The GLC is a mid-sized SUV that strikes a neat balance between strength and sportiness. It’s a smoothly defined shape that hints at off-road ability, without being aggressively rugged. The recent design evolution across the range included a new-shape grille, restyled headlamps and subtle sculpting along the flanks and bonnet. Inside the well-appointed interior, the housing for the 13.5kW battery encroaches on boot space a little, but there’s still 350 litres of room with seats up and 1,445 litres with them all folded down. The plug-in GLC 300 e is available in three trim levels. The AMG Line entry model includes LED High Performance headlamps, parking assistance, a central 10.25-inch touchscreen, and the MBUX multimedia system. AMG Line Premium adds a full 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, augmented reality sat nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as 64 colour ambient lighting. The range-topping AMG Line Premium Plus includes Keyless-Go, a Memory package for seat, steering wheel and mirror settings, a 360-degree parking camera and the Burmester surround sound audio system.
TECHNOLOGY
Adding a powerful 90kW electric motor to a 2.0-litre petrol engine and 9-speed automatic transmission creates an all-wheel drive powertrain of impressive refinement and performance. Combined outputs are 320hp and 700Nm of torque – the latter delivering diesel-like urge at low rpm that’s ideal for typical SUV use. The acceleration benchmark of 0-62mph takes 5.7 seconds, making it the fastest GLC apart from the AMG sports models. The electric-only range is 29 miles, while the official figures for fuel economy and CO2 are 117.7 mpg and 54 g/km respectively.
Safety
All GLC 300 e models feature the Mercedes-Benz Adaptive Brake system with Hold function and dry braking in the wet. Collision Prevention Assist Plus gives a visual warning if a vehicle in front is too close, followed by an acoustic warning, and finally intervenes with autonomous braking if the driver fails to react. Another safety feature, Attention Assist, monitors the driver for signs of tiredness.
Features
Adding a powerful 90kW electric motor to a 2.0-litre petrol engine and 9-speed automatic transmission creates an all-wheel drive powertrain of impressive refinement and performance. Combined outputs are 320hp and 700Nm of torque – the latter delivering diesel-like urge at low rpm that’s ideal for typical SUV use. The electric-only range is 29 miles and you can charge the battery to full in as little as 1 and a half hours. The acceleration benchmark of 0-62mph takes just 5.7 seconds, while the official figures for fuel economy and CO2 are 117.7 mpg and 54 g/km respectively.
