For the latest Mercedes-Benz GLC pricing and information:
https://www.kbb.com/mercedes-benz/glc/


If you were in here with me you might be able to smell that we’re in a Mercedes. The GLC 300 to be exact. If it smells this good, I wonder how the rest of this luxury two-row midsize SUV stacks up?


Well, it’s got gorgeous exterior styling with a just-aggressive enough front grille, standard LED headlights and some fancy redesigned LED taillights. Objectively this is a hot little number. Dig it in black, too.

Remember what I said about the smell?

Well, everything else inside lives up to it. Leather, optional wood trim, these awesome airplane-inspired vents. It’s all good.

There’s plenty of room for five occupants. In the second row, lots of head and legroom. Nice.


The 10.25-inch infotainment screen’s graphics are killer, though there is a bit of glare here and on the piano black. But even in this small guy, Mercedes hasn’t cheaped out.

A lot comes standard for your $43,495 including the destination charge.

Leather power heated seats that are uber comfortable, keyless start and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as Mercedes’s world-class infotainment system.

The MBUX interface takes a little getting used to, but once you do it’s outstanding.

And Mercedes gives you so many ways to operate it.

Touchscreen, this touchpad, buttons on the center stack, controls on the steering wheel on the right that control the touchscreen or on the left that lets you control things from the customizable digital gauge cluster. Pick your poison.

You can ask it to do stuff too. Hey, Mercedes, can you find me a burrito?



Okay out of the gate, I really enjoy driving this car. The ride is sporty but at the same time luxurious and comfortable. It’s got an optional air-suspension that we don’t have, but even the standard suspension feels great.

The steering feels so responsive but not overly electronic. It’s maneuverable and graceful but with some power. Viva, GLC!

That power comes from the new 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that makes 255.

It’s turbocharged and good and torquey too, so feels quick when you need it.

Mercedes claims a zero-to-60-mph time of 6.1 seconds. For a two-row midsize SUV that’s jamming.

Shifts from the 9-speed automatic feel psychic. It knows when to hold ‘em, and when to shift ‘em.

There are paddle shifters here if you want to do it yourself, but I see no real need for that.

There are five drive modes that allow for different performance levels from sporty to eco-friendly.

And, there’s the gas-conscious start/stop system that can blessedly be disabled.


Of course, this is Mercedes and they offer the optional Driver Assistance package with varying degrees of active safety features like lane-keeping assist and some semi-autonomous driving stuff like lane-change assist and adaptive cruise control. I don’t have it on this tester, so I’m left to my own devices, but the good thing about that is the sticker price on this tester won’t be quite as shocking.

It’s just under $50,000.

Those driving assist goodies will cost you $1,700.

Other options for your driving pleasure are the all-wheel drive that will cost $2,000 as well as a more powerful plug-in hybrid engine with the GLCe (315 combined hp/516 combined lb-ft of torque).


There are high-performance AMG GLC models, but those aren’t this.

Other options include navigation, power tailgate, a 14-speaker Burmester audio system, and an outstanding 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.


EPA numbers won’t break the bank for a luxury premium drinker. (GLC 300: 22/29 mpg, GLC 300 4Matic: 21/28 mpg) Numbers for the GLCe 4Matic plug-in hybrid are not currently available.

A number that is, however, is the price of that hybrid at about $53,00 out of the gate.


If you’re looking for competitors to be less expensive the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 aren’t, but the Lexus NX or Lincoln Corsair will definitely relieve you of less cash.


So, does the GLC 300 live up to the Mercedes badge and that great smell? Oh, yeah. Smells like compact luxury SUV success.