Mercedes-Benz GLC Electric Review & Prices

The Mercedes GLC Electric is the EV version of the brand’s best-selling vehicle worldwide - the GLC SUV. Based on a new set of mechanical underpinnings and with the brand’s most high-tech interior yet, it’s comfortable and quiet with a long electric range - but can’t outshine the BMW iX3, which launched at around the same time and yet beats the GLC for price and for range.

The new GLC Electric (or GLC SUV with EQ Technology, if you want to give it its full name) is a really eye-catching new car inside and out, and ramps up the luxury with new and interesting features everywhere you look - particularly on the inside, where it has more screen acreage than most living rooms. It’s a bit like a really high-tech boardroom on wheels.

The GLC’s most obvious alternative is the BMW iX3 - the two cars are about the same size, the same price and are competing for the same buyers. You could also consider the slightly more expensive Audi Q6 e-tron or Porsche Macan, or top-end versions of the Tesla Model Y. The Polestar 4 and upcoming Volvo EX60 also look set to provide strong competition.

In terms of styling, the GLC gets Mercedes’ boldest grille yet - put next to the iX3, it’s hard to say which one has the most eye-catching conk. The Mercedes grille can also be illuminated, as can the big, central three-pointed star. The rest of the car is ever-so-slightly generic-looking, though, and the full-width black panel across the rear lights doesn’t look very ‘Mercedes’.

Mercedes GLC Electric: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 405 miles
Efficiency: 4.3 miles per kWh
Battery size: 94kWh
Max charge speed: 330kW
Charge time AC: 12hrs 45mins (7.4kW)
Charge time DC: 22min (10-80%)
Charge port location: Right rear
Power output: 482hp

Inside, it’s a bit more eyecatching. Mercedes’ dashboard designers must have been able to take an early lunch here, because the entire face of the dash is made up of screens. By default you get three - a 10.3-inch driver display, 14-inch centre screen and a passenger-side display too, all set under one seamless sheet of glass.

However higher-spec models come with the ‘Hyperscreen’ which is a crazy 39.1-inches across and truly extends from one end of the dash to another. It certainly looks slick, but technophobes will want to run a mile as it definitely dominates the interior.

There are a few physical buttons below the screen as well as storage slots for smartphones, and interior storage is pretty well catered-for with big door bins and lots of cubbies. The GLC’s boot is also big - at 570 litres, it’s substantially larger than the iX3’s, while the 128-litre ‘frunk’ is massive and really easily accessible by just pressing the badge. Legroom for rear passengers is good, too.

The GLC will be offered with just one power option to begin with - the 400 4Matic. This twin-motor model has all-wheel drive and punchy performance, and offers a maximum range of 405 miles. The BMW iX3 is similar, but slightly slower - however, it has up to 500 miles of range. Still, Mercedes says a single-motor model with even more range will arrive soon.

To drive, it’s much more about comfort than the sporty-feeling iX3. Air suspension is a relatively low-cost option that helps iron out the bumps, and even on the motorway the GLC is eerily silent even for an EV. You can have whispered conversations with your passenger at 70mph no problem.

The payoff is that it just doesn’t feel as nimble, as natural or as enjoyable to drive as the iX3 or a Porsche Macan - so keen drivers would be better served by some of the GLC’s German opposition.

Verdict

If you’re a real tech-lover and don’t care about the longest-range bragging rights (you’ll still be near the top of the pack anyway) then the Mercedes GLC Electric could well be a great option for you. It’s practical and usable everyday, and with some careful application of optional extras it becomes much better to drive. But a BMW iX3 is still better to drive, and costs a little less too, so that would be our pick.

You can get a great price with our latest Mercedes GLC Electric deals and Mercedes lease deals. You can also browse used Mercedes from our network of trusted dealers, and when the time comes you can sell your car through Carwow, too.

As you might expect, this is not going to be a cheap car. Mercedes models often tend to be more expensive than the competition, and the GLC Electric is no exception. It’s a full £6,000 more expensive than the existing GLC, and it’s a little more expensive than BMW’s new iX3, which does have considerably more range. However, the entry-level GLC Electric is actually slightly more affordable than the basic Audi Q6 e-tron, and that’s despite the Mercedes having a bit more range.

