Honda HR-V vs Mercedes-Benz GLC
Which used car has the cleaner record?
We line up what owners actually reported to NHTSA — complaints and recall campaigns — for both cars, so you can compare their paper trail before you buy.
| Side by side | HR-V | GLC |
|---|---|---|
| Body type | SUV | SUV |
| Years sampled | 2016, 2020, 2024 | 2016, 2020, 2024 |
| Owner complaints | 420 | 213fewer |
| Recall campaigns | 11 | 0fewer |
| NHTSA investigations | 2 | 0fewer |
| Overall safety (NHTSA, US) | 5/5 | n/a |
| Combined economy (EPA, US) | 8.7 L/100km | 8.1 L/100km |
The quick read
Over the sampled model years, the Honda HR-V has 420 complaints and 11 recalls, and the Mercedes-Benz GLC has 213 complaints and 0 recalls. Lower numbers point to fewer reported issues, but always confirm the exact car with a VIN check.
Deeper analysis
Based on US NHTSA data, the Honda HR-V accumulated 420 owner complaints and 11 recall campaigns across the 2016, 2020, and 2024 model years, while the Mercedes-Benz GLC recorded 213 complaints and zero recall campaigns over the same model years. The GLC therefore shows notably fewer complaints and no recalls in this dataset, suggesting a relatively cleaner record by these measures. Keep in mind that NHTSA data reflects US market experience and may not perfectly represent reliability for European buyers or specific individual vehicles.
NHTSA (US) owner-complaint and recall counts over recent model years. A reliability signal, not a check of any one car. Always run the VIN.