2018 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 vs Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio: Which Powerhouse Crossover is Best? [Video]

Both these crossovers are similar on paper, but which one would you rather have?

If you wanted some serious power, there was a day where you had to buy a purpose-built sports car. However, those days have done, if these two crossovers are any indication. On one hand, we have the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63. Competing against it is the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Both are all-wheel drive, both have fast-shifting automatic transmissions, and both have some panache to go with the power. But which crossover is best? At $85,890 for the Stelvio and $87,440 for the Mercedes, neither is what you’d call cheap. Neither, though, is either SUV lacking in character.

Toe to toe – which one comes out ahead?

Let’s start with the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63. It comes packing a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 469 horsepower and 479 lb-ft of torque. That’s a step below the AMG GLC 63 S, which has 503 horsepower, but is only available as a coupe. This SUV is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission. Inside, the interior is typical Mercedes, and it nearly provides the same amount of space. In fact, it’s only one inch shorter than an Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

And speaking of the Stelvio, Alfa Romeo houses a 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 in the Quadrifoglio model. It’s more or less the engine from a Ferrari California with two cylinders lopped off, and you know what that means. You get a sweet exhaust note from this engine, as well as 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. It’s less torquey than the Mercedes, but it’s a fair bit more powerful. Here, you get an eight-speed automatic transmission with drive going to all four wheels. On the inside, there’s red-and-black leather and Alfa Romeo’s DNA drive mode system, complete with a Race mode to really open up that exhaust.

Both are fairly equal in terms of fuel economy. The 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 gets 16 City / 22 Highway / 18 Combined mpg. The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, on the other hand, gets 17 City / 23 Highway / 19 Combined mpg. So the V6-powered Stelvio comes out marginally ahead, if you’re concerned about gas mileage.

Which one would you have? Let us know in the comments below! Check out the video above to see which car Roman and Alex from Alex on Autos would take. Subscribe to The Fast Lane Car for more news, views and real-world reviews made in collaboration with the Automotive Video Association!