Used test: Mercedes-AMG GLC vs Porsche Macan
Two hairy-chested sporting SUVs now available for substantially less than their original price, but which one's worth splashing the cash on? We have the answer.....
What are they like inside?
Both these sports SUVs are capable of prodigious speeds, so they need to offer an excellent driving position. The standard sports seat in the Mercedes GLC prove comfortable and very supportive, while its leather-wrapped, flat-bottomed steering wheel has a wide range of movement.
The Porsche Macan seat places you lower than you might expect and doesn’t hug your sides as well, so it’s less supportive in corners. Factor in a bulge in the transmission tunnel that pushes your left leg over to the right and the Macan is less comfortable for the driver.
The GLC also scores points when it comes to interior design. Sure, the Macan looks and feels like a quality product, thanks to a plethora of soft plastics, well-damped switches and beautiful brushed aluminium accents, but the GLC delivers an interior that’s more striking, even if it’s not as sturdy-feeling in places.
We doubt prospective buyers will base their purchasing decision solely on practicality, but a key attribute of sports SUVs should be that they demand fewer compromises than similar-priced sports cars. So, the fact that the GLC offers more leg room, both front and rear, than the Macan can’t be ignored. Indeed, a tall adult sitting behind someone equally lanky in the Macan will find their knees wedged against the front seatback; there’s no such issue in the GLC.
Granted, head room in the GLC is a little restricted, but only those well over six feet tall will struggle. And if you need to fit three abreast in the rear, the GLC’s wider interior again betters that in the Macan, which is tight on shoulder room for three burly adults.
The GLC’s longer boot will swallow eight carry-on suitcases to seven in the Macan’s. Thanks to a wider aperture and the absence of a load lip (the Macan’s boot has a small lip that can restrict access), you’ll find loading hefty items into the GLC’s boot easier, too.
Both cars have useful 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats. The seats in the Mercedes GLC are folded using two handy remote releases by the tailgate opening; you have to open the rear doors of the Porsche Macan to reach the levers on the top of its seatbacks.
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