Here’s a curious thing. If you asked someone in India ten years ago what defined luxury motoring, they’d probably say “a big German sedan.” A Mercedes E-Class or a BMW 5-Series, parked under the porch, with its rear seat occupied by someone being driven to a meeting. Fast forward to today, and the answer isn’t a sedan at all; it’s an SUV. Specifically, one like the Mercedes-Benz GLC or the BMW X3. They’ve quietly taken over the role of the default luxury car.
And perhaps that’s why this comparison matters so much. These aren’t halo models or exotic AMGs and M cars. They’re the bread and butter, the ones you actually see on Indian roads every day. The decision, then, isn’t about choosing between two wildly different toys. It’s about choosing between two philosophies of German-ness. Mercedes says comfort, elegance, and effortless power. BMW says precision, sportiness, and involvement in the same price bracket, same size, and same purpose, but with very different answers to the same question.
Verdict
So, what should you buy with your ₹75 lakh?
The BMW X3 makes a strong case. It looks more imposing, its front seats are among the best in class, and it handles with an agility that no SUV of this size has any right to. For the enthusiast who still enjoys driving, even in an everyday family car, it delivers.
The Mercedes GLC, however, feels like the more complete package. It’s faster, more powerful, more spacious, and more comfortable. The cabin oozes luxury, the technology is easier to live with, and the ride quality is better suited to Indian roads. The BMW rewards keen drivers, but the Mercedes satisfies everyone else and in this segment, that matters more.
Both SUVs are priced within a whisker of each other, ₹75.80 lakh for the BMW, ₹75.30 lakh for the Mercedes, so money isn’t the decider. Character is. The BMW appeals to your head, with its engineering precision. The Mercedes appeals to your heart, with its effortless comfort and polish.
And if we’re keeping score, the GLC edges it. Not because the BMW fails, but because the Mercedes does more of the things that most buyers in India actually want. More plushness, more shove, more everyday ease.
Tech & Features
This is where the Germans have both tried to prove their technological superiority. The GLC runs Mercedes’ latest MBUX system, and it’s simply easier to use. Climate controls remain visible at all times, menus are logically arranged, and voice control works surprisingly well. The BMW’s iDrive system, while very powerful, is less intuitive. Fonts are smaller, menus run deeper, and it often takes a few too many steps to access basic functions.
Both cars get wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, premium audio systems, ambient lighting, and heads-up displays. The Mercedes has a clever trick called the “Transparent Bonnet,” which uses cameras to stitch together a view of what’s under the car, making it handy for parking or navigating rough trails. The BMW responds with its Reversing Assistant, which remembers the last 50 metres of steering and retraces them automatically. Both feel like gimmicks the first time you try them, but they become genuinely helpful later on.
Performance & Dynamics
The Mercedes makes a point of being the easier car to live with. Its 2.0-litre turbo petrol has 258 bhp and 400 Nm, which is more than the BMW manages, and you notice that almost immediately. It doesn’t so much accelerate as it wafts a gentle push, a surge of torque, and before you’ve registered it, you’re past whatever you wanted to overtake. In town, it’s the same story. The 48-volt hybrid system smooths everything out; the nine-speed gearbox vanishes into the background, and the suspension politely filters out the worst of the road. You’re aware of bumps, of course, but only in the way you’re aware that the sun has come up. It’s there, but it doesn’t trouble you.
Out on the highway, the GLC is quicker by almost two seconds to 100 km/h, and those in-gear timings matter more. You ask for speed at 80, and it gives you speed at 80, with no drama and no breathless waiting. Overtakes are clean and quiet. For rear-seat passengers, it feels closer to an E-Class than an SUV, which is rather the point of a Mercedes in this segment.
The BMW is more complicated. Its 2.0-litre engine produces 188 bhp and 310 Nm, and you do feel the difference. In tow,n it’s keener, busier, and firmer. The steering has weight even at parking speeds, the ride doesn’t iron out imperfections quite as kindly, and the gearbox, excellent as it is, is constantly reminding you that it’s there. You can even pull a little paddle marked “Boost” for ten seconds of extra shove. Pointless, but fun. A bit like ordering a double espresso at six in the evening.
