2017 Mercedes GLC300
Smack into the superhot compact luxury crossover maelstrom Mercedes has airdropped its all new GLC300. Offering a compelling group of desirable attributes, it immediately moves to the front rank of vehicles in this segment.
Styling is in the modern Mercedes idiom incorporating a fluidic—if slightly ill defined—profile, bookended by carefully detailed front and rear fascias. The former’s is dominated by a large three-pointed star, the rear by lots of chrome and polished trim, smartly integrated exhaust shrouding and other subtle reminders of the GLC’s status in the automotive firmament.
The interior—like all recent Benz products—is superb; unique in style, full of boldly organic forms, punctuated by brushed nickel vents and slabs of timber. Most all materials are excellent, though the creaking “give” in the wood trim of the center console undermines perceived quality somewhat. Graphics of the large central screen and smaller secondary display between the nicely styled speedo and tach are first rate, response speed excellent and operation generally intuitive. The new controller for the latest COMAND software allows for either touch-style control or more classically German wheel-based inputs. Spaciousness and comfort in both rows is very good and the cargo area well shaped and generous for the GLC300’s footprint.
Cabin isolation is excellent; very little wind noise and almost no road roar penetrate the insulation, imbuing this crossover with the level of refinement one would expect of a Mercedes. In the same vein, strait-line tracking is incredibly stable during highway runs, with the GLC300 seemingly locked onto some distant horizon end point. Yet it still steers quite sweetly, and body control over demanding, twisty roads is surprisingly athletic. While not a match for the current class leading BMW X3 in this regard, it certainly feels more solid structurally and better built of higher-end materials.
While its 2.1-liter, turbocharged (241hp/273lb-ft) four cylinder is quieter than that competitor’s N20 engine, it doesn’t have quite the urge nor character. But it is certainly more responsive than the choices in many competitors, including the Lexus NX200t, and potent enough for most urban missions, with 0-60mph taking about six seconds. Transmission refinement and programming is polished, and the multiple drive modes are customizable to the owner’s wishes.
The GLC300 is also surprisingly good value—either that or other company’s pretenders to the luxury crown have too high an opinion of themselves—for even well-optioned examples come in below the $60,000 threshold. Mercedes has done an excellent job of aligning their offerings to the market, and has been rewarding with expanding sales and greater customer loyalty. To those wishing for a taste of the Stuttgart firm’s true engineering acumen, the GLC300 is an excellent starter course.
Info: mbusa.com
Isaac Bouchard is owner of Bespoke Autos, an auto brokerage that helps people save time, money and hassle when buying or leasing vehicles. Since 1991 he has helped his clients save over $1 million dollars. He has written extensively about getting the best deal possible when buying or leasing a vehicle, arranging financing or trading in a car. Isaac has been a professional automotive journalist as well for over 12 years, having reviewed most all types of car, truck and SUV.
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