There are five trim levels to choose from. The basic ‘Sport’ has 20-inch wheels, privacy glass, the basic screen setup (with a passive passenger display - not touch-sensitive), artificial leather upholstery and all-round LED lights. AMG Line upgrades the passenger display to a touchscreen, adds a sporty bodykit and more figure-hugging seats and some nicer trim inside. AMG Line Premium adds the Hyperscreen, a Burmester surround sound system, 360-degree cameras and Matrix LED lights.

The Premium Plus model gets an even posher Burmester sound system, projection-style Matrix LED lights, wood trim, massaging seats and 21-inch wheels, while the top spec Premier Edition gets a Night Package with black exterior trim, the illuminated grille, and black and red leather upholstery.

The well-priced ‘Refinement package’ is worth getting - it’s £2,500 but adds air suspension and rear-axle steering, both valuable additions. The only other optional extras are a towbar, a vegan leather interior package, and the option of up to 22kW AC charging for faster top-ups at destination chargers.

Superb refinement and one of the best electric car braking systems yet, but the GLC isn’t as natural-feeling or fun to drive as the best alternatives

In town

Visibility from the GLC’s tall body is good - you get a commanding view over that screen-covered dashboard, and the view over your shoulders is far better than you get in a Tesla Model Y. There’s a good-sized rear wiper, too, which clears a lot of the screen at once.

The controls are all quite light and easy and the brakes require special mention - they’re a new system which calculates just how much stopping power can be done by the regenerative system, rather than the friction brakes. It means the pedal has a much more natural feeling to it, though if you'd rather not use it at all it's disappointing that there's no true one-pedal drive mode.

The surround-view cameras on mid-spec models and above take the sting out of parking, and the augmented-reality navigation system is a boon in towns with lots of junctions and roundabouts as it shows exactly where you need to exit. The augmented-reality head-up display is more distracting than useful, though.

A genuinely valuable addition is the four-wheel steering system, which is an optional extra - but it makes the GLC more manoeuvrable than an A-Class hatchback in tight spaces.

On the motorway

If you had the speedometer covered you’d really struggle to tell how fast you were going in the Mercedes GLC. It is eerily silent, making the really-very-refined Polestar 4, BMW iX3 or Porsche Macan feel like riding the London Underground in comparison. You can easily have a whispered conversation with your front-seat passenger even at 70mph.

The air suspension on the model we tested does a good job of ironing out bigger bumps, though as ever with these systems it won’t be to everybody’s taste. It feels quite floaty, which can set off car sickness, and can jolt over small, sudden bumps like motorway expansion joints. However, it’s still very good and a worthy upgrade.

On a twisty road

The GLC is perfectly fine when you get to a twisty road. There’s loads of power, with more than 400hp on tap, and the delivery through the twin-motor all-wheel drive system is smooth and predictable. It’s not very fun to drive though - something that’s more obvious when you put it back-to-back with a BMW iX3 or even a Tesla Model Y.

The GLC leans a little bit in the bends and the steering wheel has zero feedback about what the front wheels are doing. The tech can be a little obtrusive, too, with the attention monitor occasionally blaring at us when we were looking ahead to the next corner. It’s not bad to drive, but it doesn’t encourage you to press on - we’ll wait and see what Mercedes’ AMG tuning department has up its sleeve when it gets its hands on the GLC.

The GLC Electric has a bigger boot than the BMW iX3 and a very useful front storage area, but it’s not as roomy as a Tesla Model Y

It’s easy to get comfortable in the front of the GLC Electric. Mercedes puts the switches for the electric seats on the door panel so it’s really easy to adjust your seat and see exactly what you’re doing, and they go back a long way so even really tall drivers will be fine.

Storage spaces are pretty good. The door bins are divided so you can put a plastic bottle in the first section without it tipping over, and the glovebox is a decent size too. There are two wireless phone charging pads underneath the screen, a pair of adjustable cupholders behind that, and large storage areas under the armrest and beneath the centre console. The only thing missing is a storage tray in which you can quickly sling house keys, wallets and general pocket detritus.

