Subaru Outback vs Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

What's the difference?

If you’re a Subaru fan chances are the Wilderness will float your boat. It’s an appealing mix of on-road refinement and more than satisfactory capability on bush tracks.

The Wilderness engine-and-CVT combination helps to make this Subaru well refined and highly responsive on-road and it benefits from punchier low-rev output in off-road scenarios.

Subaru has made a habit of producing practical vehicles and this new addition to the upgraded Outback line-up doesn’t disappoint.

Does anyone need a Wilderness version of the Outback? Probably not. Will anyone want a Wilderness edition Outback? I reckon a lot of Outback fans would fall over themselves to get their hands on one of these.

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.

The most obvious design tweaks include a glare-reducing bonnet decal, the new grille and bumper, substantial durable plastic cladding on each side, and some tailgate trim and lighting variations away from standard Outbacks.

There’s gold edging here and there around the Wilderness exterior (fog lights etc) and it’s eye-catching, but this vehicle attracts some bemused looks.

While it’s based on the mid-spec Outback AWD Premium, the Wilderness stands apart because of its taller stance (with an extra 20mm ground clearance over standard Outbacks) and chunkier overall look.

For numbers nerds, the Wilderness is 4880mm long (with a 2745mm wheelbase), 1880mm wide, 1735mm high and has a listed kerb weight of 1781kg.

Its wheel tracks (1575mm front / 1600mm rear) are 10mm narrower in both cases than those of standard Outbacks.

Inside, the Wilderness has water-repellent upholstery with embossed Wilderness logos on the headrests, Wilderness tags on the seats, orange stitching throughout and all-weather floor mats.

All in all, it looks stylish, inside and out, but it’s also ready to play in the dirt.

The GLC63 is unmistakably an AMG from the moment you first lay eyes on it. That’s thanks to the AMG-specific elements, starting with the grille with vertical strikes and the AMG crest on the bonnet; which is now a signature item for the performance sub-brand.

The GLC63 is also fitted with the Night Package II design kit; this adds a darkened grille and black chrome badging to further enhance its visual appeal.

The AMG-specific alloy wheels and more aggressive stance do mean the GLC63 stands out from the rest of the GLC range, helping it look fast even when it’s standing still.

In terms of practicality the Wilderness doesn’t disappoint. The cabin has a neat and familiar layout with enough soft-touch surfaces, storage space, cupholders and charge points to satisfy most drivers and passengers.

The 12.1-inch horizontal multi-media touchscreen is easy enough to operate, with many cabin functions able to be controlled via on-screen buttons, but some functions (including air-conditioning and auto vehicle hold) can also be adjusted via physical off-screen controls, which is handy.

The seats offer improved lumbar and pelvic support relative to previous Outbacks, there’s more headroom for the driver and passengers and Subaru reckons the rear cargo area opening is more than 50mm higher than standard for easier loading and unloading of gear into the rear.

According to Subaru the Wilderness upholstery is “hydrophobic synthetic leather with an anti-slip embossed finish” which looks good and seems durable enough for a lifetime of weekend road trips with some dirt inadvertently tracked inside for good measure.

Cargo volume is a listed 530 litres (with the rear seat up and in use), and that expands to 1211 litres when the 60/40 split-folding rear seat is down.

You can conceal whatever is in the rear cargo area with the new foldable fabric cargo cover which can be used as a tonneau-style cover, cargo partition, or even to protect the rear load lip. Its rear-most fixing points attach to the inner walls with magnets.

The cargo area has a 12-volt outlet, two shopping bag hooks on each wall, four tie-down points on the floor and a full-size spare wheel stored under that floor.

The Wilderness has new high-strength roof rails which are claimed to offer a static load capacity of 363kg (increased from 318kg).

Subaru has made a habit of producing practical vehicles and this new Outback doesn’t disappoint.

Inside the GLC63 is clearly a derivative of the rest of the range, with its C-Class-inspired design and layout, but there’s enough AMG-specific elements to ensure it looks and feels special. This starts with the AMG steering wheel, which comes not only with a thick rim wrapped in Alcantara, but also some AMG special dials to adjust the various performance settings for the powertrain, suspension and transmission.

Then there are the AMG-specific seats, which look good and offer good support for the driver and front seat passenger. The rear seats offer decent space for what is a mid-size SUV, with room enough for two adults or teenagers or three smaller kids.

Those in the back aren’t particularly well looked after though, with only rear air-con vents and small door pockets but no USB charging ports or other small item storage.

The boot is 590 litres, down from 620L in the rest of the range, thanks to the addition of the rear-mounted electric motor. There’s also no room for the temporary spare the rest of the GLC range gets and instead you have to make do with a puncture repair kit.

The power and torque figures aren’t the only numbers that have risen sharply, with the GLC63 clearly impacted by a double whammy of inflation and the usual new-car price rise.

