Mercedes-Benz GLC Review & Prices

The GLC is Mercedes’ idea of a Goldilocks car — is the C-Class a bit on the small side for you? Is the GLE SUV a bit too chunky and looming? Well then the GLC, not too big, not too small, is for so many people who want a posh SUV, just right. It’s a handsome, roomy (for the most part) SUV for well-off families. Very well-off, as this is a pricey option, even amid other premium-badge SUVs.

It’s a bit like shopping for your chocolate bars at Hotel Chocolat, rather than slumming it with the rest of the Audis and BMWs at Waitrose. A Mercedes badge just has that extra little slice of cachet.

It’s not just the badge, either, because at a time when the BMW X3 is looking like it’s been smacked in the face with a shovel, and the Audi Q5 is just a bit too predictable, the GLC’s smooth and chiselled features look really handsome. It’s a tougher fight, perhaps, against the good-looking Volvo XC60, but the Merc can hold its handsome head high, even then. Forgive us for saying, but it has an especially attractive rear, with slim brake lights.

The GLC is also much better looking than its own new stablemate, the all-electric GLC Electric, which while it has impressive EV range on its side, is also saddled with a nose only a mother could love.

Watch: Audi Q5 v BMW X3 v Mercedes GLC v Volvo XC60

Inside, the handsomeness continues, as the GLC copies the homework of the likes of the S-Class saloon and the SL roadster (and, of course, the C-Class with which it shares mechanical parts) with a sleek dashboard featuring a large 11.9-inch tablet-like touchscreen leaning back on the dashboard like a sunbather.

There’s a 12.3-inch driver’s display screen too, which is super-sharp and clear, but the display isn’t as versatile as that of a BMW X3, and we miss the old 1980s dial design of previous Merc screens. There’s a basic three-spoke steering wheel with proper buttons on it which is way nicer to use than the fussy multi-spoke optional item, with its awkward touch-sensitive buttons. Down with this sort of thing.

While it all looks good, it’s hard to square the reputation of that Mercedes badge with the actual quality on show. There’s plenty of nice, high-quality fittings in the cabin, but some of it — notably the bar of buttons below the touchscreen, the door inserts, and even the wood trim are all quite cheap to the touch. Wouldn’t have gotten away with that in a 1980s Merc.

On the upside, the front seats are superb, and you can have them with an optional massage function which takes the sting out of long journeys.

There’s plenty of space in the back too, and even the very tall will be able to get comfy with the amount of headroom and legroom on offer. There’s a hump in the floor which robs foot space from middle seat passengers, but otherwise the GLC is very roomy in the back.

The boot is a bit more of a mixed bag. Go for a basic petrol or diesel version and there’s a very useful 620 litres of luggage space. However, go for one of the two plug-in hybrid models and because of the need to package the batteries, you lose a whopping 150 litres of that luggage space.

Those plug-in hybrids are good to drive, though, and both — and you can choose between petrol or diesel hybrids, unique amongst SUVs of this size. Actually, all of the GLC’s engines are at least pretty good, with plenty of power, but the nine-speed automatic gearbox fitted to everything is annoyingly slow-witted, especially around town. The PHEV models swerve that problem to an extent thanks to the instant-on power of their electric motors, and both can theoretically top 74 miles of electric range on a charge.

The diesel PHEV is possibly the best choice, giving you the option of plenty of electric-only mileage around town, and then diesel economy on longer runs.

Speaking of around town, though, the GLC suffers a bit as if you’ve gone for one of the larger alloy wheel options, it’s quite thumpy over poor roads, and especially speed bumps. It’s even quite firm on motorway runs, but at least it’s quiet at high speeds.


The GLC’s twisty road performance is… fine. It’s not fun, but it’s totally competent. If you want fun, consider a BMW X3.

Verdict

You’d buy the GLC for its handsome styling alone, and the flexibility and potential economy of its two plug-in hybrid models really does take some beating. It’s just a shame that Mercedes didn’t fit the GLC with more comfortable suspension, and the load space compromises of the PHEVs might count them out for bigger families.

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The GLC is quite pricey. There is a relatively basic GLC 220d AMG Line model, with the 197hp diesel engine, that closely matches the likes of an entry-level BMW X3 or Audi Q5, but once you start moving up in spec, and especially once you start looking at the plug-in hybrid models, the price inflates quite considerably, and BMW and Audi offer slightly better value for money across the board.

