Luxury SUV test: Edmunds compares the Lincoln Nautilus and Mercedes-Benz GLC

While Lincoln’s full-size Navigator is great for big families and towing, the recently redesigned Lincoln Nautilus should have broader appeal for SUV shoppers. It’s a midsize SUV that seats five and boasts distinctive styling, lots of premium features, and an eye-catching curved display that spans the width of the dashboard. So how does this Lincoln measure up to the competition? To find out, the car experts at Edmunds compared it to the Mercedes-Benz GLC, a benchmark for luxury SUV excellence.

The Nautilus offers two engines, a turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 250 horsepower and a hybrid version of the same engine that bumps output to 310 horsepower. The non-hybrid engine delivers an EPA-estimated 24 mpg in combined city/highway driving. Opting for the hybrid gets you 30 mpg combined. Those are decent figures for a luxury SUV. Edmunds has found the Nautilus’ acceleration is underwhelming, however. At the Edmunds test track, the hybrid Nautilus accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 7.2 seconds.

The GLC 300, which is the base version, is also powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It produces 255 horsepower and gets an estimated 26 mpg combined. It’s also quicker than the Nautilus; it hit 60 mph in a respectable 6.1 seconds. The GLC 350e, which is new for 2025, is a 313-horsepower plug-in hybrid model. The EPA has yet to release its fuel economy estimates as of this writing, but Mercedes says it provides a lengthy 54 miles of all-electric driving before it switches over to operating like a regular hybrid when the battery runs low. Mercedes also offers a high-performance version, the 416-horsepower AMG GLC 43.

We like that Lincoln offers an available hybrid, but the GLC’s superior acceleration and fuel efficiency help it win this category.

Winner: GLC

An expansive dashboard-spanning screen dominates the Nautilus’ interior. It displays the instrument panel and other information like navigation directions and music. It also has a full Google integration that lets you use helpful features like the voice-based Google Assistant while driving. But all this impressive tech is let down by functionality. The center console button layout is confusing, and the lower touchscreen controls almost everything including the air vents. The unlabeled steering wheel controls are also difficult to use.

The GLC offers a more elegant and luxurious interior thanks to a wide selection of leather upholstery and wood trim. Its display screens are smaller, but the interface they display is much easier to use. The same goes for the GLC’s button layout and navigation and voice assistant systems.

As for comfort, both luxury SUVs boast very quiet interiors. The GLC provides a smoother ride that absorbs bumps better. Edmunds has found that the Nautilus rides a bit too firmly over rough surfaces.

Winner: GLC

The Nautilus is the better pick if you have a lot of stuff to haul. Its cargo area offers 36.4 cubic feet of space behind its rear seats. That’s considerably more than the GLC can fit. In addition, the rear seats fold completely flat for more room. Storage for your small personal items is also impressive thanks to a generous storage area under the center console that’s large enough for a purse or bag and sizable door pockets.

The GLC’s 21.9 cubic feet of cargo space is less than what the Nautilus can hold, though its rear seats also fold nearly flat. Wide door pockets and a decent-sized glove box provide adequate small item storage but it still isn’t as much as what you can fit in the Nautilus.

Winner: Nautilus

The Nautilus’ base Premiere trim starts at $53,485 (including destination), and the hybrid engine adds $2,000. The Reserve trim adds nearly $10,000, and the top Black Label model balloons to $76,645. If you stick to the Premiere trim, the Nautilus offers plenty of value because it comes loaded with a lengthy list of features including lots of advanced driver aids and BlueCruise, a hands-free highway driving system. But higher trims are pricey, offering less value.

The GLC 300 starts at $50,400 and the GLC 350e plug-in hybrid model has a starting price of $61,050. The GLC doesn’t come standard with as many features, but if you add most of the optional packages and features to a GLC 300, it will set you back about $65,000, which is about the same price as the midlevel Nautilus Reserve.

Winner: tie

Lincoln has come out with one of its more compelling SUVs to date with the new Nautilus. It’s worth considering if you want a roomy SUV that’s also stylish. Otherwise, Edmunds thinks the GLC’s superior fuel efficiency, acceleration and ease of use make it the winner of this comparison.

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This story was provided to The Associated Press by the automotive website Edmunds.

Michael Cantu is a contributor at Edmunds.