MERCEDES-BENZ GLC 2017

Body, cabin and cargo space

Wide doors provide easy access. Avoid the optional side running boards; they are completely unnecessary, and widen the door sill.

The 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC cabin is much roomier than the GLK’s, thanks to an extra 12 cm in length and wheelbase. Commodious front seats offer an ideal combination of comfort and support. Impeccable driving position thanks to the reach of the telescoping steering wheel, well-positioned footrest and numerous seat adjustments.

Very comfortable, well-padded rear bench has sufficient cushion height for adequate thigh support. Head- and legroom now adequate. Transmission tunnel compromises middle seating position. Rear seat heaters available only as part of a $2,900 package that itself requires the purchase of another, $4,900 package. Child safety seat anchors very easy to access.

Good cargo hold length (88 cm), but width is limited (108 cm). Maximum height of 75 cm acceptable for a compact SUV. The 40/20/40 rear bench folds nearly flat at the touch of a button in the trunk, providing 158 cm of length. A vast, locking compartment, 15 to 22 cm high, occupies nearly all the area under the cargo floor. 12‑volt outlet, cargo net and luggage cover are standard.

Finish and convenience

High-grade finish and materials deserving of the Mercedes-Benz badge; genuine wood and aluminum trim standard and soft-touch plastics everywhere. Simili-leather seats standard; genuine leather is expensive ($1,990).

Chic, modern dashboard contrasts with the squared-off interior styling of the 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLK. Main controls easy to access but often complex. A case in point is the column-mounted gear shifter stalk; placed on the right of the steering wheel, it can instinctively be taken for a windshield wiper lever.

The number of buttons is reduced to a minimum, with functions centralized in Comand infotainment system; structure of menus and main control knob require a long adaptation. Touch pad added this year proves even more hazardous to use while driving. Main screen is clear but slowed by needless visual clues when choosing a function. Some testers judged that its perch on top of the dash looked cheap. Optional Burmester sound system is rich, clear and powerful.

Analog dials simple and legible; comprehensive trip computer. Despite the width of the centre console, freed of a gearshift lever, open storage is limited to one bin and two cup holders. The deep compartment under the centre armrest and door cup holders partially compensate. Inviting ambient lighting is standard; all buttons are lighted at night.

Safety features

• Antilock brakes with brake-force distribution and brake assist
• Stability and traction control
• Front airbags
• Front and rear side airbags
• Side curtain airbags
• Five head restraints (adjustable on outboard seats)
• Tire pressure monitor
• Backup camera (with Premium package)
• Blind-spot monitor, lane-departure warning with lane-keep assist, frontal collision warning with automatic braking, rear collision mitigation and adaptive cruise control (with Intelligent Driving package)

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: Not tested
Frontal impact: Not tested
Side impact: Not tested
Rollover resistance: Not tested

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Visibility

More than acceptable, for a contemporary SUV, since Mercedes-Benz maintained a good glass surface despite the rounded shape. Even the rear window is larger than average. Roof pillars are quite large and impinge upon the view when changing lanes; the door mirrors are too small.

To get a simple backup camera, you have to add the $4,900 Premium package; in most compact crossovers (Ford Escape et al) and even the little Honda Fit, it’s standard. The other advanced active safety features, including the practical blind spot monitoring system, are part of the $2,700 Intelligent Drive package.

Engine and transmission

Only one engine offered, the same 2.0L direct injection turbocharged 4-cylinder used in Mercedes-Benz’s B, C, E, CLA, GLA and SLC classes. Provides spritely acceleration and pickup. Discretely quiet at highway speed but overly raucous and unrefined in strong acceleration. Start-stop system sometimes jerky in heavy traffic; can be deactivated.

GLC is one of Mercedes-Benz’s first models to use a nine-speed automatic transmission. A Mercedes-Benz design, it functions more fluidly than the ZF transmission used by Chrysler, Land Rover and Honda. It downshifts quickly and smoothly when necessary and is well geared for maximum engine performance. However, some hesitation was noted on launch, a weakness common to all nine-speed transmissions currently on the market.

The upside of these transmissions is improved fuel economy, with the GLC achieving 8.9 L/100 km. That nearly matches Natural Resources Canada’s highway rating and is a good 25 percent better than the result obtained with a GLK 350 in 2010.

Ride and handling

Successful balance of comfort and handling. Nearly imperturbable ride at highway speed. Incisive cornering, with fully contained body movement and noteworthy absence of understeer. 4Matic all-wheel drive provides a basic torque split of 45/55 front to rear and contributes to the secure, neutral behaviour. In the truest Mercedes-Benz tradition, suspension damping is firm without affecting the ride, and in itself nearly worth the extra cost relative to the entry-level GLA.

Light but very precise, the steering firms up in a linear fashion and transmits some road sensation in hard cornering. Braking is powerful, despite a short initial dead zone. Effective soundproofing, with just a faint tire hum on rough surfaces.

Adaptive cruise control is efficient and relatively fluid, unlike the lane-departure warning system’s lane-keep function, which is overly sensitive and too intrusive.

Inspection

We noted the following points in an inspection at a CAA-Quebec technical inspection centre:

• No spare tire; replaced by run-flat tires, which increases the cost to repair a flat
• Air-conditioner condenser vulnerable to road debris because of large openings in front bumper (damage already visible on our test vehicle)
• Wiper fluid tank positioned near firewall, on driver’s side, which is dangerous in a roadside fill-up
• Battery in trunk; poles under the hood easily accessible for boosting
• Engine oil dipstick hard to access (but at least there is one; trend among German rivals is to eliminate it, forcing owners to rely completely on an electronic diagnostic system)
• Access to bulbs only possible via traps in wheel wells
• Very sturdy suspension and platform
• Plastic fuel tank is rust resistant
• Electric parking brake won’t likely seize