That’s before you ever get to Lexus, which makes for an interesting comparison. The NX SUV, available in both hybrid and plug-in hybrid forms, is substantially cheaper than a GLC at all levels, albeit it’s a littler smaller inside. The less flattering comparison, from a Mercedes point of view, is that it’s very easy to spend as much on a GLC as on the bigger Lexus RX, which is plug-in hybrid only, bigger inside, and much more overtly luxurious.

The Mercedes GLC is comfortable to drive in town and on the motorway, but it's not the most fun car to steer doing a winding road

In town

By going for a plug-in hybrid, you’ll find the GLC to be excellent around town. Apart from the odd jolt over harsher bumps at slow speeds, the suspension soaks up a lot of lumpier surfaces - but only if you avoid the big optional wheels.

Manoeuvring in the GLC is simple enough, with light steering and all-round sensors as standard helping you to park or to get through tighter gaps. You get a reversing camera from the entry option as well, while surround-view cameras will offer additional help. That’s fitted on mid- and top-spec versions. All GLC models have an 11.8m turning circle, which is equal-best amongst its peers while higher-spec models can tighten than up with an optional rear-wheel steering system, which can deflect the rear wheels by as much as 4.5 degrees.

Driving in all-electric mode in the PHEV models is a doddle because there’s so much range. Saving the electric range just for town makes for a quiet cabin and the motor is punchy enough to help you get through and around urban traffic.

On the motorway

While it’s good in town, the GLC is most at home while cruising on the motorway. Again, it thuds over ruts and dips at speed with the larger wheels fitted, but the well-insulated cabin means exterior noise is minimal with only a little bit of tyre noise. The petrol engine in the PHEV we tested was refined and efficient too, making the 300e the most compelling overall setup unless you do frequent motorway trips too, where the diesel 300de shines.

Having the hybrid means you have the electric motor to help get up to speed off slip roads and to overtake, while you can hold any charge that the battery has to allow for zero-emission driving in town.

You get cruise control as standard with the GLC, but only the top-spec AMG Line Premium Plus can be fitted with full adaptive cruise control – and then it’s part of an options pack worth £1,695.

What’s worse is that the button to engage it is still there, even if the fancy cruise control isn’t fitted; you get a pop-up on the dashboard telling you that you can buy it separately, like one of those irritating phone apps trying to prise some money out of you for an in-game extra. Very disappointing.

On a twisty road

While this isn’t where the GLC Is at its best, it performs admirably enough. Going up against the likes of the Porsche Macan and BMW X3 though, it was never going to be the most exciting option.

Putting it in the sport driving mode sharpens the steering, suspension and accelerator responsiveness, but the brakes are a little odd with the electrical power regeneration that charges the battery. With the PHEVs weighing over 2,300kg, the GLC isn't the nimblest when you want to drive a bit quicker. 

That being said, all GLCs come with four-wheel drive, so grip and stability won’t be much of an issue, whatever conditions you drive in.

Space throughout the GLC is excellent, but hybrids are significantly compromised in the boot

You’ll be pleased to know that the GLC happens to have some of the best storage available in its segment. With a large cubby in the armrest, cupholders and wireless charging pad in the centre console, and large door bins, the GLC has more than enough space for most people.

With its all-electrical seating setup, you can easily make adjustments to get the right position for you. The GLC even has a nifty feature, where you can input your height and the car will get your seating position just right for you – it’s wacky but pretty useful. 

Space in the back seats

The spaciousness continues into the rear seats. The contoured seats offer lots of comfort, while you can stretch out thanks to the ample head and legroom. You can also slide your feet under the front seats, making it feel very spacious, while the backs of the front seats have a useful cutaway design for kneeroom.

You get aeroplane-style pockets on the seats in front of you, while the door bins – although not as big as up front – are well-sized. There’s also pop-out cupholders in the fold-down central armrest for further storage.

Boot space

With the petrol and diesel models, you get 620 litres of boot space, which is only trumped by the Volvo XC60’s 613 litres. The Audi Q5 has 520 litres, the BMW X3 gets 570 litres and the Porsche Macan just 458 litre (if it’s the ageing petrol-powered version we’re talking about).

