Market preferences have permanently shifted to SUVs and crossover-style vehicles, explaining why the world’s manufacturers are eager to roll out new models and make bank. On the other side of the desk, consumers are increasingly putting a priority on efficiency, thanks to sky-high fuel prices and a general eye towards the protection of Johnny Polar Bear. Designers at Mercedes are seeking to placate both camps with the new GLC.
Globally, the GLC is a very high-volume model for Mercedes, shining a light on the importance of nailing any sort of major redesign or powertrain changes lest it inadvertently sacrifice its cash cow. The company says it systemically designed the new GLC for hybrid drive, leaving all-electric puzzles for the EQC design team to figure out. For now, it would seem Stuttgart is content to keep their ICE and EV portfolios in separate buckets — at least until government mandates force us all into electric cars.
An array of powertrains will be on offer around the world, but Canadians need only concern themselves with the GLC 300 4MATIC which is powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder engine with a mild-hybrid assist. Later, the same engine will be appended with a much larger battery and plug-in hybrid gubbins. The latter will be denoted by an ‘e’ suffix, in case you’re playing Road Bingo once these things hit the streets.
The GLC 300 4MATIC is a mild hybrid vehicle with 48-volt technology and an integrated starter-generator. These technologies will save fuel by permitting the 2.0L gasser to rest in certain driving situations (Mercedes calls it ‘gliding’) while also filling in torque wells which tend to occur at low engine speeds on small-displacement turbocharged engines. The GLC 300 is said to be good for 255 horsepower and nearly 300 lb-ft of torque, appropriate for the segment. In Canada, 4MATIC will be standard kit, as will an Offroad Engineering package which jacks ground clearance by 20 mm to a hair over six inches, slightly more than today’s GLC.
PHEV variants will pack a large battery with 25kWh of usable energy (31kWh gross), apparently good for over 100 kilometres of all-electric range. When paired with the 2.0L engine in the GLC 400 e 4MATIC, drivers will be able to call upon 380 horses and 480 lb-ft of grunt, no small amount in an SUV weighing 2,355 kg (430 kg more than the mild hybrid). Surprisingly, the team has given GLC plug-in variants the ability to connect to Level 3 chargers and hoover up to 60kW of DC electricity so drivers can quickly recharge the battery for all-electric motoring.
But note well: Mercedes told this publication it will initially offer only the GLC 300 4MATIC here in Canada, followed by the PHEV variant at a “significantly later” date. Why? Apparently, the company has identified more demand for their plug-in hybrid products across the pond and is prioritizing its European market for that powertrain. Your author will gently point out it’s difficult to spur demand without having actual product, creating a chicken-and-egg scenario in which a company doesn’t offer a particular variant because of poor sales while acknowledging demand cannot increase until the variant is offered. Solving this self-fulfilling prophecy is an unenviable task, though we will note there is a robust cadre of Canadian shoppers who are seeking plug-in hybrid options in the GLC’s segment, especially with today’s out-of-control fuel prices.
European customers will be able to avail themselves of an Airmatic suspension system and trick rear-axle steering capable of skewing the back tires by up to 4.5 degrees. Mercedes indicated all GLC PHEVs will have the Airmatic system but the latter is not available in Canada – at least initially. Reading between the tea leaves, the initial lack of PHEVs on this side of the pond may be traced to some sort of tangle with Airmatic and North America’s unique regulatory demands, but that’s far from official. It is disappointing that the PHEV, with its 100 km all-electric range and DC charging capabilities, will not be offered on these shores until long after the GLC 300 4MATIC’s debut here in Spring 2023. Alas.
With that carping out of the way, we will compliment Mercedes-Benz on the GLC’s styling, which manages to mimic many of the cues found in bucks-deluxe variants of the expensive GLS model. Engineers say they’ve shorn the new GLC’s coefficient of drag down to just 0.29cD from the old car’s 0.31, thanks to tricks in the underbody and wheelhouses which optimize airflow. The new GLC is 60 mm longer but no wider than its forebear, yet its rear track measure increases by a healthy 23 millimetres.
This helps explain the new car’s improved stance, as if it suddenly decided to stand more upright with its feet further apart in response to commands from a surly major corporal. Height is down a tad, just 4 mm, which may ever-so-slightly impact headroom for the driver but Mercedes says all interior measures are in with a shout of the old car. Cargo capacity jumps by over 10 per cent to 600 litres (21.2 cubic feet). Towing tops out at just over 5,000 lbs and is assisted by an array of trailer menus and towing planners in the infotainment system.
Speaking of the latter, Canadian-bound GLC 300 4MATICs will continue its current two-tier interior design language, featuring generous trim surfaces with a central display which appears to float above the dash. The latest generation of Merc’s infotainment system with its two large displays — 12.3-inch for the driver and 11.9-inch for the centre stack — and nav are standard, as is the “Hey Mercedes” voice assistant. A 15-speaker Burmester surround system is optional, and there are all manner of interior trim options from brown-toned veneers to open-pored black wood.
In other words, despite the GLC’s station on the corporate ladder, it’s pure Mercedes. Execs were quick to pooh-pooh any suggestion a machine of this size and price doesn’t fit the brand’s newfound focus on high-brow luxury, saying the new GLC hits targets regarding style, space, and materials befitting a Mercedes. And, yes, there is a so-called ‘coupe’ in the “foreseeable future” for those who prefer more sport and less utility out of their sport utility.
Look for the GLC 300 4MATIC mild hybrid on sale in Canada about a year from now.
Keyword: Great Little Crossover: Mercedes unveils new GLC