The midsize luxury crossover SUV segment is full of amazing vehicles and the Mercedes- Benz GLK just wasn’t doing it for the three point star emblem anymore. Seeing the time for a refresh, rebuild and rebadging Mercedes-Benz offers us the GLC as a fitting replacement for the now gone GLK which will compete with the likes of the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. This new SUV will be the one that gives us the ride we want that is matched with perfect power and adds a bit of fuel efficiency to make it all worth the price of admission to the show that now is found in the GLC.
The engine you will enjoy from this new SUV is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder model that makes 241 horsepower and 273 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine will be attached to a nine-speed automatic transmission to make smooth and easy transitions through the gearing. The GLC will be offered in both RWD and AWD layouts and with 200 fewer pounds to deal with this engine can give you the energy needed to take a great ride in the country or tear up the road. This is an SUV you can take off the paved roads when desired to enjoy the outdoors although you should probably stick to the light to medium trails. Plans are in place for a hybrid and possibly a diesel version later in the model run, but this is a great place to start.
Starting at a price of just a little under $40,000 the GLC has several upgrades over the outgoing GLK. The addition of AWD will increase the price by $2,000 and the options will cause this price to rise even more. At the most this SUV can cost you around $65,000 for a fully loaded version, but you can have one with some great options at around $50,000 which splits the difference between the base and fully loaded models.
With only one engine it’s important to justify this price range. The standard features you enjoy at the base price include a power driver’s seat with memory, automatic climate controls, power folding mirrors, a power tailgate, a rearview camera, the Mercedes-Benz touchpad for the infotainment system, Collision Prevention Assist Plus, Pre-Safe for collision mitigation, Crosswind Assist and the Dynamic Select which allows you to select the different driving modes from Eco through Sport+ to have the correct throttle and transmission responses for the drive.
Moving up the pricing ladder allows you to consider several options to make the GLC your favorite SUV to drive. These options include the Designo interior and exterior, leather upholstery, upgraded wood trims, several different interior colors to choose from, a Multimedia Package which adds the COMAND navigation system, a Sport Package that offers an AMG look to the interior, a Driver-Assistance Package which adds adaptive cruise control, active blind spot monitoring, lane keeping assistance and steering assistance to make this an SUV that has everything you want and need it to have.
When you consider this is a luxury SUV there has to be a few items that stand out as the features you want to enjoy. One that really make the cut are the Air Body Control which is a new air suspension that offers a smoother ride, an adjustable ride height in Sport or Sport+ modes and a kneeling feature which allows you to lower the rear of the vehicle to load and unload cargo. Another stand out feature is the Designo Interior which adds premium leather stitched in a quilt pattern and even brings in matte paint finishes for a dramatic appearance to the GLC.
This new SUV gives us an upgraded appearance inside the vehicle. There is more room for everyone with 2.2 inches more legroom for the rear seat passengers. The cargo space has been increased by seventeen percent and offers an easy to reach load floor along with storage under the cargo floor to give you even more space. Up front the metal and wood trimmings offset the leather appearance of the SUV to give you a great looking place to control the vehicle from and know that you have a wonderful luxury SUV.
On the outside the GLC is visibly larger than the GLK was. This SUV appears to be substantial and solid to be one you might easily want to take out to the wilderness and see what you can find. The look and feeling are noticeably impressive with the right badging and the feeling of a vehicle that you can drive every day and enjoy. The GLC rides on wheels that range from 18 to 20 inches in size and you can have the matte paint colors if that is your choice to enjoy a much more dramatic and sophisticated appearance of this awesome SUV.
When you get behind the wheel of the new GLC you will notice it feel similar to the C-Class sedan. That is a wonderful feature of an SUV that actually grew from the previous model into one that is even better. The suspension and driving selections you can enjoy make this a comfortable and smooth riding SUV on the road that can be a vehicle you enjoy a smooth country cruise or one that you take out and see just what the Mercedes- Benz engineers have given you to make driving fun.
What is the GLC? As mentioned, the GLC is larger than the outgoing GLK while still giving you the Mercedes-Benz feeling you want to enjoy. This SUV is comfortable, confident and able to handle a drive wherever you need to go, even off the paved roads. With the comfort that is added and the space you can enjoy this could be the right SUV for you. Isn’t it time you treated yourself to a vehicle made from one of the most highly regarded names in the industry? Stop by your local Mercedes-Benz dealer today and check out exactly what the new GLC has to offer.
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