Mercedes-Benz has a long history of building SUVs and created the luxury SUV segment back in the late 1990s. For the last 30 years, a lot of things have changed including the market demand, but the brand still offers the most iconic luxury SUVs and crossovers in the market. The GLC is not only the bestselling Mercedes-Benz, but it is also one of 13 crossovers in the model lineup that shows the importance of SUVs for the brand.
The Looks – Exterior & Interior
The GLC is updated this year and is the most anticipated compact luxury SUV of the year. It gets the same treatment that you would find in C-Series which shares its platform. It also means that they also share similar looks and design language. In typical Mercedes-Benz fashion, you get a huge front grille with chrome lines and a huge Mercedes-Benz logo in the middle, and LED headlights have sleek and bold looks. There aren’t many sharp lines except the front bumper and air vents for a sportier look.
The new GLC looks similar from the side profile, as the differences are relatively minimal when it comes to the overall design language. It is slightly bigger compared to the outgoing model, and the differences are more noticeable around the rear door and quarter panel. The black colour hides most body lines, but the GLC offers a nice balance of sporty and elegant looks including the rear end. The taillights look very similar to the outgoing version, but it definitely looks more modern. The only gripe I had was the fake exhaust tips, which we would not want to see in a luxury vehicle.
The biggest update is the controversial interior design. The outgoing GLC had a very nice balance of different materials and diversity in the interior, including wood-looking trims, leather, and soft-touch materials that were all placed in the right places. It is no longer the case here, the new GLC is the latest victim of “screenification”, the interior is designed and shaped for the screen.
The GLC comes with a giant carbon-fibre-looking plastic trim that you can find everywhere, which means everywhere you touch is a hard surface, something that a luxury car shouldn’t have. The fit and finish are good, and you will still find the soft-touch materials and leather dashboard that you never touch. Without a doubt, the interior looks very flashy and attractive especially during nighttime, as it offers 64-colour LED ambient lighting.
It is not just the design or monochromatic interior, but also it suffers from having all features on one screen and how you interact with it. The screen quality, resolution and responsiveness are excellent, but having no physical buttons means you cannot use your muscle memory, and you have to look down every time you use almost all features. To make things worse, you will also find haptic feedback buttons on the steering wheel, they not only look confusing but also annoying to interact as you can accidentally click when you turn the steering wheel. Long story short, Mercedes-Benz should learn from Volkswagen’s mistakes.
On the positive side, despite the issues we’ve had, the interior feels very upscale and modern, as you would expect from a Mercedes-Benz. The seats are exceptionally comfortable with tons of adjustments not just for the driver, but the same adjustments and functions for the front passenger seat as well. The front passenger also gets the same memory function and that’s where you feel this is a luxury crossover, as most non-luxury entries cut the corners by offering less adjustment and no memory function for the passenger seat.
It is true that a lot is going on with the 11.9-inch touchscreen display, but the latest MBUX infotainment system works very fast, accurate and is relatively easy to navigate through the menus. The HVAC controls are static and located at the bottom of the screen, that is the only part you need to take your time to get used to the layout. The 11.2-inch digital instrument cluster is controlled by the touch-sensitive buttons and offers great resolution and customization.
The new GLC is clearly the more family-friendly choice compared to the outgoing model, as it offers almost a one-inch longer wheelbase, and longer vehicle in general. For the rear seat passengers, that means more legroom. Front seats also have curved profile that allows for maximum legroom. Rear-seat passengers also get typical creature comforts like air vents and heated seats. Overall, nothing spectacular, but more livable than the current generation BMW X3 and Porsche Macan.
Behind the rear seat, you will find a usable cargo space with 40/20/40 split rear seats, which makes the cargo space a lot more usable. It offers 29.1 cu-ft (824 lt.) of cargo space behind the rear seats, which can go up to 59.3 cu-ft (1679 lt.) when the rear seats are down. Even though it gains 2.5 cu-ft compared to the outgoing model, it is still behind the BMW X3. Our tester comes with the optional Class II Trailer hitch package, which comes with the wiring harnesses for the trailer lights and brakes, and Trailer Stability Assist that helps keep trailer sway under control. It allows GLC to tow up to 3500 lbs – 1500 kg, which is a respectable number for a compact crossover.
The Drive – Powertrain & Experience
The GLC300 has a 2.0 litre 4-cylinder turbocharged engine that pushes 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The numbers are not mind-blowing as it is technically the base engine, but more than enough for the average luxury crossover shoppers, as it offers a decent amount of torque starting from the low RPMs. Like the new C-Series, the GLC300 also gets the mild-hybrid treatment, which is a 48-volt system that aims to offer a smoother driving experience than fuel savings. The electric motor can add up to an extra 23 horsepower and 148 lb-ft, it is a significant upgrade from the older drivetrain.
Here in Canada, all GLC300 comes with the standard 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system that heavily prioritizes the rear wheels, which means it offers great driving dynamics. Just like most Mercedes-Benz models, it comes with the corporate 9-speed torque-converted automatic transmission that offers a smooth-shifting experience for the most part.
Speaking of driving dynamics, the GLC300 4MATIC offers what you expect from a Mercedes-Benz, it is sure-footed in the corner, but also comfortable pretty much everywhere. The standard adaptive dampers can handle uneven parts of the road pretty well with some body roll which is in a controllable fashion. At the end of the day, it shares the C Series’ platform but with more ride height, meaning that it has a higher center of gravity and will lean significantly more than a C-Class.
The GLC300 4MATIC is a phenomenal daily driver. The road manners are exceptionally well, the powerband is perfectly adequate, and no matter if you are driving on a highway or in a city, it can adapt your driving style just like a luxury vehicle. The NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) levels are very low, the steering is light and direct, and the auto start & stop system is not too aggressive in stop-and-go traffic like you feel in modern BMWs. The GLC doesn’t pretend to be a sports car but does not feel like a boat, it offers a nice balance of everything you expect from a luxury crossover.
The Verdict
If you love big screens, flashy interior design features, elegance and smoothness, look no further. Despite its deficiencies and more expensive starting price, the updated GLC300 4MATIC is still a strong contender in the compact luxury segment. Even though the dashboard is less user-friendly and annoying to interact with, it is a better family hauler and offers better looks from all angles.
| Engine | 2.0 litre turbocharged inline-4 |
| Transmission & Drivetrain | 9-speed automatic & 4MATIC all-wheel-drive |
| Max power | 255 hp @ 6100 rpm |
| Max torque | 295 lb-ft @ 1800 rpm |
| 0-100 km/h | 6.1 sec |
| Curb Weight | 4406 lbs – 1998 kg |
| Fuel Economy (observed) | 20 MPG – 121.8 L/100 km |
| Starting at (as tested) | $74,085 CAD |
| Website: | www.mercedes-benz.ca |