The GLC63 now starts at more than $191,814 for the SUV and $198,415 for the Coupe, which represents a nearly $30k increase over the old V8-powered model, which was priced at $164,600 just two years ago. Even for luxury car buyers that’s a big jump, especially when you’re trying to convince people of the merits of the four-cylinder powertrain. 

That also means it's more expensive than all of its key competitors, including the BMW X3 M Competition, Maserati’s Grecale and the outgoing, petrol-powered Porsche Macan GTS.

To help explain some of this price increase Mercedes-Benz Australia has opted for a high level of standard specification for local cars. Standard equipment includes 21-inch alloys, AMG composite braking, a panoramic sliding sunroof, a unique AMG steering wheel, power-adjustable sports seats in Nappa leather, a head-up display, dual-zone climate control, wireless smartphone charging and a Burmester 3D Sound system.

Also included is the AMG Track Pace suite, for those who want to unleash their GLC on the racetrack.

There’s also a limited run, AMG Edition 1 Package available too, for an additional $12,900. On the outside you get Manufaktur graphite grey magno paint, foiling with colour gradation and large AMG logo on the sides, an AMG Aerodynamics Package, unique alloy wheels with Edition 1 and AMG branding, yellow brake calipers and an AMG fuel filler cap in silver chrome with AMG lettering. 

Inside there’s AMG Performance seats, AMG Nappa leather in black with yellow contrasting stitching, AMG illuminated door sills,  carbon-fibre AMG trim highlights, yellow seat belts and a unique AMG Performance steering wheel wrapped in carbon-fibre and microfibre.

There are two direct-injection Boxer engines on offer in the Outback line-up: standard Outbacks get a 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated engine (137kW at 5800rpm and 254Nm at 3700rpm), while the Wilderness and Wilderness Apex get a 2.4-litre turbo-petrol boxer engine, producing 194kW at 5600rpm and 382Nm at 2000-3600rpm.

Both engines are matched to a continuously variable auto transmission (CVT) with eight-speed 'manual' mode. No Outback in the new line-up has a manual gearbox.

The Wilderness’s engine-and-CVT combination helps to make this Subaru well refined and highly responsive on-road and it benefits from punchier low-rev output in off-road scenarios.

This is what lies at the heart of the AMG GLC63’s success or failure. As I mentioned at the beginning, the previous generation’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 has been replaced by an F1-inspired plug-in hybrid powertrain.

But don’t think that means AMG is suddenly focused on efficiency over performance. When AMG says the powertrain is inspired by the brand’s success in Formula 1 racing, what it means is the battery and electric motor provides a significant performance boost to support the internal combustion engine, not just save fuel.

To that end the combination of the turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and the rear-mounted electric motor produces an impressive 500kW and 1020Nm. That’s a massive jump over the 375kW/700Nm made by the outgoing V8.

Official fuel consumption for the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 9.7L/100km.

Fuel consumption on test was 10.8L/100km (combined) and while a lot of this test was spent on sealed surfaces, we did do unsealed road and rough-track driving.

The Outback has a 63-litre fuel tank so going by our on-test fuel consumption figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of about 583km from a full tank of premium unleaded petrol.

Mercedes makes no secret that the battery is designed for performance, not saving fuel. It only has a 14km EV range but can recharge quickly on the move to provide a power boost when needed.

But despite all that, the GLC63 is actually significantly more fuel efficient than the old V8, using a claimed 7.3L/100km, which is a massive 4.9L/100km improvement over the old model. Although, on our day-long test drive we didn’t manage to come close to that claimed figure and instead saw returns around 11L/100km, albeit after a lot of spirited open-road driving.

From the start, this is an enjoyable car to drive. The driver’s seat is eight-way power-adjustable so it’s easy to dial-in your preferred driving position. There’s ample visibility for a vehicle that feels so snug around you and this is a nimble mid-sized SUV with a 11.0m turning circle.

On-road, it is quiet and smooth, and its ride and handling are well controlled, with new dual-pinion electric power steering adding more precision.

The tweaked Wilderness suspension set-up – MacPherson struts at the front and double wishbones at the rear (both with newly tuned electronically-controlled dampers) – yields a comfortable driving experience.

As mentioned, the engine/CVT combination is generally impressive, but if driving based on the CVT’s behaviour is not entirely your cup of tea, you can always use the paddle shifters on the back of the steering wheel to have your fun.

The Outback has always been a solid all-rounder and well suited to light- to medium-duty off-roading and over the years its driver-assist systems have been tweaked and finessed to improve those attributes.

Worth noting, we define light- to medium-duty off-roading as driving on well-maintained gravel tracks or dirt roads in dry weather, or coping with minor corrugations, or muddy potholes on dirt or gravel tracks in wet weather.

This SUV's AWD system is intended to keep you safe on less-than-ideal terrain, such as rain-splattered wet blacktop, loosely gravelled bush tracks or slightly muddy dirt roads, rather than transform the Outback into a rock-crawling beast.

