Mercedes-Benz GLC Review 2024

The Mercedes-Benz GLC is essentially an SUV version of the C-Class, and that formula certainly delivered success in the previous model. This new car evolves the format, with more technology, space and efficiency adding to its relevance. But is it now a class-leader? Our 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC review aims to find out.

When the first-generation Mercedes-Benz GLC first arrived on the scene the brand's SUV range wasn't terribly hard to work out. You had the smaller GLA crossover, plus the GLE and GLS sitting above it offering more space and luxury.

Things are a bit more confusing in 2023, with the second-gen GLC arriving on the scene. Not only is there the GLB - which is technically smaller than the GLC but muddies the water a bit by having seven seats - but there's also the brand's EQ electric SUVs. Some are related (the EQB is very much an electric GLB), but the new GLC has very little to do with today's EQC SUV.

Keeping up? It'll get even more complicated when a new version of the GLC Coupe arrives, but for now we've just got the regular model. It should continue to be one of Mercedes' most popular cars, offering some of the luxury of the flagship SUVs at a more affordable price point. 

Well, slightly more affordable, because the new Mercedes-Benz GLC is a good deal more expensive in list price terms than the old model. But there's fewer basic trim levels and lower-powered engines to bring that base price down, so it might not be as big a jump for many as it appears on paper. 

With no 'basic' versions even the cheapest GLC looks and feels every inch the premium SUV, with a classy exterior and kit-packed, high-tech cabin. You also get more space than before, meaning more families will be able to live with the GLC and not have to upgrade to something larger. Bear in mind the plug-in hybrid models lose quite a lot of boot space due to the batteries, however. 

Speaking of plug-in hybrids, the GLC's should prove popular thanks to their seriously impressive electric range (up to 80 miles) and amazing on-paper efficiency. Business users will love the low tax costs, while private buyers who can charge at home will find they barely need petrol or diesel power for most journeys. We've not yet driven the pure petrol or diesel models, but expect them to still hold appeal. 

On the road the Mercedes-Benz GLC majors on refinement over fun handling, even if the plug-in hybrid we've driven in the UK so far doesn't blow the competition away in either respect. We'll be keen to see if the lighter, cheaper non-hybrids deliver on that front, but keep reading for our in-depth verdict on the new Mercedes-Benz GLC. 

Looking for the previous-generation Mercedes GLC? You'll need our 2015 Mercedes GLC Review.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC's suspension setups are pretty simple to understand, unlike some previous Mercs where it gets very confusing. As only AMG Line-based trims are making their way to the UK, all current pure petrol and diesel GLCs get sports suspension. 

We've not tried this setup yet, but knowing how a similar setup performs in the C-Class we'd be surprised if it strayed too far from its comfort focus in the pursuit of agile handling. 

So far our only UK driving experience has been with the petrol plug-in hybrid, which features self-levelling rear air suspension and conventional springs up front. There is a full air-sprung option but it's not coming to the UK as things stand. 

Despite 20-inch wheels the GLC does a pretty good job of keeping the sharpest lumps and bumps from penetrating the cabin, particularly around town. The softness does mean that it feels a bit floaty at higher speeds, however, with a slightly unsettled feel on a rougher B-road. 

Sport mode tightens this up but allows more of a thump to hit passengers from sharp bumps in the road. Oddly Mercedes doesn't let you put, say, the engine and gearbox in Sport and the suspension in Comfort - there's no individual setting for the adaptive dampers. 

Still, there's plenty of grip and the GLC PHEV generally feels composed, if not quite as sorted as a BMW X3 or Jaguar F-Pace. We'd be interested to see if the GLC offers an even better drive in much lighter petrol or diesel form.

We've only tried the GLC 300e petrol plug-in hybrid for now, which may well be the biggest seller if business users do as predicted. 

