2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC: First Drive

The Mercedes-Benz GLC is one of the most popular models from within the Silver Arrow’s arsenal. One only need to spend any degree of time commuting between Christchurch’s northern suburbs and the city centre to comprehend this as solid fact. The GLC has been such a strong seller that Mercedes themselves have given it an update for 2023. I was invited to attend the launch which began at the recently rejuvenated Rydges Formosa Golf Resort in Beachlands south east of Auckland.

Mercedes-Benz New Zealand say the new GLC is brand new inside and out. This means a waft of updates for 2023, though it will initially only be available with a single model variant, the GLC 300 4MATIC. It is now on sale and will set you back $113,900. Power comes from a four-cylinder Petrol engine with a 48-volt mild hybrid system.

The mild hybrid set up is nothing new to the folks at Benz, but what was initially unusual is there is no plans to include a plug-in hybrid version to the local lineup. Mercedes Benz New Zealand say they wish to focus on instead on promoting the all-electric EQ range, of which there will be a total of eight models across the range by the end of the year.

So, while there is bound to be a full-bore AMG sports variant in the near future, for now it’s the GLC 300, which will also be available as a coupe variant by year’s end. Its 2.0L turbo mild hybrid four-cylinder engine produces 190kW and 400Nm of torque, the latter figure is 30Nm more than the previous generation. It also features the second-generation Integrated Starter Generator or ISG. Designed to give brisk power delivery when you need it most, it can add an additional 17kW and 200Nm to the standard output.

Mated to the latest 9-speed 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission, that extra boost and hybrid torque is sent to all four wheels via that 4MATIC AWD system and you will reach 100km/h in 6.2 seconds while returning combined fuel consumption figures of 7.7L/100km, though the weight has gone up by 69kg thanks to that mild hybrid system to a 1907kg total.

The new GLC sports a longer wheelbase by 15mm and wider front and rear track. While it isn’t any wider, its longer overall by 60mm and sits lower by 13mm. There is a new pattern grill, new sporty looking air intakes, body coloured wheel arches, 20-inch AMG bi-colour alloy wheels housing AMG line brakes, a new rear light cluster with gloss black bar design, new running boards and lots of sporty looking AMG line bits and bobs.

Inside you have a quintessential Mercedes cabin. Thanks to that longer wheelbase and wider track, you also have more room to move about. Head and legroom are more than decent and you have extra 50L of boot space. Total carrying capacity is now at 620L which swells to 1680L with that second row stowed away.

What is quite remarkable about the new GLC from the aspect of creature comforts is so much of what you get to play with is standard. Things like a panoramic sunroof, privacy glass, keyless-go, a head up display, wireless charging, front electric memory seats, heated and ventilated front seats, side steps, Easy Pack power tailgate, the latest MBUX infotainment system and parking package with a 360-degree camera.

You also get something called a “transparent bonnet” which displays a picture on the central display screen which allows the drive to see an obstruction ahead. This also works in tandem with Off-Road mode and gives you data like your gradient and what kind of terrain you are traversing. You also have a full Mercedes-Benz safety suite with all the driver assistance features you would expect in a car of this type.

All in all, if you wanted to have this kind of kit on a GLC in the past, you would have had to fork out plenty of extra dough for one of the many optional packages available. The GLC does still have optional extras but there aren’t many. You have the choice of seven no-cost option colours, but if you want your GLC in Patagonia Red or Opalite white, it will cost you $1500. Same story if you want those 20-inch AMG line alloys in black, which is an extra $1000.

The only optional package available is the Plus Package at $6900. This gives you MBUX Augmented Reality for Navigation, a sublime sounding 3D Burmester sound system, heat and noise insulating acoustic glass, GUARD 360 Vehicle Protection Plus, digital light and further driver assistance systems.

Sauntering out of Rydges Formosa Golf Resort, we began on our drive. Pointing the GLC’s nose eastward towards Kaiaua, the first thing I noticed was just how meaty and strong the power delivery was.

Thanks to that extra boost from that mild hybrid system, it doesn’t require much of a hot shoe to get moving. It also makes a great four-cylinder burble. Having built up some forward momentum, between 3000 to 5000rpm, it sounds really rather raucous and mechanical. Sure, it may be ever so slightly enhanced through the speakers but its still a good noise.

The nine-speed auto box offers slick shifts, slightly delayed on the way up but still a good box. Ride comfort is well sorted and never feels under dampened. There is the merest suggestion of tyre roar but that would be something to do with the seal on NZ Roads.

It stays true and relatively planted in the corners too. The GLC may be heavier but it feels no less an agile and supple drive. This also became obvious once we journey out of Kawakawa Bay heading to Kaiaua. This mix of heavily forested twisties and long wide-open sections leading up to Kaiaua certainly didn’t faze the GLC. This largely down to Mercedes’ Agility Control with selective damping. Basically, the GLC will be soft and comfortable on smooth surfaces, but will stiffen things up in the corners or on rougher surfaces.

The steering is nicely weighted too, though I wish that there was a drive mode select switch either on the wheel itself or beside me. Still having to reach over to the far side of the centre console when driving can be a but tiresome.

In hindsight, you seldom feel the need to switch drive modes. Sport mode is nice and all, but the GLC feels just as sprightly and engaging in Comfort, or even Eco. The gulf between Sport and Comfort isn’t terribly vast so to be honest, I left it in comfort mode for most of the journey. This ability to remain a car for all seasons in just one drive mode rather than having to constantly switch between modes is nice.

After Kaiaua, we then headed back to Auckland for a spot of lunch at Daisy Chang’s in Howick. On the way there, we took in some motoring miles courtesy of that staple of Auckland commuting, State Highway One. Here the GLC is more than capable of devouring free flowing motorway miles. That noise insulation glass means you can hold a civilised conversation in a mere whisper. Honestly, I would have no objection to sauntering to Queenstown and back in one of these.

Next up was a spot of lunch at Daisy Chang’s in Howick before heading back to Rydges Formosa Golf Resort to meet my transfer to the airport.

After this day long teaser of the new Mercedes-Benz GLC, it was hard not to be rather impressed. There is lots to like about this new generation GLC. Let’s see I am dead keen to spend more time with it on Canterbury backroads real soon.

Ben Selby