2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC

The GLC looks like every other Mercedes-Benz SUV, only smaller. The familiarity is entirely intentional and brings all Mercedes SUVs closer together, propping up the less expensive models with high-end styling cues to draw attention in a huge and rapidly expanding field of luxury compact utility vehicles. More importantly, the GLC is handsome and much better than the ultra-boxy GLK model that was phased out in 2016. 

Mercedes’s GLC comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that develops 255 horsepower, a power liftgate, power-folding mirrors and automatic wipers, dual-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable steering column, power front seats with heating and memory functions and push-button start.

Unlike in the GLK, leg- and head-room in the rear seat is plentiful. In fact, the GLC feels roomier in the back than several others in its class. Though it’s more about feel than number, the measurement best its rivals. BMW’s X3 and Lexus NX offer 36 inches of legroom compared with the GLC’s 37.3.

Front seating is also plentiful, even for those over 6-feet tall. And since the GLC sits a little bit lower than some other SUVs, getting in and out poses little difficulty for the height-impaired. Visibility—even without the back-up camera—is good thanks to lots of glass on the sides and rear.

The most significant impression one gets from inside the GLC, however, is the outstanding build quality, from the top quality materials used, to well-built switchgear, to the thoughtful and convenient layout of the dash and center stack.

Infotainment features include a 7-inch display, two USB ports, an eight-speaker sound system with HD radio (though the optional Burmester audio system is well worth the extra cost, especially for long drives), and a media player interface with Apple CarPlay.

On the safety front, the GLC-class earned a top Five-Star rating from the U.S. government in 2018 (the 2019 model is not materially different from a crash perspective). It also garnered the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s top “Good” overall rating.

As for active safety features, forward collision warning is standard. However, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitor, front and rear cross-traffic alert and adaptive cruise control are all optional. Mercedes’ dynamic safety systems work exceptionally well—better than many other automakers’—but they are costly, something a premium brand should rethink and standardize.

The GLC300 is a playful vehicle. It has excellent maneuverability for driving through tight quarters in city driving, plus plenty of power for passing on the highway as long as you use the throttle liberally. Though the GLC line comes in several flavors with as much as 469 thundering horsepower from the AMG GLC63, the base model GLC300 is in no way slow, reaching 60 mph in a bit over 6 seconds. The nine-speed automatic transmission shifts through its business smoother than many others in its class, but the engine’s auto start-stop system (which turns the engine off at stoplights and restarts it as you lift off the brake pedal) is more noticeable than others.

The car’s steering doesn’t relay much feel of what’s happening at the tire treads, but the light effort required is consistent and quickly learn to live with it. And even though the GLC300 is no sports car, it’s nonetheless quite enjoyable to drive. Comfortable ride quality in any vehicle usually decreases with larger wheels and tires, so you’d figure the smaller-tired GLC models like the 300 would absorb and quell more bumps and road harshness, and you’d be right; the GLC300 has the softest ride among the various GLC flavors. But the AMG GLC43 with big tires rides quite well, too. Things only get stiff in the AMG GLC63 AMG, thanks to its high-performance bent.

The GLC will swallow a fair amount of cargo thanks in part to its relatively erect roofline. (The GLC’s mechanical twin, the GLC “Coupe”—not otherwise mentioned or tested here—has a low, sloping rear roofline, which makes it less cargo-friendly.)

Mercedes’ GLC in all its permutations proves to be very easy to live with on a daily driving basis, though the top-performance AMG GLC63 rides much stiffer than the other models. It’s also a comfortable interstate companion with a superb-sounding (though optional) Burmester audio system to keep you company on solo drives. And with plenty of room in back, plus more with the split rear seatbacks folded, it’ll haul the goods.

For quality and overall value, the GLC300 with the optional active safety features is probably the pick of the GLC litter. It apologizes to no one for its place as the entry-level GLC.