The Mercedes Benz GLC300 is the most popular GLC model while the GLC itself is also one of the most popular offerings out of the entire Mercedes catalog. However, is the Mercedes GLC300 a good car? Does it deliver enough for it to be considered the crown jewel of the current Mercedes SUV lineup?
The reality is that the GLC300 is a good car, but it lacks compared to the competition due to the fact that this generation of the GLC has remained mostly unchanged for a better part of 7-8 years no. The GLC300 comes with a 2.0L inline 4-cylinder engine in both the pre-facelift and the post-facelift version.
The design of the GLC300 is nice, especially for the post-facelift model which still looks competitive today. It’s also worth mentioning that the post-facelift GLC also comes in coupe form. Interior-wise, the GLC is starting to show its age even more. The post-facelift model does manage that better due to a full widescreen instrument cluster.
Reliability-wise, the GLC300 is decent, but it does suffer from issues worth dwelling into. The GLC300 is also a practical car and it represents decent value, but only if you buy it used. Buying a GLC300 from new is not all that smart as the next-gen GLC300 is right around the corner.
Mercedes Benz GLC300 – The powertrain
The pre-facelift Mercedes GLC300 comes with a 2.0L inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engine with 245hp and 272lb-ft of torque. The post-facelift GLC300 uses the very same engine, but the power is now increased up to 258hp, yet the torque figures remain completely unchanged.
The Mercedes GLC300 usually comes with a Mercedes 4MATIC AWD system which offers increased levels of traction in all weather conditions. Given the fact that the GLC is an SUV, a 4MATIC system is a must. Both the pre-facelift and the post-facelift GLC300 models come with a 9-speed automatic transmission that is both smooth and seamless.
Efficiency-wise, the pre-facelift GLC300 is able to deliver up to 35MPG max, while the post-facelift GLC300 is able to do the same. It’s worth mentioning that most people who drive the GLC300 on a daily basis typically achieve about 25MPG.
Mercedes GLC300 – Design and chassis
The GLC300 was first introduced in 2015 as a successor to the weird GLK. The moment the GLC landed, it became a smash hit almost instantly. The pre-facelift GLC is starting to show its age both on the outside and on the inside while the post-facelift GLC looks way more modern in comparison. Also, the post-facelift GLC comes in coupe form which makes the car look and feels even more premium.
The chassis and suspension tuning of the GLC is mostly tailored towards comfort and ease of use. There is lots of suspension travel to tackle everything an urban environment can throw at you, but the GLC simply isn’t an off-road SUV. Sure, it does come with an AWD system, but Mercedes never intended for GLC owners to go off-road.
Mercedes GLC300 – Reliability and common issues
The GLC300 is not the most reliable Mercedes model of all time, but it also isn’t the most unreliable Mercedes of all time. It sits somewhere in the middle which means that proper maintenance is essential if you want the GLC300 to last as long as it can. Maintenance is in-line with its competition which means that the Audi Q5 and the BMW X3 cost more or less the same to maintain.
The most common GLC300 problems are associated with the transmission, the brakes, the steering system, and engine-related trouble. Some of these can cost upwards of $10,000 to fix such as engine seizures. However, they are not all that common and are typically associated with lackluster maintenance.
Mercedes GLC300 – Practicality and value
The Mercedes GLC300 is on the smaller side, yet it does manage to accommodate up to five passengers with relative ease. This means that the GLC300 is practical enough to be a family car, but it is not designed to chauffeur people around. The trunk space is large, visibility is good, and exiting/and accessing the car is extremely easy.
Value-wise, the GLC300 is rather a tough sell at this very moment because the next-gen GLC is around the corner. If you want to buy a new GLC, you should wait for the next one to come out. If you want to buy used, you should also wait before the new ones come out and the prices start dropping.
FAQ Section
When is the new Mercedes GLC coming out?
The new Mercedes GLC300 is set to be revealed in June 2022, and various sources state that it should reach the market by the end of September 2022. It makes all the sense in the world to wait for the new GLC because it is going to be based on the new C-Class which looks like a million dollars from the inside.
The bad news is that the new GLC AMG models are not going to get either 6-cylinder or 8-cylinder engines in favor of the already existing A45 AMG 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo engine. This is the very same story as with the new C 63 AMG.
Is the Mercedes GLC a safe car?
The Mercedes Benz GLC is a tremendously safe car as it earns a stellar 5-star crash rating in every reputable organization. It makes perfect sense for a 21st-century Mercedes to be safe as all newer Mercedes models are.
The GLC is available with all the modern-day safety kit such as adaptive cruise, 360 cameras, traffic assist, automatic braking, parking sensors, collision avoidance systems, pedestrian detection, and so on.
Is the Mercedes GLC better than the Audi Q5 or the BMW X3?
The Mercedes GLC is on the older side at the moment, but the Q5 is very much the same because these two came out at the same time. However, the Q5 refresh was a lot more substantial which made the car look and feel newer when compared to the GLC, especially on the inside.
The BMW X3 also got a slight facelift this year which means that it is able to keep track with both the Q5 and the GLC, but it isn’t the most exciting compact SUV out there.