It's a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine mated to an electric motor to put 308PS through all four wheels. 0-62mph comes up in a fast-enough 6.7 seconds. It punts off the line with plenty of urgency thanks to the instant electric motor power, which also masks any dithering from the (usually slick) nine-speed automatic gearbox. Once it does pick a gear it's potent enough and even sounds pretty sporty. 

You'll go even faster in the GLC 300de diesel, with its 336PS dispatching the 0-62mph sprint in 6.4 seconds. European buyers can have an even faster GLC 400e plug-in petrol, but it wasn't deemed necessary for the UK. 

We've yet to try either of the diesels, but both are 2.0-litre four-cylinders mirroring the C-Class. the 220d puts out 197PS for a 0-62mph time of eight seconds, while you get 269PS from the 300d. Both also get a further 23PS boost from the 48-volt mild-hybrid system. 

Finally there's the pure petrol GLC 300. With another 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo it makes 258PS (plus 23PS) and will dispatch the 0-62mph sprint in 6.2 seconds. 

In due course we'll no doubt see more petrol options, including a more potent AMG-tuned '43' model and a full-fat, seriously fast '63'. 

With a five-star Euro NCAP rating, and high scores across the board, the new Mercedes GLC is very competitive on the safety front. 

You can automatic emergency braking which works when driving forward or reversing as standard, along with active lane assist, blind spot monitoring and a pop-up pedestrian impact bonnet to compliment the suite of airbags inside. 

If that isn't enough then consider the optional Driving Assistance Package Plus, which brings adaptive cruise control and a semi-autonomous driving system that steers the car and keeps you within your lane. 

The best Mercedes GLCs for towing are the two diesel models with their 2500kg braked maximum capacity. Due to the extra weight of the batteries pushing the allowable passenger car weight limits the hybrid versions are limited to 2000kg towing capacities, while the petrol models are capable of 2400kg. 

The latest Mercedes-Benz GLC is not a small car, with dimensions of 4716mm in length, 2096mm in width (including mirrors) and 1640mm in height. 

The size translates to generous cabin space all-round, more so than that of key rivals from BMW and Audi. Front-seat passengers are very well catered for with loads of head and legroom, even with a panoramic sunroof fitted. There's plenty of storage for your odds and ends, too. 

Six footers will find little cause for complaint in the back, too, as long as there's only two of them. Again, headroom isn't an issue even with the sunroof, while space for your knees is plentiful and feet can be slid under the seats in front. A middle seat passenger has enough width, but the chunky centre tunnel restricts it to occasional use. 

The Mercedes-Benz GLC's 620-litre boot capacity is again bigger on paper than pretty much all the competition, while you also get handy buttons to fold the back seats in the boot to add even more space. However, the plug-in hybrids with those big batteries sacrifice a lot of boot capacity, down to 460 litres with the removal of almost all underfloor storage and a raised boot floor. 

Want a seven-seat GLC? You can't have one, but Mercedes will sell you the smaller GLB which crams in a third row (really only for kids) plus the bigger GLE. 

The Mercedes-Benz GLC is one of those cars that makes a great first impression, but the sheen may wear off in time. That mainly applies to the interior, which dazzles with its classy look, mostly plush finishes and cool ambient lighting. The tech looks like it's been lifted straight out of an S-Class, too.

But the more time you spend poking and prodding things the quicker you realise that, despite appearances, it doesn't actually feel as built to last as BMW and Audi rivals. It's hardly flimsy, but there's a few less appealing plastics dotted about and some of the switchgear doesn't feel like it will withstand as much abuse from unruly kids. The ambient lighting also needs dimming at night as it reflects badly off the windscreen. 

Currently there's no infotainment hierarchy in the new Mercedes-Benz GLC, meaning every buyer can enjoy the portrait-angled 11.9-inch infotainment screen and 12.3-inch digital instrument display. There are a few features reserved for the posher trims, though. 

The touchscreen itself is great, with lovely graphics, a responsive display and plenty of features. The sheer quantity of menus and functions isn't too daunting, either, but on the move using the tech is hampered by the stupidly fiddly touch-sensitive button panels on the steering wheel and below the screen itself. Not unique to Mercedes, yes, but still really annoying. 

