BMW has high hopes for the X4 now that the new coupe-crossover has been unveiled. The new midsize model will now be tasked to compete against a bevy of rivals in its segment, none more important than the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Coupe. An endless amount of debates should ensue now that both models are here. Which one performs better? Which one handles better? These questions are a few of the many that we can expect in the coming months. Those, and which of the two looks better. We’ll try to piece together what we can to answer that last question, though, off the bat, don’t blame us if we can’t arrive at a consensus. The BMW X4 and Mercedes GLC Coupe do look alike in a lot of ways.

External Measurements

Front

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Now that we’ve gotten out of the way, it’s time to look at the front section of both coupe-crossovers. The first thing you’ll notice is that both models follow the design template of their respective brands. It is worth mentioning, though, that the X4’s front design is more balanced than the GLC Coupe. The front elements on the Merc look a little too compact as if Mercedes couldn’t find enough space to fit the headlights, grille, bumper, splitter, and intakes all together. The X4, on the other hand, has space for components to breathe. Look closer at the lines on the hood. The ones on X4 are more spaced out than the ones in the GLC. Maybe that helps with the illusion of balance in the BMW, but it works much better than it does on the Mercedes.

Side

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This angle is where it becomes to difficult to tell the two models apart. Both the X4 and GLC Coupe were designed as hybrids between a coupe and a crossover, and you can see that with how long the roof swoops down to the rear in a coupe-like fashion. It’s remarkable to see how the angle of the roof is almost identical to one another. Even the shoulder lines are positioned almost in the same area. The Merc’s body line does streak from just under the door handles while the Bimmer’s appears to hit the front door handle before creating enough space at the back.

The GLC also benefits from having a more pronounced lower line and more prominent side skirts. On the other hand, the front fender on the X4 sticks out a little more, and I like the wheel design on the on the X4 more than the one on the GLC. The Bimmer also has its trademark shark fin sitting on the roof. But other than that, I can’t blame you if you end up confusing one for the other.

Rear

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Even though both models still look similar in shape, there’s a lot of differentiation between the X4 and the G-Class Coupe in this section. The taillights are different, and while both models have a dual exhaust setup, the ones on the G-Class are bigger and sit further apart compared to the X4. Part of that is probably because the diffuser on the Bimmer is more pronounced compared to the one on the Mercedes.

In that vein, the X4 is also sportier in terms of design. Its rear lines are more aggressive, the spoiler is bigger, and the extra wing near the roof is a feature that the Merc doesn’t have.

The G-Class Coupe, on the other hand, doesn’t have as many body lines in the rear as the X4. There’s not a lot about its rear section that stands out when you line it up against the X4. The Mercedes G-Class looks decent in this section, but the X4 laps it with its own design. The latter is sportier and more aggressive to look at, which is exactly what coupe crossovers are supposed to look like.

References

BMW X4

Read our full review on the 2019 BMW X4.

Mercedes GLC

Read our full review on the 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe.

Read more BMW news.