The luxury passenger vehicle industry is showing clear signs of recovery. With the pandemic behind it and active customer engagement back on, the growth in numbers is telling. In the luxury segment too the craze for sports utility vehicles continues. Mercedes-Benz India is the luxury passenger car market leader by a long margin and its best-selling SUV last year was the GLC. The global shortage of new models hasn’t spared most luxury car brands and Merc has had its share of challenges. The GLC, as a result, was racking up a notional waiting list, which is always a good position to be in for a brand. The second generation GLC has finally landed on our shores, and it is bigger, and in many ways better than the outgoing model. 

The GLC was first introduced for the 2016 model year and took over the space vacated by the GLK (which wasn’t introduced in India). The first generation GLC was one of the early models to introduce the curvier, yet distinctive Merc design language which then became a norm amongst multiple other models. The new GLC is built on the second gen of the platform and is an extension or refinement of the outgoing model’s design. One of the aspects of the GLC which was appreciated by its buyers was its ideal size in the Indian context. It was a good balance between external footprint and interior space. The 2023 GLC has grown in proportions but thankfully not by too much. The length has increased by about 60mm, and the wheelbase is up by 15mm. The rest of the dimensions are nearly the same. In fact, the face of the new GLC is deceptively similar and its size too seems about the same. But when I step to the side and view it in profile, the extra length shows up. The new GLC is also more loaded than the predecessor with Merc’s 4MATIC all-wheel drive and EQ Boost hybrid tech being offered in both the petrol and diesel engine versions. So, does the new GLC build on its predecessor’s legacy? 

Earlier this month I spent a day behind the wheel of the new GLC. Here are my first impressions.

Design

One of the aspects about the new GLC’s design is the relative familiarity with the previous-gen GLC and with current day Mercs. Take another look and the new design features become clearer. The curvy, distinctive design of the GLC continues into the second-gen, but the surfaces are even shapelier and offer even less wind resistance, increasing its aerodynamic efficiency. The headlamp design is different and now features a tapered inside edge that merges into the frame of the bonnet grille. The avantgarde design theme that has been chosen for this second-gen GLC is sportier and delivers a more luxurious facia. The grille itself features vertical slats and a slim chrome frame, with the oversized 3-pointed star in a circular piano black logo. The airdam is within a thick chrome frame which wraps under the edge of the front fender and delivers the impact of a purpose-built under-guard.

The LED high-performance headlamp with its characteristic, hierarchy-driven single brow light tube gives the face more character. On the side, the stalked door mirrors are new. But the most striking element when I view the new GLC from the side are the beautiful star-shaped 19-inch alloy wheels. The shape of the windows, and the DLO (daylight opening) seem to be very similar to the previous GLC, though the dimensions must have increased. The aluminium running board with rubber stubs is a nice addition and will help passengers climb in with ease. The electrically operated tailgate opens to reveal a boot that has increased in volume to 620-litres (70-litres more than previous GLC); can be increased to 1,250-litres by folding rear seats. All that boot space is available thanks to the space wheel being tucked under the boot floor, unlike the previous model’s spare which was strapped on to the boot floor. The almond-shaped tail-lamps sport twin LED tubes with a new light signature. And there is a large chrome diffuser and under-guard with dual exhausts that add a lot of strength to the GLC’s rear. 

Two design elements dominate the cabin of the new GLC — the slightly oversized steering wheel with its multiple touch controls and the massive 11.9-inch, ultra high-resolution touchscreen infotainment.

Two design elements dominate the cabin of the new GLC — the slightly oversized steering wheel with its multiple touch controls and the massive 11.9-inch, ultra high-resolution touchscreen infotainment. | Photo Credit: BIJOY GHOSH

Cabin features

The interior of the new GLC is a lot different compared to the outgoing model. The cabin is inviting, a lot more luxurious and sports a minimalist design. In fact, it belies the GLC’s hierarchical middle rank and seems very much like a copy of the Maybach style. That elevated flavour comes through in the classy ashwood IP trim with its pinstripe metal inserts. Merc cabin designers have been able to deliver to their cars a unique way by which to bring together soft-touch panels, wood trim and metal inserts. The new GLC is another good example of this build quality and material quality used. The chrome aircon vents are familiar in terms of design and in their functionality, but despite sporting the same Aero-turbine inspired design, these are not circular, instead they have a squared-off top and bottom. 

Two design elements dominated the cabin of the new GLC — the slightly oversized steering wheel with its multiple touch controls and the massive 11.9-inch, ultra high-resolution touchscreen infotainment. Compared to the outgoing model, the new GLC gets a lot of focus on digitisation (as Merc calls it). The neatly integrated 12.3-inch instrument panel is also a digital screen, with multiple display options and four themes to choose from. Almost all of the controls are touch-sensitive; even the sunroof and roofliner screen controls are touch. There is also a fingerprint scanner for biometric authentication. The infotainment screen is slightly tilted towards the driver (by six per cent) in keeping with the cockpit being driver-focused. It also gets Merc’s latest NTG 7 version of the MBUX telematics interface, the first from its SUV portfolio to get it. In addition to a lot of personalisation options, this also brings with it more features including natural voice recognition, navigation with satellite maps and OTA updates. 