The old rotary click wheel wasn't faultless but, once you learned its ways, you could complete simple tasks more easily behind the wheel. Still, the Mercedes Me voice control is one of the best systems on the market and will impress your friends, when it isn't activating seemingly by itself. 

Speccing up to AMG Line Premium or Premium Plus trim gets you Augmented Reality navigation. This clever feature feeds an image front the front camera onto the screen and inlays arrows and directions to show you exactly which junction or exit to take. Plus variants can do this via a head-up display, too, and it works well. 

Unsurprisingly, if you'd rather just use a familiar interface there's wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to mirror your smartphone, while wireless phone charging means that doesn't drain the battery. 

You might spit your tea out at the new GLC's price list if you bought the old model, particularly if it was a low-end version. With the removal of previous 'entry-level' engines and trim levels (they may arrive later in the new car) you'll need £51,855 just to get in the GLC 220d AMG Line diesel.

The cheapest petrol option adds another £1900 to that, while a hefty £5000 is added to all versions if you spec AMG Line Premium trim. The GLC 300d diesel is only available in this trim and commands over £60,000 - steep for a four-cylinder. 

But that's nothing; the plug-in hybrids START at over £62,000 for the cheapest GLC 300 e, with the GLC 300 de at £65,000. Want the top trim level? You're looking at £72,000 or £75,000 respectively for the two hybrids, and there's still options boxes to tick there too. That £56k BMW X3 xDrive30e M-Sport suddenly looks like a good deal...

On the plus side, Mercedes-Benz is known for competitive leasing deals, making it easier to swallow (or at least forget about) the list price. 

The plug-in hybrids versions of the Mercedes GLC might not be cheap to buy but they'll be absurdly cheap to run if used correctly. However, they still make the most sense for business users that can save hundreds of pounds a month in Benefit-in-Kind tax.

The GLC 300e is expected to be the most popular plug-in due to attitudes towards diesel. Its official fuel economy figure is an astonishing 565mpg combined, emitting just 12g/km of CO2. But the ultimate economy champion is the GLC 300de with its almost absurd 706mpg and 10g/km CO2 emissions.

With an electric range of must over 60 miles for the petrol and over 80 for the diesel PHEV you'll take care of more journeys under electric power than any rival. Bear in mind, though, that the MPG will plummet as soon as that battery is depleted and the car becomes solely reliant on the engine. If you can't charge at home they probably won't make sense for you. 

The diesels remain the rational choice for those doing long distances who can't make hybrids work. Officially the GLC 220d manages 52.4mpg and the 300d 49.6mpg - decent figures given the standard all-wheel drive. The GLC 300 petrol's 37.2mpg isn't bad but is a sizeable drop.

While other trim levels may arrive in due course, there are currently three to choose from in the Mercedes-Benz GLC range. 

At the entry point is the Mercedes-Benz GLC AMG Line, which isn't sparse with 19-inch alloys, privacy glass, AMG body design elements, heated front seats, suede and faux leather trim, LED headlights with auto high-beam, 64-colour ambient lighting, the full suite of infotainment, front and rear parking sensors and wireless smartphone charging. 

Stepping up to the Mercedes-Benz GLC AMG Line Premium upgrades the alloy wheel size to 20-inches, while also adding adaptive matrix beam 'Digital Lights'. Special insulating glass, lit-up door sills, keyless entry and start, electric front seats with a memory function, blind spot assist, augmented reality navigation, a 360-degree camera system, Traffic Sign Assist and even a built-in dashcam also feature.

Finally, topping the range is the Mercedes-Benz GLC AMG Line Premium Plus, which features 20-inch multi-spoke alloys, a function for the Digital Lights that projects directions onto the road surface, a panoramic glass roof, four-zone climate control, a 13-speaker Burmester sound system, full leather and a head-up display.