Mercedes GLC SUV : Our observations after a day of driving

As expected from a German car, the Mercedes GLC's straight-line stability is excellent and occupants won't even know that the car is cruising at triple-digit speeds. Expansion joints on the highway do not unsettle it.

Driving the Mercedes GLC SUV 2.0L Petrol AT

On this drive, only the GLC 300 4MATIC was available. We will put up a post on the GLC 220d whenever we manage to get our hands on it.

2.0L petrol unit makes 255 BHP & 400 Nm:

This GLC 300 4MATIC is powered by a 1,999cc, 4-cylinder petrol engine, which generates 255 BHP and 400 Nm. The car has a kerb weight of 1,945 kg. This means it has a power-to-weight ratio of 131 BHP/ton and a torque-to-weight ratio of 206 Nm/ton.

The engine comes with a 48V mild hybrid system. The mild hybrid part of this is an integrated starter generator that sits between the engine and the transmission and takes over the role of the alternator and starter. It can also provide a power / torque boost. When quick acceleration is required, the electric motor helps by providing up to 23 BHP and 200 Nm of torque. It also helps with energy generation when it's not giving any output in terms of power / torque.

With your foot on the brake, press the engine start / stop button to fire up the engine. Immediately you'll notice the impressive refinement of the car. There is barely any noise or vibration felt upon starting or at idle.

Release the brakes and the GLC moves off the line calmly. The EQ boost (additional power / torque provided by the ISG) helps at low rpms and low speeds by adding a bit of pep. There is enough power and torque available at all times and you'll never have a problem keeping up with traffic. What's good is that the power is delivered seamlessly making the GLC a smooth and easy car to drive in the city.

On the open road, the GLC 300 4MATIC is a fast performer. Step on the accelerator and the SUV provides a good deal of excitement. Mercedes claims that the petrol can hit 100 km/h from a standstill in just 6.2 seconds! This sort of acceleration makes overtaking slower vehicles a breeze. Throttle response is good and the engine revs till 6,500 rpm, which is just short of the redline (6,750 rpm). In terms of cruisability, in 9th gear, the engine is revving at ~1,400 rpm while doing 100 km/h. This makes the GLC 300 4MATIC an effortless mile-muncher. 

The 9G-TRONIC AT does a very good job in the GLC SUV. It is very smooth while upshifting, but we found the downshifts to be a little jerky. While the gearbox is not as quick as the ZF transmissions in BMWs on kickdown, it has a fair response time. It never seems confused and is usually in the correct gear that one would need. Paddle shifters have been provided for those who want to shift manually.

Apart from the default Comfort mode, there are 3 drive modes: Eco, Sport and Individual. These 3 modes alter the throttle response.

The Comfort mode is the default mode which is in between the middle of Eco and Power modes. It works well in town and on the highway and offers a good balance between efficiency and performance.

In Eco mode, the throttle response is lazier and the gearbox shifts up earlier to maximise fuel efficiency. This mode provides the smoothest ride and honestly, with the power and torque that the engine produces, it is good enough to be used in the city as well as on the highway.

In Power mode, it's the opposite. Even with a light dab of the throttle, the engine responds. On undivided highways, this is the mode to use to pull off quick overtakes. The transmission holds a gear for a longer time and the steering firms up too. However, using this mode in the city is not advisable as power delivery can get spiky.

Individual mode gives you the option to customise your driving experience to your requirements.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

As mentioned earlier there is barely any noise or vibration experienced as the engine cranks or on idling. At the same time, if you stand outside the cabin, the engine is loud and we felt it sounded like a diesel. That's a testament to the sound insulation of the cabin. Even while driving around, the engine is hardly heard in the cabin. It's only when you put the engine in Sport mode and get aggressive with the throttle that some engine noise is audible in the cabin.

Wind noise and road noise are well controlled even at 100-120 km/h.

Mileage & Fuel Economy

The GLC 300 4MATIC comes with an ARAI-certified fuel efficiency is 14.72 km/l. The car has an idling start-stop system thanks to the integrated starter generator which aids fuel efficiency. During our drive, the system worked seamlessly. The car has a fuel tank capacity of 62 litres.

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The GLC’s suspension is on the stiffer side. So while the ride over small potholes and uneven roads at city speed is absorbent, it’s not plush. Even so, no bumps are transmitted hard into the cabin. As the speed increases, the ride gets better. Even larger bumps are tackled with aplomb. The suspension works silently too.

Handling & Dynamics

As expected from a German car, the straight-line stability is excellent and occupants won't even know that the car is cruising at triple-digit speeds. Expansion joints on the highway do not unsettle it.

On long curves, the car holds its line well. When you push on twisty roads, the stiff suspension shows its benefits. There is very little body roll and the car changes direction without fuss. Mercedes has narrowed the gap to BMW considerably when it comes to handling. Our test car came with 235/55 R19 Continental Contact6 tyres, which provided enough grip for the power on tap.

Steering

The GLC SUV gets an electric power steering, which is very user-friendly. It's light in the city and most owners will appreciate that. The light steering and automatic transmission make the car very easy to drive in the city. At higher speeds, the steering weighs up well. There's no nervous feeling or twitchiness at all while cruising on the highways. On the twisty roads, it relays a good amount of feedback.

Braking

The GLC is equipped with disc brakes at the front and rear. The performance is strong and the car comes to a halt without any drama. Under hard braking too, the car doesn't lose its composure. Mercedes has equipped the GLC with Active Brake Assist.

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