Afterall, this is not a 4WD with low-range gearing, ample ground clearance and aggressive all-terrain tyres.

However, with a skilled, experienced driver at the helm, the Outback is even able to tackle off-roading so difficult it would otherwise seem out of an all-wheel drive’s realm of capability.

The Wilderness edition simply builds on that reputation.

For starters, it has greater ground clearance (240mm) than other Outbacks and so its off-road angles are an improvement, with its 20-degree approach, 21.2-degree ramp-over angle and 23.6-degree departure angle besting its lower-spec stablemates.

Subaru’s X Mode system, with snow/dirt and deep snow/mud modes, adds another level to the Outback’s capability. These modes tweak acceleration, off-road traction-control activity and front and rear axle limited-slip function, among other things, to suit the terrain. Working in conjunction with driver-assist tech such as Hill Descent Control, the Outback handles light- to medium-duty off-roading with no strife whatsoever.

Ride and handling remain fine on unsealed country roads, and the suspension mostly soaks up the more dramatic bush track lumps and bumps.

If you’re looking for a vehicle to tow a 2500kg-plus caravan, boat or horse float then look elsewhere because the Wilderness has 750kg (unbraked trailer) and 2100kg (braked) towing capacities.

In terms of all-around driveability, this Outback has a lot going for it and can stand its ground against the likes of the Toyota RAV4, and even the Ford Everest and Isuzu MU-X.

Anyone who still believes in the adage ‘there’s no replacement for displacement’ hasn’t driven a modern turbocharged and hybridised engine. The GLC63 is a demonstration of the metaphorical and literal power of modern technology, combining an extremely efficient and potent internal combustion engine with an electric motor to make enormous real-world performance.

To be blunt, the GLC63 feels like a rocketship out of corners, launching with a ferocity and relentlessness the old V8 simply can’t match. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, a mid-size SUV with 1020Nm was always going to have plenty of performance, but even so it’s a shock to the system every time you give the GLC63 full throttle. Officially AMG claims it takes just 3.5 seconds to run 0-100km/h and has an electronically limited top speed of 275km/h - mighty impressive figures for a five-seat mid-size SUV.

To help get all that torque to the road, AMG deploys torque distribution technology that allows for it to be split an even 50/50 front/rear all the way to 100 per cent to the rear tyres.

Other technologies deployed to enhance its handling include AMG Ride Control suspension with adaptive damping and rear-axle steering. There’s also eight AMG Dynamic Select driving modes and four AMG Dynamics settings (Basic, Advanced, Pro and Master), so it’s a complex vehicle that is designed for the enthusiast.

While it’s easy to drive around town, once you get out on the open road you can really get a sense of the GLC63’s performance potential. Beyond just its powertrain the suspension offers good body control and the rear-axle steering helps it feel agile and responsive. 

It’s not perfect though. At times the complexity of the system does lead to some hesitation when you put your foot down. It certainly lacks the linear power delivery of the old V8 and makes for a slightly trickier driving experience at times.

As for the sound, which is one of the biggest elements missing from the V8, Mercedes has added AMG Real Performance Sound, which features a pressure sensor in the exhaust that picks up on the engine note and plays it through the speaker system. It certainly helps make for a louder, more noticeable engine noise, but it still sounds more like an A45 than the previous GLC63 and for many would-be buyers, that’s a major turn-off.

The GLC63 comes standard with a comprehensive suite of safety features including 'Distronic' (Mercedes’ name for adaptive cruise control), 'Active Lane Keeping Assist', 'Blind Spot Assist', 'Traffic Light Assist' and 'Adaptive Highbeam Assist'. It also includes Mercedes’ 'Pre-Safe' accident anticipation system - which pre-tensions the seat belts and will even play a white noise to protect your ears if it senses a crash is imminent.

A parking system that includes a 360-degree camera and active parking assist is also included.

The GLC range was awarded a five-star ANCAP rating in 2022, which pre-dates the latest testing protocols, so doesn’t provide a like-to-like comparison for vehicles tested after that date.

The Wilderness is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty, five-year/75,000km capped price servicing, and comes with 12 months of roadside assistance.

Servicing is recommended at 12 month/15,000km intervals.

The upfront prepaid service plans are a three-year service plan ($1275.37) and a five-year service plan ($2347.31).

For comparison, the first five years' service for a comparable Toyota RAV4 will set you back $1625.

At time of writing, Subaru Australia has more than 114 authorised dealerships and more than 120 service centres around the country.

The GLC63 is covered by Mercedes Australia’s usual five-year/unlimited kilometres warranty.

As for maintenance, Mercedes offers service plans, spanning three to five years. Three years will cost you $5025, $6455 for four years and five years is priced from $7180. Servicing intervals are 12 months or 20,000km, whichever comes first.