Space in the back seats

There’s a good amount of space in the rear of the GLC Electric. It’s slightly roomier than the BMW iX3 or Tesla Model Y, and the flat floor is quite low down so even tall passengers won’t have their knees around their ears.

There’s a good amount of space for child seats, too, with ISOFIX points behind easy-to-locate plastic covers. You get USB-C charging points in the middle, plus door bins that can fit a good-sized bottle in. There are also a pair of cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest.

Boot space

With 570 litres of boot space, the GLC Electric is a bit down on capacity compared to the petrol GLC - but it has 50 litres more room than a BMW iX3, 44 litres more than a Polestar 4, and 30 more than a Porsche Macan Electric. Only the Tesla Model Y beats it, with a cavernous boot including a gigantic underfloor storage area.

The rear seats split and fold 40:20:40 to give maximum flexibility - allowing you to carry long items between two rear passengers, for example - and they also go nice and flat.

The GLC also has a fantastic frunk. It’s big - 128-litres in capacity, beating even the Tesla Model Y here - but crucially it’s also really easy to access. You just press the Mercedes badge and lift a catch. Most alternatives force you to root around in the footwell for a bonnet-style catch, making the Mercedes option much more usable everyday.

Cliff-face dashboard has more screen than anything else - but it’s not exactly stylish

The GLC Electric’s dashboard is a large, flat-faced affair similar to the one in the new CLA. It’s that shape because by default it’s absolutely covered in screens.

The base models get three separate displays - a 10.3-inch driver display, a 14.0-inch infotainment screen in the centre, and a third 14.0-inch one for the passenger. In base models, the passenger screen isn’t touch-sensitive - it’s just decorative, showing wallpapers or information. Step up a trim level and it becomes a touchscreen capable of showing content like YouTube or movies.

The real wow-factor comes at the top trim level though, where you get a vast 39.1-inch display that extends the full width of the dashboard. Do you need it? Not at all. Is it quite impressive? Well, yes.

It still operates largely within those three zones, with a passenger display, infotainment screen, and driver information, but the seamless nature means it looks really slick and animations can span the full width of the car.

The infotainment section is pretty easy to use too, though it’s absolutely loaded with functions. You can even take Microsoft Teams calls in the car, courtesy of the camera in the centre. The passenger display is carefully crafted so that it turns off if the car detects the driver watching it, though annoyingly it registered our looking at the door mirror as watching the screen and turned off.

Quality is decent with nice materials used in most places. It’s notably less creaky than the petrol-powered GLC, probably due to having fewer surfaces and joins between them. A Tesla Model Y or BMW iX3 feel more rock-solid, though.

The best model of the GLC at the moment is the base-spec Sport, which can cover up to 405 miles on a charge. At the 2.9-or-so miles per kWh we saw while driving, that’d equate to a real-world range of less than 300 miles, but our test route alternated between fast motorways and fun, twisting B-roads - so wasn’t totally representative. We’ll get the GLC in the UK as soon as we’re able for a proper range test.

Its high price means you’ll pay the luxury car tax, but being an EV company car benefit-in-kind costs should be low. The BMW iX3 will be lower still though, as it’s a little cheaper.

The GLC can top up at a maximum rate of 330kW if you can find a powerful enough charger. That means a 10-80% top-up of that vast battery in just 22 minutes. That’s in line with alternatives and a good rate, though charging overnight at home on a regular 7kW wallbox will mean more than 12 hours for an empty-to-full charge.

The GLC Electric hasn’t been rated by Euro NCAP just yet, but we’d expect it to achieve the full five stars. Every Mercedes-Benz tested since 2016 has, including the most recent CLA which shares some of its underpinnings with the GLC.

All the safety equipment you’d expect is present, and it’s easier than some to turn off with a long press on the ‘mute’ button of the steering wheel silencing the irritating speed limit alert.

Mercedes came second overall in the 2025 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, and its GLE SUV came top overall of the list of cars - so you can be assured of a decent ownership experience if you go for a GLC Electric.

Mercedes’ warranty is only three years, which is a bit stingy, but it’s unlimited mileage - so long-distance drivers can be sure they won’t run out of cover before the term’s over.