Compare the2025 Mercedes GLC CoupeVS 2025 Volkswagen Tiguan

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 Tiguan doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the GLC Coupe are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The GLC Coupe has standard NECK-PRO front head restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the NECK-PRO front head restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GLC Coupe. But it costs extra on the Tiguan.

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 Tiguan doesn’t offer a system that can receive automated systems from infrastructure or other vehicles.

The GLC Coupe’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Tiguan doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the GLC Coupe and the Tiguan have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, front seat center airbag, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available lane departure warning systems.

The Mercedes GLC Coupe weighs 487 to 725 pounds more than the Volkswagen Tiguan. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The Mercedes GLC Coupe has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2025 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” to “Good” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Tiguan has not yet been evaluated by the IIHS for 2025.

The GLC Coupe’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Tiguan’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are better in initial quality than Volkswagen vehicles. With 35 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Mercedes higher than Volkswagen.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Mercedes vehicles are more reliable than Volkswagen With 49 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Mercedes higher than Volkswagen.

The GLC Coupe’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 54 more horsepower (255 vs. 201) and 88 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 207) than the Tiguan’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The GLC Coupe’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 54 more horsepower (255 vs. 201) and 74 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 221) than the Tiguan’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

On the EPA test cycle the GLC 300 Coupe gets better fuel mileage than the Tiguan 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder (23 city/31 hwy vs. 22 city/30 hwy).

The GLC Coupe has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tiguan FWD’s standard fuel tank (16.4 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The GLC Coupe has a tether attaching its gas cap to prevent its loss. The Tiguan’s gas cap isn’t tethered, so it can be left at a gas station if the driver forgets to screw the cap back in.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Mercedes GLC Coupe, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Tiguan.

The GLC Coupe’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Tiguan are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the GLC Coupe has larger standard tires than the Tiguan (235/55R19 vs. 215/65R17).

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 Tiguan’s standard 65 series tires. The GLC Coupe’s optional 285/35R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Tiguan’s optional 40 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 Tiguan. The GLC Coupe’s optional 21-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the Tiguan.

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 Tiguan doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GLC Coupe’s wheelbase is 3.8 inches longer than on the Tiguan (113.7 inches vs. 109.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GLC Coupe is 1.6 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Tiguan.

For greater off-road capability the GLC Coupe has a 1.2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Tiguan (8.2 vs. 7 inches), allowing the GLC Coupe to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The design of the Mercedes GLC Coupe amounts to more than styling. The GLC Coupe has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .27 Cd. That is lower than the Tiguan (.3) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GLC Coupe get better fuel mileage.

The GLC Coupe has .5 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more front shoulder room and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Tiguan.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the GLC Coupe’s rear seats recline. The Tiguan’s rear seats don’t recline.

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the GLC Coupe. The Tiguan doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The GLC Coupe’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Tiguan’s (3500 vs. 1500 pounds).

The engine in the GLC Coupe is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Tiguan. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Tiguan SEL, 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 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 the pocket or purse. KESSY Keyless Access standard on the Tiguan doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

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 Tiguan doesn’t offer heated windshield washer fluid. Its standard heated washer nozzles will defrost the washer fluid but not the windshield.

The GLC Coupe’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Tiguan offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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 are only offered on the Tiguan SEL.

Compared to the Volkswagen Tiguan, the Mercedes GLC Coupe eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its standard integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the rear view mirror.

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