Cabin space has improved and there is enough room at the rear even for tall passengers. Yet, the most comfortable seats are the front two. The cabin comfort levels are excellent, even though the Artico leather upholstery can seem a bit firm during short rides, during long drives it should offer good support. Some of the other features include 64-colour ambient lighting, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 3D maps, and a 360-degree camera etc. The novel feature offered via an intelligent use of the front camera’s live feed is ‘transparent bonnet’ that lets you get a virtual look at the bottom of the vehicle, particularly the area under the bonnet. This can be very handy during off-roading sessions, enabling the driver to carefully choose the position of the wheels. The other features that will appeal to Indian buyers include the panoramic sunroof, the Burmester surround sound music system and the in-cabin air purifier. It also gets the Mercedes-Me connected car tech, and car-to-X communication, with the potential to be warned of an upcoming speed breaker by another Merc in the vicinity. 

The almond-shaped tail-lamps sport twin LED tubes with a new light signature. And there is a large chrome diffuser and under-guard with dual exhausts that add a lot of strength to the GLC’s rear 

The almond-shaped tail-lamps sport twin LED tubes with a new light signature. And there is a large chrome diffuser and under-guard with dual exhausts that add a lot of strength to the GLC’s rear  | Photo Credit: BIJOY GHOSH

Performance

The new GLC gets both diesel and petrol engine options paired with Merc’s 9G-TRONIC automatic transmissions. Both powertrain versions also get 4MATIC all-wheel drive and ISG hybrid technology as standard for the first time. As part of Merc’s proprietary EQ Boost tech, the integrated starter generator (ISG) mild hybrid system involves a battery pack and electric motor combination that offers both series and parallel assist to ensure that the relatively lower outputs from both the 4-cylinder engines are raised to more than match the expectations of buyers in the segment. The output of the 2-litre petrol engine in the GLC 300 4MATIC that was offered to me for the day long test drive, for example, is 258hp, and peak torque is 400Nm. But, thanks to the 48-volt ISG hybrid tech, the total peak output can get a boost of 23hp and an additional 200Nm of torque. The total output of the new 2023 model is now 61hp more than the predecessor GLC petrol. The diesel engine also gets the same ISG tech, which offers a similar output and torque of upto 23hp and 200Nm respectively. The 2-litre, 4-cylinder diesel engine itself produces 197hp and 440Nm of torque. Both the engines are mated to the 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission. Both are quicker to the 100kmph mark; while the petrol takes 6.2 seconds, the diesel does it in 8 seconds.

The added tech apart, the ISG has also enabled both the GLC 300 and the GLC 220d to deliver better fuel efficiencies and lower emissions. Merc officials say that the petrol version now delivers 15 per cent more mileage with a ARAI-rated 14.72kmpl, and CO2 emission is down 15 per cent to 161g/km. The diesel powertrain delivers a 10 per cent improvement in mileage to 19.47kmpl, and CO2 emission is also down by 10 per cent to 136g/km. 

My test mule GLC 300 4MATIC feels agile on the road. With smooth, freshly laid black tarmac around Hampi’s major landmarks thanks to the recently concluded G20 summit, the drive itself was quite delightful. And, if anything the new GLC’s suspension wasn’t put to the torture test that is the average on many of our city roads. While the petrol powertrain delivers ample amounts of power and torque, one of the other positive characteristics is the strong, yet linear, predictable acceleration that the mapping enables it to offer. The suspension has a firm bias and offers selective damping. The suspension can also be raised by 20mm for off-roading. On that note, the powertrain is offered with four driving modes — Off-road, Eco, Comfort, Sport and Individual. Much of my experience was in and around Hampi where the official media drive had been organised, so ride quality was good on well-laid tarmac. Some excursions off the road happened, but nothing too strenuous for the GLC. I will need to drive it on regular city roads for a full impression. 

Bottom Line

The new GLC is also loaded with more safety features including seven airbags, and also gets a number of ADAS features. So, active lane keeping assist, blind spot assist, active brake assist, active parking assist, high beam assist etc., are standard. The new GLC has been launched with just one trim variant each for the petrol and diesel versions. But, there are five body colours and three cabin colour theme options to choose from. The GLC 300 4MATIC has been priced at ₹73.5 lakh and the GLC 220d 4MATIC has been priced at ₹74.5 lakh (both ex-showroom). Prices are a shade higher, but you’ll now get a lot more in the new GLC. 

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