Mercedes-Benz GLC vs Volkswagen Touareg

The Mercedes-Benz GLC starts from $89,900 before on-road costs, while the Volkswagen Touareg opens at $86,790. That makes the Volkswagen Touareg the more affordable entry point by $3,110.

Once you factor in stamp duty, registration, CTP insurance, and dealer delivery, expect to add roughly 8-12% on top of the RRP depending on your state. That puts estimated driveaway prices in the ballpark of $98,890 and $95,469 respectively.

Over 5 years, the running costs are nearly identical since both have similar efficiency.

ANCAP safety ratings have not been published for both models yet. We will update this section when crash test results are available.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC features a 11.9-inch touchscreen paired with a 12.3-inch digital dash, while the Volkswagen Touareg gets a 15-inch display and 12.3-inch instruments. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across both.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC stands out with head-up display, panoramic roof and ambient lighting that you will not find on the Volkswagen Touareg. Which feature set matters more depends on your daily routine and priorities.

Interior trim differs: the Mercedes-Benz GLC gets synthetic leather upholstery while the Volkswagen Touareg offers leather.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC uses a Petrol producing 150kW and 320Nm of torque, sent through a automatic to a AWD layout. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 8.2 seconds.

The Volkswagen Touareg responds with a Diesel making 170kW and 500Nm, paired to a auto driving all four wheels. It gets to 100km/h in 8 seconds.

The Volkswagen Touareg has the clear power advantage at 170kW vs 150kW. In the real-world sprint, the Volkswagen Touareg is 0.2s quicker. For most buyers, the way each car feels day-to-day matters more than outright acceleration.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC measures 4,716mm long on a 2,888mm wheelbase, 173mm shorter than the Volkswagen Touareg at 4,889mm (2,894mm wheelbase). The longer wheelbase on the Volkswagen Touareg generally means more rear legroom.

Boot space is 600L in the Mercedes-Benz GLC and 810L in the Volkswagen Touareg, giving the Volkswagen Touareg a 210L advantage.

For towing, the Volkswagen Touareg leads with a 3,500kg braked capacity vs 2,000kg. That 1,500kg difference matters if you regularly hitch up.

Based on 15,000km of annual driving, fuel costs roughly $2,138/year for the Mercedes-Benz GLC and $2,081/year for the Volkswagen Touareg. That is a $57 annual difference in favour of the Volkswagen Touareg.

Estimated annual total: $2,138 (Mercedes-Benz GLC) vs $2,081 (Volkswagen Touareg). The Volkswagen Touareg saves you roughly $57 per year in total ownership costs. Use our Fuel Cost Calculator to estimate based on your driving.

Warranty: 5 years / 999,999km (Mercedes-Benz GLC) vs 5 years / 999,999km (Volkswagen Touareg). Both match on warranty length.