The Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLE-Class Earn Top Safety Honors
November 21 2023,
Mercedes-Benz has achieved a significant milestone with its 2023-24 GLC and 2024 GLE-Class models. These midsize luxury SUVs have been awarded the prestigious Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), marking a commendable achievement in vehicle safety standards.
Stringent Safety Criteria
To qualify for the Top Safety Pick+ in 2023, vehicles must meet rigorous safety standards. This includes earning a "good" rating in various crash tests such as the driver-side small overlap front, passenger-side small overlap front, original moderate overlap front, and the updated side tests. A critical requirement for this award is that acceptable or good headlights must be a standard feature across all trims. Additionally, a front crash prevention system that attains advanced or superior ratings in both daytime and nighttime vehicle-to-pedestrian evaluations is necessary. In contrast, the lower-tier Top Safety Pick award requires an acceptable rating in the updated side test and an advanced or superior rating in the daytime vehicle-to-pedestrian test.
Model-Specific Achievements
For the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC, the award is applicable to vehicles built after March 2023, following an adjustment in the assembly process affecting one of the two available headlight systems. The GLC's standard Active Brake Assist front crash prevention system achieves advanced ratings in both the daytime and nighttime pedestrian evaluations. An optional Active Distance Assist Distronic system in the GLC earns superior ratings in the same tests.
The 2024 GLE-Class qualifies for the higher award when equipped with the optional Active Brake Assist with Cross-Traffic Function front crash prevention system. With standard equipment, the GLE-Class meets the requirements for the Top Safety Pick. The standard Active Brake Assist system in the GLE-Class earns an advanced rating in daytime but only a basic rating in the nighttime evaluation. An optional system with Cross-Traffic Function achieves superior daytime and advanced nighttime ratings.
The achievement of the Top Safety Pick+ awards for the 2023-24 Mercedes-Benz GLC and 2024 GLE-Class models underscores their commitment to safety. Both models offer robust safety features, including advanced front crash prevention systems and high-quality headlights. This recognition by the IIHS is a testament to Mercedes-Benz's dedication to providing safe and reliable vehicles, ensuring peace of mind for drivers and passengers alike.
