aside from the mild-hybrid now standard on the Q7’s V6 models, there’s not a whole lot to report on in terms of new tricks or surprises from behind the wheel.

But that’s okay, because it means the Q7 remains a supremely comfortable and capable large SUV.

Our test route consisted of plenty of rural driving, with a combination of surfaces that would in some family haulers see the suspension and maybe even steering show cracks in their ability - but the Q7 remains composed.

Given its weight and size, it can feel a little hefty around sharper corners, but the Q7 in these variants (i.e, not its performance-focused SQ7 sibling) isn’t built to be hustled like that.

It feels like the kind of air-suspended loungeroom-on-wheels that would be at home barreling down the autobahn at 180km/h and being completely undramatic about it.

Still, this model shares some moving parts underneath with the likes of the extremely capable Porsche Cayenne, and while the Q7 isn’t quite a giant hot hatch, the sound foundations shine through dynamically.

Of course, when it comes to powertrains, there isn’t really a wrong answer, each engine fits a purpose.

If you’ll ever need to tow (and you can at up to 3500kg braked), the low-down steady urge of the 50 TDI is probably your best bet, but even the 45 TDI is a solid choice for long-range motoring.

The petrol models will better suit those in city situations, and while they never feel truly urgent, the 55 TFSI isn’t without some impressive push for something of this size.

There’s a lot to like here but the short version is the GLC300 Coupe has a comfortable ride, but good handling, with a responsive engine, although rear visibility through the small back window is poor.

If we drill down a bit further I can tell you that excellent cameras around the car will help you check to make sure kids aren’t running around behind you and that forward and side visibility through the window is good.

An important takeaway is that the GLC300 Coupe is easy to drive with light steering and an engine that’s mild and controlled in its power delivery.

The gear shifter is mounted on the steering column, in the same way an indicator lever is. So putting the car into Drive, Reverse and Park is so easy and means you don’t have to take your hands off the steering wheel. 

As a family car I liked the good body control and composed ride. We have a small toddler that we can sometimes only get to sleep by taking her for a drive and we found that she could nod off and not be woken by potholes and speed bumps or too much leaning in the corners. 

The GLC was given the maximum five star ANCAP rating in 2022. There’s AEB, active lane keeping assistance and active blind spot warning and nine airbags including a centre airbag.

As mentioned above I especially liked the surround-view camera systems - which let you look right around the car - good for driveway safety and kids.

For child seats you’ll find two ISOFIX mounts and three top tether anchor points in the second row.

I was also impressed to see a space-saver spare wheel under the boot floor and not just a puncture repair kit. 

Audi’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty is pretty standard for a premium brand, but five years of free roadside assist and the ability to add a package to extend the warranty both add a little extra to the deal.

For the Q7, a five-year servicing plan is $3820, while the $4370 'Audi Advantage' plan adds two years to the warranty, two more services, and two more years' roadside assist.

The GLC300 is covered by Mercedes-Benz's five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty. 

Services are annually or every 25,000km. And you can buy a three-year service plan for about $3000.