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In the small, luxury sport-utility vehicle category, it's a feeding frenzy of competition. As automakers have adjusted to consumers' wants, it's become super aggressive as vehicles do hand-to-hand combat to drive sales higher for their respective marque.

The tales from the frontline have been interesting as the dealership world has changed significantly over the past 10 years.

Having said that, if you're in the market and seeking something that's German, priced under $60,000 and best-in-class, you'll probably wind up cross shopping the BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC. With the basis of both vehicles being on the 3-Series and C-Class, many buyers have shifted out of their sedan siblings into the SUVs.

If you've been wondering whether the team from Bavaria or Stuttgart take the crown, well, wait no more. See Auto Express' take, below.



Verdict

First place: BMW X3

The X3 is a well balanced machine, even in entry-level SE trim. As with the GLC Sport it isn’t our pick of the range, but it’s comfortable, drives better than the Mercedes and has extra standard kit. There’s more available to improve the spec, too. Running costs will be similar.

Second place: Mercedes GLC

It's an incredibly close-run contest, but in basic Sport trim the GLC just loses out. Its more limited kit doesn’t help, and while it’s comfortable, it’s not as good to drive as the X3, which mixes both attributes better. Still, the engine and infotainment tweaks are welcome, and we’d recommend the GLC.



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SUV WARS! BMW X3 Goes Head-to-head With The Mercedes-Benz GLC

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