The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV aced crash tests and can be optioned with safety equipment that mitigates crashes, earning it a coveted Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS.
Refreshed for 2020, the luxury compact crossover SUV comes equipped with plenty of standard safety equipment, but the optional packages earned it the award. The standard automatic emergency braking pales in comparison to the stopping power of the system called “Active brake assist with cross-traffic function.” It’s part of the Driver Assistance 2 package, and it earned a “Superior” rating from the IIHS for its ability to avoid a crash entirely in the 12-mph test and to significantly reduce speed to lessen the impact with vehicles and pedestrians in the 25-mph test.
That system uses sensors that scan vehicular and pedestrian traffic coming from the side of the car at up to 45 mph, as well as sensing pedestrians in the car’s path.
The GLC can be had with two different LED headlight choices. The base LED reflectors rated “Poor”; the dynamic LED projectors with automatic high beams earned a top rating of “Good.” The headlights that qualified the GLC for the TSP award are part of the “Exterior Lighting” package.
Other small or mid-size luxury crossover SUVs that earned a 2020 TSP award were the 2020 Lexus RX, 2020 Volvo XC60, and 2020 Lincoln Aviator.
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE earned a TSP+ for better standard headlights and a “Superior” rating on the standard automatic emergency braking system.
