The Mercedes-Benz GLC sits nicely between the entry-level GLA and the larger GLE and has been a successful product for the German carmaker. For a customer who indulges in both urban and highway driving, it has always been the premium SUV of choice, offering a striking combination of a luxurious cabin, useable performance, and trademark Mercedes-Benz elegance but without the footprint of a large SUV. We drive the GLC 220d, which marries the brilliance of a diesel engine with an onboard mild-hybrid setup, to see how well it fares.
Traditionally, SUVs have never been great-looking cars. Butch and maybe a bit aggro, yes, but good-looking, they weren’t. The dilemma with something like the GLC is that, while it does have large wheels and all-wheel drive, the majority of its time is going to be spent ferrying its high-profile owner from office to home. A brash bull bar isn’t going to cut it; it needs to look sophisticated, especially when the chances of running into people from similar stratum of the society are quite high. We’re happy to report that the GLC is as polished as it gets on the outside. Despite being longer than before, it doesn’t look disproportionate at all. If anything, it’s as if the GLC has grown into something more likeable. It’s sleeker, and the silhouette is largely unchanged, but despite carrying the familiar design, it has become more aerodynamic in the latest iteration.
The interior isn’t a departure from what we’ve come to expect from Mercedes-Benz: an ultra-high-quality cabin with a large touchscreen display, comfortable seating, and immersive audio. The MBUX-based 11.9-inch touchscreen isn’t just easy to use, it needs to be commended for responsiveness. The display’s brilliance comes to the fore when using 3D maps, the reverse camera, or even when connecting your Apple or Android-running smartphone of choice. There’s a 15-speaker Burmester audio system, which makes the cabin even more inviting.
A long list of features, including a superb panoramic roof, is accompanied by a substantial increment in space over the previous iteration: not just more legroom and headroom for the rear passengers, the GLC’s boot space is also increased to a handsome 620 litres.
How’s it to drive?
The GLC 220d is powered by a 2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine which makes 195 bhp and 44.86 kg-m, the latter is available from as low as 1800 rpm, ensuring an abundance of punch. A 48-volt mild-hybrid system further adds to the impetus, ensuring the GLC isn’t just adequately powerful but also economical to run. During our test, we got a surprisingly great 21.3 km/l on the highway and a respectable urban average fuel economy of 17.5 km/l.
The other point worth mentioning about the GLC has to be its ride quality. The suspension absorbs nearly all the bumps we encountered, showcasing an impeccable ability to glide — thus keeping its occupants stress-free. Similarly, thanks to an updated safety suite comprising a variety of ADAS features, one can be assured that not just stress-free, the GLC will keep its occupants safely cocooned, at all times.
In the current Mercedes-Benz lineup, the GLC 220d enjoys tech that’s trickled down from the flagship models but in a well-built, well-specced package that won’t be too difficult to park in the crowded urban jungle. As far as midsized SUVs go, the GLC, priced at ₹75.45 lakh, ex-showroom, promises to be one of the best in its class. After spending some time with it, we don’t see a reason to doubt that.
© Motoring World