 | Positives: Refreshed styling ups its street game, mild-hyrid powertrain is excellent, fancy interior. |
 | Negatives: Not as rewarding to drive as some competitors, infotainment looks better than it works, numb steering. |
 | Bottom Line: The GLC 300 4MATIC is better at highway cruising than it is around curves, but the style and comfort levels are top notch. |
Driving Experience
The high point of the driving experience is the smoothness of the mild hybrid powertrain. It's not a ton of power, but it works very well. The 48-volt hybrid system helps augment the gas engine for a combined 255 horsepower. That's a little bit more than the BMW X3 xDrive30i, but the driving dynamics aren't on par withte Bimmer.
Ride Quality: Ride quality is excellent with no issues over bumps an gaps. It errs on the side of comfort rather than sportiness.
Acceleration: The all-wheel drive GLC 300 hit 60 mph from a standstill in 5.6 seconds. The transmission works well, but we wouldn't say shifts are anywhere near the BMW X3 M40i's.
Braking: The brakes work well and have good progression. Pedal feel, however, could be improved.
Steering: The steering lacks feedback, but at least it's accurate and responsive. Don't look for it to feel engaging like an Alfa Rome Stelvio.
Handling: The GLC exhibits some body roll into corners, and it does not inspire a huge dose of confidence when hitting an apex. It just doesn't feel as predictable as the X3 or the Stelvio.
Technology
Mercedes clearly spent a lot developing its infotainment system. While it looks great, it's less than great to operate while driving. The MBUX infotainment can use voice commands for many vehicle functions (we never even tried it, actually). It also comes with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Infotainment System: The large 12.3-inch digital gauge display is crisp and attractive. It puts all vital data front and center. The 11.9-inch infotainment touchscreen looks great, as well, and it's even slightly angled toward the driver. We did not like the lack of responsiveness at times, as well as the giant swipes required on the main menu.
Controls: The lack of physical switchgear is, plain and simple, annoying. The touchpad bar at ht the base of the screen is confusing, and the steering wheel touch controls are hard to use while driving.
Styling
To the uninitiated, it's hard to tell the difference between the 2022 and the 2023. Overall, the GLC now looks more cohesive in it styling, less busy, and more refined. The cabin gets more changes than the exterior, and the results are mixed.
Front: The GLC went from a two-bar grille to a single bar, which classes things up. The headlight shape has changed slightly, and the inside edge now comes in contact with the grille frame.
Rear: We really like the taillights that mimic the ones on the C-Class. Overall, the back end looks great, but the brightwork around the tailpipes is a bit overdone.
Profile: The GLC is a bit longer now, and it also shows with the reduction of the C-pillar width, as well as the upper body crease that now extends the full length of the vehicle.
Cabin: The whole cabin gets restyled. The cabin seems more open thanks to the linear dash, the re-orientation of the infotainment screen, the removal of the touchpad, and the movement of the center dash vents. We just wish Mercedes had kept the physical switches for audio and climate control.
Comfort
This segment isn't known for its capaciousness, and the GLC fits right in with good front seats but just a modicum of rear seat legroom. The materials quality is very good, but we don't like the ergonomics as much as the GV70's.
Front Seats: The seats are supportive and well-cushioned. We really like the aggressive bolstering and the way the headrests move forward, not just up and down.
Rear Seats: The rear seats are nicely contoured in the outboard positions, but there's a slight bulge for the middle passenger. Legroom is an ok 37.4 inches, smidge less than the Audi Q5 and the Volvo XC60.
NVH (noise/vibration/harshness): Sound deadening is good, but there is some minor road noise that we noticed at highway speeds.
Visibility: For the most part, visibility is good, but the angle of the D-pillar obstructs a little bit out the rear sides.
Climate: The vents move plenty of air, and it responds pretty quickly. It's too bad the GLC 300 doesn't get standard ventilated front seats.
Safety
The GLC was tested back in 2022 by the IIHS and in 2021 by the NHTSA. It scored very well by both entities, and the GLC gets a substantial suite of safety tech. Combined, these factors rank the GLC near the top of the heap, almost as good as the BMW X3 and the Genesis GV70.
IIHS Rating: It scored a Top Safety Pick, just shy of the top score. Demerits were "poor" headlights in some trim levels and "acceptable" for LATCH ease of use. Otherwise, the GLC ranked "good" in every crash test.
NHTSA Rating: The GLC earned five stars from the federal government.
Standard Tech: The GLC gets Attention Assist, Active Brake Assist, Pre-Safe Predictive Occupant-Protection System, Pre-Safe Sound (protects your hearing during an accident), Blind Spot Assist, Rearview Camera, Automatic Light-Sensing Headamps, and Adaptive Highbeam Assist.
Optional Tech: Our tester came with the $1,950 DA2 Driver Assistance Package that comes with Active Distance Assist Distronic, Active Lane Change Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Pre-Safe Plus, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Brake Assist w/ Cross-Traffic Function, Evasive Steering Assist, Active Emergency Stop Assist, Active Speed Limit Assist, and Route-Based Speed Adaptation.
Storage/Cargo
Mercedes did a solid job with the GLC's interior convenience. There are ample useful spaces in both rows, and the cargo space is more than respectable, keeping up with the likes of the BMW X3 and the Audi Q5.
Storage Space: The large binnacle at the front of the center console is plenty deep, and we especially like the retractable door that keeps things out of sight. The door pockets aren't long, but they are nicely deep. The armrest is also nicely-sized.
Cargo Room: The GLC has 56.5 cubic feet with the seats folded flat and 19.4 cubic feet behind row two. It's not especially huge, but it's on par with the competition. The load floor isn't too high, and the opening is wide at the base.
Fuel Economy
The fuel economy is decent in the GLC. Our numbers were close to the EPA estimates, and we drove it in Normal mode most of the time in a combination of highway and local roads.
Observed: 27.4 mpg
Distance Driven: 126 miles
Audio
Our tester came with a DX1 Exclusive Trim package for $2,500. and it includes the excellent Burmester sound system. The sound is rich, has plenty of bass, and exhibits no distortion. We enjoyed cranking the tunes through it.
