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Mercedes-Benz unveiled on Wednesday what is in essence the first generation of its GLC compact SUV at the Hugo Boss headquarters in Metzingen, Germany. Its nameplate follows the new naming strategy implemented last year by Mercedes-Benz as the 2016 GLC replaces the GLK and will sit in between the GLA and the GLE, which will be followed by the GLS later this year.
In terms of design, the GLC follows the orientation of other recent models unveiled by Mercedes-Benz. It may not be a revolution, but it certainly is a nice evolution. It is also quite different from the GLK, not is size so much as in appearance. While the GLK was boxy and straight, the GLC is curvy and fluid, especially in the front where the grill and headlights are much more rounded than the GLK we know. These headlights feature distinctive LEDs, and as we have seen before, the front bumper changes from one version to the next.
The design orientation has indeed changed quite a bit. It abandons the spirit of the G-Class to match the GLE Coupe. A rather large archway encompasses the side windows, for example, while Mercedes-Benz will offer wheels that can climb up to 20 inches on the 2016 GLC. In the back, we can see a little design cues from the S-Class coupe that we saw, again, on the GLE Coupe and that have now made their way to the GLC. The lamps are elongated horizontally with a narrowing towards the inside of the trunk. The GLC Coupe, a future X4 rival, should also feature these styling cues, albeit they will be even more accentuated.
While the exterior is quite new, the interior is a copy of the 2015 C-Class sedan. That said, no one will complain given that the interior is very well executed. The cockpit also confirms the link between the GLC and the C-Class in terms of where they fit in the range.
Overall, the GLC is bigger than the GLK in every way. The trunk features 580 liters versus 500 and rear legroom has also increased slightly. When you fold down the rear seats, you get 1,600 liters instead of 1,550 liters.
At the unveiling, Mercedes-Benz announced that the GLC would be powered by a four-cylinder turbocharged 2.0-liter engine offering 241 horsepower. This is the same engine that is found in C-Class. It will replace the V6 that was standard on the GLK. It should offer improved fuel economy numbers while displaying similar overall performance. A standard stop/start system and improved aerodynamics will also help in the fuel consumption department. Moreover, the GLC gets a new 9-speed automatic transmission.
The biggest news, however, is the plug-in hybrid GLC 350e 4Matic. This is the first time 4Matic is offered with a plug-in hybrid offering, and thanks to same “boost” technology found in the S-Class, the green GLC should be able to reach 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds while being able to drive roughly 34 kilometers using only the electric engine.
We will learn more as we get closer to the Mercedes-Benz GLC’s official launch which will be in the last quarter of 2015.
Images 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC
