2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC Review: Ticks All The Boxes!

Mercedes’s new GLC isn’t rewriting the luxury SUV playbook; it’s simply reminding us why it aced the game to begin with

For a vehicle that costs shy of the eye-popping 8 digit mark, Mercedes-Benz’s new GLC is practically nonchalant in its attitude. Almost as if it’s a little too sure it’s hit the mark where it really matters. From the way it looks to the way it feels, down to the way it drives — absolutely nothing seems to scream and shout for your attention. 

That, I’m told, is a good thing. 

It’s All New

Mercedes seems to have played it by the book, giving the GLC a design makeover. There’s a very obvious connect to the previous generation while blending in fresher elements we’ve seen debut on the next-gen Mercedeses. You’d instantly notice that it now appears larger and sleeker, almost station wagon-like when viewed dead-on. 

The muscle around the fenders, the haunches and the jacked-up ride height will quickly have you believe this is a pukka SUV. Mercedes-Benz claims the GLC’s ground clearance has been raised by 20mm for Indian road conditions. The massive wheel wells are filled up nicely by a set of swanky 19-inch alloy wheels. 

As is the case with practically every Mercedes, the design is restrained and sober. For starters, we’re glad Mercedes hasn’t chosen to split their headlamps (yet). The grille is now larger and the tail lamps now appear ‘connected.’ That said, we aren’t big fans of the chrome on the faux skid plate. A classier shade of brushed silver, maybe? 

The color palette is neutral too. Save for the deep navy blue, you get to pick between white, black, silver, and grey. 

Holy WOW!

The cabin of the GLC makes a solid first impression. Solid enough to have you sold on it, in fact. The design is identical to the C-Class, its sedan sibling. But there’s practically nothing you can fault it for. Here, too, Mercedes is offering three colour options: beige, black and brown. 

Shut the door, and the first thing the GLC does is eliminate any pesky ambient noise that might mess with your experience. For example, it managed to keep out a live band’s music rather effortlessly. 

Once you get yourself comfortable in the front seat, take some time out to appreciate the sheer quality you’re surrounded by. The generous use of leather, the beautiful AC vents (that have a super satisfying clicky feel), the ‘pinstripe’ on the dashboard and the waterfall effect for the centre console seem straight out of a ‘how to make a luxury car’ textbook. Post sundown, you’ll appreciate this cabin a little more–the ambient lights really come into their own here. You can configure them in myriad ways to suit your mood. 

Over to the rear, there’s enough space for a 6-footer to fit behind another rather comfortably. The seat back feels a little upright, but is comfortable nonetheless. If you intend to be chauffeur-driven, you’d be happy about the window blinds and the pop-out cupholders on the central armrest. 

Don’t mistake the GLC for a five-seater though. Given how the seat is contoured and the width of the cabin itself, it’s best to have no more than four in the cabin. 

Also Check Out: 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC vs Audi Q5, BMW X3, Volvo XC60: Price Comparison

Gobble Up!

One of the key differences with the GLC is that the spare wheel (space saver) is now tucked away underneath the boot. This means you get to use all of the 620 litres of cargo space that’s on offer. You can also fold down the rear seats 60:40, electrically. This is a fairly generous boot. Almost makes you wonder if Mercedes should’ve chosen to cut back here ever so slightly in the interest of more cabin space. 

Fully Loaded

Mercedes-Benz is offering the GLC in a single fully loaded trim. Basics include powered front seats with memory, electric adjust for the steering, and dual-zone climate control. Oddly enough, the front seats get a heating function but no ventilation. It could’ve also done with an independent climate control zone for the rear occupants (and a more powerful fan!) 

Then there’s the standard MBUX suite that features a vertical 11.9-inch touchscreen and a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display. As you’d expect, the graphics are phenomenal and you can access everything under the sun on the main screen. 

The relative lack of physical buttons might feel a little daunting to use for those who prefer all things analogue. But once you get a hang of it, there’s no turning back. Take the touch-sensitive ‘swipe’ to open/shut the panoramic sunroof for instance. It seems unnecessary at first, but turns out it’s quite intuitive to use. Similarly, the volume keys function as a ‘slider.’ Easy to get used to. Besides, you can always ask the in-car assistant (also called ‘Mercedes’) to help you out if you do not wish to fiddle with the screen. 

Other highlights include a wireless charger, a 15-speaker Burmester sound system (that’s an absolute party starter) and a powered tailgate. 

Performance

On offer with the GLC is a 2-litre turbo-petrol engine and a 2-litre diesel. Irrespective of the engine you pick, there’s a 9-speed automatic transmission sending power to all four wheels via Mercedes’ ‘4MATIC’ all-wheel drive system. 

Both engines now feature a 48V mild-hybrid setup. The integrated starter motor can assist with an additional 23PS and 200Nm. 

We sampled just the petrol engine on our short first drive. The GLC 300 comes to life in absolute silence. Prod the throttle a little and it wafts away gracefully. You might want a slightly sharper throttle response at low city speeds, but the GLC does build speed rather effortlessly. You get to pick between three pre-configured drive modes: Eco, Comfort and Sport. There’s an individual mode that lets you mix and match between the settings for the engine, ESP and steering. There’s also an off-road mode in case you decide to get adventurous. 

Ambling about the city is a fuss-free affair. The view out of the driver’s seat is confidence-inspiring and you wouldn’t really be scared of piloting this SUV (great for first time luxury car buyers). However, it is the highways that feel like the natural home for the GLC 300. Mercedes-Benz claims it can clock 100kmph in just 6.2 seconds (GLC 220d: 8 seconds) and we’ve got no reason to doubt that claim. Impressive considering it’s a family hauler. 

Also, the GLC pipes in sound into the cabin through the speakers — especially in Sport. Over a quick 170km sprint from Hampi to Hubli, we quickly made peace with it. 

For its size, the GLC also handles quite well. There’s predictability in its movements and you will be impressed with its body control. A highlight is the quick steering that really lets you hustle the GLC around the bends if needed. 

Ride quality is decidedly German. That’s to say there’s a firm edge to it and you’d hear a muted thwack when you go over sharp surface changes. It’s never uncomfortable inside the cabin though. We particularly liked how the GLC manages to prevent occupants from swaying side to side over what can only be described as non-existent roads. 

Safety

Mercedes-Benz is offering a host of safety features as standard with the GLC. Highlights include 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat mounts and a 360° camera. The front camera has a party trick: Mercedes calls it the ‘transparent bonnet.’ It stitches together a view of the underside of the bonnet while telling you the position of the front wheels. Pretty handy if you want to go off-roading with your GLC. 

There’s a full suite of ADAS features including adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, auto emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert and blind spot detection. Lane keep assist on our highways seemed like a bit of a hit or a miss. It worked, but not consistently. Similarly, the emergency braking is a little too cautious at times — jabbing the brakes hard even when the other vehicle isn’t directly in front of you. 

Worth noting that the Euro-spec Mercedes-Benz GLC has scored a full 5 stars in the Euro NCAP crash tests. 

Verdict

Mercedes-Benz has priced the GLC 300 at Rs 73.5 lakh, and the GLC 220d at Rs 74.5 lakh (ex-showroom), a significant bump up from the previous generation. 

With the new model, Mercedes has merely polished the GLC to shine brighter. It builds on its strengths of a classy design, a feature-rich cabin and quality that simply pampers like nothing else in this segment.