And yet, when the road opens up, the BMW makes its case. The adaptive dampers settle it beautifully at speed, and in long sweepers, it feels flat and confident in a way the Mercedes never quite does. The steering isn’t nervous, but it’s talkative, and before you know it, you’re pressing on harder than you intended, simply because the car seems to enjoy it. It isn’t as quick in a straight line, 0–100 takes around 8.7 seconds, and overtaking demands more commitment, but the way it hangs on through corners makes you forget the stopwatch. This is the car for someone who enjoys driving itself, not just getting from one place to another.
From the back seat, the roles almost reverse. The BMW’s cushions and longer squab provide better thigh support, making long journeys more comfortable, but you are more aware of what the suspension is doing. On perfect tarmac, it’s excellent; on patchy roads, less so. The Mercedes is softer and easier to live with if you’d rather not feel the country’s infrastructure through your seat base.
So you end up with two distinct personalities. The Mercedes is faster, quieter, and more relaxed. The BMW is slower, but sharper and more eager. One takes the work away from you, the other insists you get involved, which is the point of this comparison.
Safety
Both are loaded, as you’d expect. The GLC has 10 airbags to the BMW’s 8. Both offer ADAS functions like adaptive cruise and lane keep, plus the usual array of parking aids and cameras. Mercedes adds PRE-SAFE, which prepares the cabin if it senses a collision, while BMW’s Reversing Assistant remains one of the most underrated features for our tight parking spaces.
Cabin & Comfort
Slip inside the BMW first, and you’re met with a cabin that could be described as “techno-minimalist.” There’s a single curved screen spanning the instrument cluster and central infotainment, perched neatly above a slim centre console. BMW’s use of recycled polyester on the dash is commendable for sustainability, though its texture will likely divide opinion and probably wear out your patience, once dust finds its way into the pores in our climate.
The seats, though, are excellent. The X3 offers generous adjustments, including extendable thigh support and adjustable bolsters, making it supremely comfortable for long journeys. The cushioning is soft yet supportive, the sort you’d happily spend eight hours in while blasting down an expressway.
Mercedes goes in the opposite direction with its interior. Plushness is the brief here. There’s wood trim, cool brushed metal, and rich leatherette surfaces. The large 11.9-inch touchscreen is positioned in a portrait style, like a giant iPad, and the whole ambience feels expensive in a way that BMW doesn’t quite manage. The front seats are supportive but not as endlessly adjustable as the BMW’s, though they counter this with ventilated and heated functions, adding a luxury touch that the BMW skips.
There is one flaw, however: the driver’s footwell in the GLC is on the snug side. If you have large feet, you’ll find the dead pedal cramped, which gets irritating over long distances. It’s the sort of niggle James May would spend three paragraphs on, but suffice it to say: try before you buy.
Space & Practicality
For rear passengers, both SUVs offer plenty, but with different emphases. The GLC, thanks to its longer wheelbase, provides excellent knee room. The front seatbacks are carved out, which frees even more space. However, the seat base is shorter, resulting in a lack of under-thigh support, especially for taller passengers. The panoramic sunroof is split, which gives decent light but not a completely uninterrupted view of the sky.
The BMW’s rear seat, on the other hand, is more supportive. The bench is better cushioned, and the upright roofline ensures plentiful headroom. Its one-piece panoramic glass roof is spectacular, turning the cabin into something airy and dramatic. The centre passenger still has to contend with a large transmission tunnel; the same is true in the GLC, but otherwise, it’s a comfortable place to be.
Boot space tilts the scales back in favour of the Mercedes: 640 litres versus the BMW’s 570. For families, that could be the deciding factor. However, BMW counters with a wider boot opening and a lower lip, which makes loading large or heavy items less of a chore.
Design & Presence
At first glance, both are unmistakably from their respective families. The BMW X3 has grown longer, wider, and taller than the GLC. That extra length and height, along with a roofline that runs straight and upright, lend it proper SUV gravitas. The front end is angular, with the now-obligatory kidney grille that, mercifully, hasn’t yet swollen to X7 proportions, and M Sport bumpers add aggression. It has presence, the sort that announces itself in your rear-view mirror.
The GLC, meanwhile, adopts a more lenient approach. The silhouette is more flowing, the lines more rounded, and the coupé-like taper of the roof makes it look sleeker. Mercedes hasn’t abandoned chrome either; the grille sparkles, and the bonnet gets two neat power domes. Where the BMW wants to stand tall and broad-shouldered, the Mercedes prefers to glide past looking elegant.
In other words, if the BMW is a sharply tailored business suit, the Mercedes is a well-fitted dinner jacket. Both are expensive and stylish, but worn for different occasions.
