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When Mercedes introduced the first SUV’d C-Class back in 2015, one could sense just how important a product the GLC was for the three-pointed star family. The GLC was to curb the declining sales figures of the C-Class sedan and join the SUV bandwagon where sales and popularity were on the rise.
Job done! The GLC is now, unsurprisingly, Merc’s bestseller and this 300d, facelifted late in 2023 is currently the range-topper. Updated AMG models will join the line-up later this year but for now, this 300d points the way with uprated powertrains, comfort features and tech.
The GLC continues its inoffensive design even in this coupé shape that once was the design preference of niche liberalists. The coupé shape has gained in popularity partly because some just love conformity and partly because the designs of SUV coupé have also become more and more palatable. The GLC Coupé is decidedly handsome and seems to strike the right notes with both men and women alike. Finished in this AMG Line exterior you note in these images, another packaged offering is the Night Package which groups a few black panels to contrast with the bodywork for an altogether sportier design. Both of these packages add R94 000 to the bottom line before you consider 5-spoke AMG wheels or interior tech.
The interior AMG Line includes leather dashboard materials and anthracite dash inlays with aluminium lines. This style seems to sway opinion but it’s the look of luxury interiors offered in the past by Lexus and Rolls-Royce to name a few. Love it or hate it, it speaks to a mid-segment car with lofty aspirations of targeting customers willing to spend more on the appearance and optics of luxury. A further option on the interior of the GLC Coupé is the Premium Package which adds digital interior lighting, a 360° parking feature, AI features on the MBUX system and acoustic glass. There are even more packages that include smarter climate control and upgraded audio.
Option upon option is the German way and the GLC Coupé really can be ordered or purchased with significant tech and safety additions, not to mention specialized paint options. It’s a C-Class SUV with almost S-Class levels of tech, should you have the wallet to fit.
Some criticisms of the GLC’s interior - haptic functions on the steering wheel aren’t the easiest to operate and they do take some degree of finessing to get every operation done perfectly. That sort of fine-tuning isn’t the best for a function that is operated whilst you’re actually driving. And then, bear in mind that this is still a GLC-based SUV with a sloping roofline. This ultimately compromises space in the rear quarters and in the boot. The boot space is the most hard done by mainly because your floor to roof height is cut at quite an acute angle.
Having said this, the GLC presents itself all round as a well-polished product. The interior fanfare is top-class as far perceived tech goes but the reality is that the car really is tech laden. Within the infotainment setup you’ll find layers and layers of innovative tech, so much so that it can be a pretty overwhelming plethora of smart car overload. Similarly, the amount of screen retail space within the cabin is some 60cm in length. It’s a lot. But, if you spend the time combing through the tech and working out what features are important to you and what features you need at your fingertips, then you’re able to enjoy the GLC to its full potential. Nighttime driving can also flex the digital overload muscles but working out one’s tolerances for brightness, colours and cabin ambience ensures that the car becomes yet another digital extension of your day.
The GLC’s greatest trick is its driving behaviour.
The 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbodiesel engine and 9-speed transmission are now complemented by a starter generator motor operating at 48V, designed to make the engine more efficient of course, but also to awaken its liveliness at that instant when you pin the throttle. 198kW of power and 550Nm of torque work very well with this package, making the GLC300d a really enjoyable drive. It’s power and torque aside, another coup is its steering feel which is quite accurate for a SUV and that gives the car slightly more dynamic character than before. It’s no out and out sports car but its pleasant to drive and that’s important within the context of the company of competitors it keeps. It sounds fantastic too, more akin to a petrol-powered V-engined something than an in-line 4-cylinder diesel. It’s refined and economical too with a 6.9l/100km report back after a loaded trip to the North West and back to Jozi with 4 adults in the back.
The GLC is a good proposition no doubt, made so by its plethora of options and tech; its exciting driving dynamics and its design and brand desirability on all levels. Its pricing however, puts it slightly on its back foot because the price plays right into the hands of so many other competitors or even larger format options that may not have necessarily been seen as competitors but perhaps can now be considered at this new Benz price point. A new Volkswagen Touareg for instance? A pre-owned Audi Q7 perhaps?
Consider its residual values and perhaps consider guaranteed future value deals to soften the price pain but these too, come with their own disadvantages.
Whilst Mercedes-Benz has always played in a premium price bracket, the price, added to the amount of available vehicle options and a continued buy-down trend in the market, make the GLC, a very good car, a very hard sell.
It’s very strong on design, interior appeal and brand strength but there’s no doubt that pricing will hurt its sales.
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