However, choosing the plug-in hybrid loses you a hefty 150 litres of boot space compared to the non-PHEV models. The space drops to 470 litres, which in a car this size isn’t that great, but it’s about in-line with the boots of the PHEV versions of the X3, Q5, and XC60.

There’s also a huge mound in the floor of the GLC’s boot where the batteries for the electric drive are fitted, and that makes a massive ridge in front of the back seats when you fold them down, as well as at the boot opening. You also lose most of your underfloor storage, with only a thin space near the opening.

You get good space under the floor to store the load cover and other smaller items, while folding the seats down can easily be done from switches to the side. That gives up to 1,640 litres with a flat floor, which is excellent.

While the infotainment displays and styling look great, there’s some genuine issues with materials

The GLC’s interior looks just as cool as the rest of the Mercedes range. The modern styling matches that of the exterior and the large amount of ambient lighting helps lift the cabin too. There’s a lot of shiny surfaces that can reflect a lot of sunlight through and into the windscreen, which can be distracting.

Where the GLC loses some of its premium sheen is in some of its materials. There are a lot of leather and metal trim bits which help create the premium feel, but there are scratchy plastics at touchpoints that you’ll be using a lot. For example, around the door bins it feels quite nasty, while the gear stalk on the steering column doesn’t feel high-end at all.

Both infotainment screens are clear and easy to navigate. The driver’s display has multiple views that you can flick through, and you can set it up how you want it. The central touchscreen is a bit slower to respond to your inputs than a BMW or Audi, though and the small panel of physical buttons beneath the screen feel almost alarmingly cheap and wobbly at times.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also available, and they’re better to use on the whole. There aren’t a lot of option packs available with the GLC, as the trim levels are all well-equipped. The only option packs on offer are for the driver assistance package, which adds adaptive cruise control and active lane change assist, and a tow bar adaptation.

With the help of an electric motor, the PHEVs are the clear choice for efficiency – with the petrol the best choice overall for performance. The diesel does offer better long distance fuel efficiency when the electric motor isn’t in use, but the price of fuel balances it out in the petrol version’s favour unless you’re doing some serious motorway mileage.

The official 73 to 77 miles of battery range for both models means that you can spend most days driving in electric mode – as long as you can charge it conveniently. Don’t pay any attention to the ludicrous MPG figures Mercedes quotes, but if you regularly top up the battery you’ll hardly use any fuel.

Of the non-electrified options, the 220d and 300d diesels are again the more efficient options for longer distance driving, but the lesser-powered version is only 1mpg better off at its best at 52.3mpg. That being said, the 300 petrol option isn’t a lightyear away, with its claimed 37.7mpg quite admirable for a petrol engine in a car this size. All versions of the GLC get a nine-speed automatic and four-wheel drive.

We managed 39mpg on a motorway run, which is impressive, but around town we could only eke out 30mpg from the heavy SUV.

Both PHEV versions have the benefit of low first year road tax and will be a no-brainer for company car drivers. Petrol and diesel models receive with the standard rate, and you’ll pay the luxury car supplement on your GLC from years two-to-six.

Euro NCAP score: 5/5 (2022)

Adult occupant: 92%
Child occupant: 90%
Vulnerable road users: 74%
Safety assist: 84%

When tested by Euro NCAP in 2022, the GLC scored five stars out of five. Adult and child occupancy alongside safety assists were the best categories for the GLC, with pedestrian and vulnerable road user safety a touch away from the rest – but still a good score.

As standard, the GLC features active brake assist, attention assist, collision prevention assist, cruise control with variable speed limiter and tyre pressure monitoring. Mid- and top-spec models also get an augmented transparent bonnet stitched together from all the camera views – useful when going off-road – as well as traffic sign assist, blind spot assist and a 360-degree camera.

The GLC also features all-round airbags, rear ISOFIX points with top mounts, all-round car security sensors and Mercedes emergency calling.

Mercedes came a very impressive second place in the 2025 Driver Power survey for owner satisfaction, which ought to fill you with confidence about purchasing a GLC. The GLC didn’t make it onto the list of the Top 50 Cars To Own, but the bigger GLE topped the poll, while other Mercedes models — including the mechanically-related C-Class — finished high up in the rankings.

All GLCs and new Mercedes models come with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty - on par with BMW - and up to 30 years of corrosion protection, while you can extend the warranty up to nine years from the car’s date of manufacture.