From here he is very similar to the outgoing generation, too similar even (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
Price:
NIS 590,000
We liked:
ride comfort, road behavior, accessories
We didn't like:
price, materials in the passenger compartment, AMG package
Score:
9
In the sentence "he drives a Mercedes" there is a hidden layer that is more significant than the words themselves imply, and there are not many car brands that the meaning of This sentence echoes in the skull and mind of the listener like a Mercedes.
Because "he drives a Mercedes" jumps to mind, every head, even if he is not a car enthusiast or understands a series of links and presuppositions, correct and incorrect, about the subject of the trial.
Are they positive?
negativity?
Everyone and their world of contexts - but in the end, the fact that Mercedes is in this distinct place is an achievement that it reached during the years of hard work in building the image.
But then comes the tricky part, how far can a manufacturer go in the changes it makes to show that it is moving forward, and how measured should its steps be when it does this in order not to disengage - the new Mercedes GLC as a test case.
The design is spectacular, the quality of the materials is not uniform at the level we are used to from Mercedes (photo: Keinan Cohen)
Design:
In the first half second of meeting the GLC, the thought of "Wait, this isn't the new model, is it?"
And the reason is that he is very, very similar to the outgoing generation.
The same round lines, the grill is very similar, the hood, the general appearance of the lighting units and more, in fact it is only the rear part with the new lights that is the most significant change in its appearance.
In all trim levels, it also comes with side steps, you can and should give them up.
Passenger cabin:
The first thing you see in the driver's environment is the full transition to the newest generation of the MBUX system, Mercedes' driver interface that mediates information and operation through a 12.3-inch dashboard and an 11.9-inch multimedia screen, both of which are also controlled by two "micro-joysticks" on the steering wheel.
The only thing that detracts from the driver's environment is the touch control of the audio volume from the screen, which was very uncomfortable, as well as simple, almost disappointing plastic on the large panel that crosses the cabin from side to side.
Apart from this matter, there is everything here that we are used to from Mercedes in terms of quality, combinations of materials, textures and design.
The driving position is excellent and the front seats were comfortable even in the 600 km or so of the test drive as in the first one.
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Climate control is also split in the back, but without charging sockets (Photo: Kenan Cohen)
The rear seats are also very comfortable, with excellent space that is a derivative of the addition to the wheelbase in this generation and a redesign of the entire rear area.
The occupants also get separate climate control for each side, but will have to do without charging sockets.
The trunk of 620 liters is not only very large, but is built correctly, very convenient to use, with hanging and anchoring devices and after all this also leaves room for a full spare wheel.
Equipment:
the trim level tested Platinum AMG Line is the top and most equipped of the model versions.
It includes, in addition to the electric leather seats, Android and Apple connectivity, the panoramic sunroof, the electric tailgate, and more in the basic version, also peripheral cameras and a "transparent hood" display for off-road driving, overhead view, air shock absorbers, acoustic windows, rear steering, a Burmester audio system and more.
Big, comfortable and with a full spare wheel - that's how it's done (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
Performance:
Of the two regular gasoline versions of the GLC, the 300 is the stronger with 258 hp, while below it is the 200 version with 204 hp and above it is the plug-in version with 313 horses.
And apart from its deceptive sound at times, it also gives the feeling of a diesel engine flexibility along and across the entire rpm range, smooth and continuous power delivery all the way and this pleasant character is also supported by a gearbox with nine transmission ratios that does an excellent job of keeping the engine exactly in its good and efficient place With 6.2 seconds per hundred it is quick enough to provide pace and intermediate accelerations that may not be seat-back-sticking, but sufficient and good for a vehicle of its type. Fuel consumption:
at
the end of 610 km of a test drive that included a very wide range of driving types, the GLC recorded a fuel consumption of 9.6 km per liter. Only reasonable consumption, nothing more than that, but it is not certain that this is the main consideration of his customers. Those who really want to save, should consider the plug-in version.
Measured growth in dimensions, but a significantly larger internal margin (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
Comfort and behavior:
The GLC in this trim level has two aces when it comes to its comfort and behavior.
The first is its air shocks and the second is the rear steering.
The former, together with the insulated acoustic windows (at this level of finish) produce a comfortable and very quiet capsule for covering distances with exceptional comfort, when they cut off, remove, dampen and swallow everything that is thrown at them.
The only place it drops the ball is when going over small bumps, it's the price of 20 inch rims with 285/40 tires.
The second ace, the rear steering is also reflected in the city, where this not-so-small tool maneuvers with surprising ease even on the highway.
Its road manners receive a very high score.
The level of grip is impressive and so is the confidence it gives the driver when entering in front of it.
As in the city, here too the rear steering (up to 4.5 degrees) comes into play, this time in the direction of the steering wheel and produces a smooth entry and stability of the rear part by neutralizing its "drag" effect.
Near the limits it is less good than its competitors such as the X3, Genesis GV70, Porsche Macan and Maserati Gracala.
There is too much understeer and then a rear end that starts to feel uneasy.
A small off-road foray showed that it is quite capable of handling light crossovers and drifts thanks to the traction controls and "off-road" mode that also moderates the engine's response.
But the price is conveniently because then the chassis is raised all the way and in any case, there is no reason to risk it there.
G Class - it's not.
You can go down to the paths, but with kindness and mercy (Photo: Keinan Cohen)
The bottom line
Mercedes did with the new GLC what it knows how to do best - be Mercedes - every time it tries to be someone else it works less well.
In the third generation of the GLC, it combines what it learned in previous generations about the uncontrollable lust of customers for crossovers with what it knows how to do in its best models - to produce a car and a passenger compartment that are very pleasant to sit in.
If refined road handling is not something you are looking for in a crossover (and why would you) or off-road driving in a crossover is not part of the requirements (and why would you be) - the GLC is exactly what a luxurious crossover should do.
But there is a problem, at a price of NIS 590,000 it is really expensive, it is good, but not in these price gaps from valued competitors such as the BMW X3 or Genesis GV70.
So, if you are still locked into the need to be the man who "drives a Mercedes" at the price of a slight sacrifice in performance, go for the 200 version in the platinum finish level and you will get the air shocks, accessories and rear steering and save NIS 80,000.
This is the previous generation, we just tested alertness.
But the imagination is evident (photo: manufacturer's website)
On the technical side: Mercedes GLC300
Engine, drive:
gasoline, turbo, dual
Power/torque:
40.8/258
Gearbox:
automatic.
9 gears
Dimensions:
Length (m):
4.7
Width (m):
1.9
Height (m):
1.6
Wheelbase (cm):
289
Trunk (liters):
620
Performance:
Acceleration 0-100 (seconds) :
6.2
Maximum speed (km/h):
240
Fuel consumption (test):
9.6 km per liter
Safety:
European crash test score:
5 stars
Active safety:
Automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, correction of lane deviation, warning of a vehicle in a "dead zone" with active correction, warning of a passing vehicle, detection of cross traffic from behind including braking, detection of cross traffic at an intersection Air pollution: 14 of 15 Warranty
:
4
years
or 100 thousand km
Competitors:
BMW X3, Genesis GV70, Porsche Macan, Maserati Gracala
vehicle
Vehicle tests
Tags
Mercedes
Crossover
