One of the downsides of having a seemingly ever-expanding lineup of vehicles with arbitrary alphanumeric badges is that over time, customers will become completely confused about what those nonsensical names mean and where models fit into the lineup. This problem has afflicted every brand using this kind of naming strategy including Mercedes-Benz. 2015 saw the Stuttgart marketing mavens completely realign their model badging including compact GLK SUV which has now been redesigned and renamed the GLC. So does a new look and name help the 2016 GLC300 4Matic better compete in the hotly contested compact SUV/crossover? Read on.
Strange as it may seem, the world’s oldest automaker took more than 100 years to introduce its first mainstream, consumer SUV. Sure the G-Wagen has been around since the early-1970s, originally as a military vehicle but the ML320 that debuted in 1997 was the first SUV from Daimler specifically designed to appeal to more traditional Mercedes customers. In the intervening years, Mercedes’ SUV range has ballooned to five models in addition to the evergreen G-wagen. From the subcompact GLA to the big three-row GL, Mercedes now has you covered no matter what footprint you need.
The GLC replaces the angular and awkward looking GLK that has been with us since 2008 and now fits right in with the current Mercedes design language. The actual proportions haven’t changed that much, but rounding off most of the sharp edges makes it look much more contemporary if also somewhat more bland. The GLC’s length and wheelbase have been stretched 4.6-inches compared to the GLK and it’s 2-inches wider. Unlike the current crop of Mercedes cars, the character lines along the flanks of the GLC run relatively parallel to the ground rather than sweeping together as they approach the rear.
20-inch alloy wheels with Pirelli Scorpion winter tires
The tester I had was equipped with the sport package that replaces the chrome accents around the side glass, roof rack and lower front bumper area with black versions. The standard 18-inch alloys were replaced with the optional 20-inch AMG multispoke wheels and since it was January  in Michigan they were wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion winter tires.
Inside the multi-way power seats were covered in black leather with Mercedes-Benz MB-Tex covering the dash. If someone is going to put wood trim in the interior of a vehicle, I always preferring a more natural looking matte finish to a high-gloss and the GLC delivered. The natural grain black ash veneers were subtle but expensive looking and accented the other materials nicely.
Like other Mercedes-Benz vehicles, the GLC eschews a touch screen interface for the infotainment in favor of center console controller. However, that doesn’t mean there’s no touch in this one. Hanging over the usual round knob was another controller with a clickable touchpad that could be used for drawing letters while inputting destinations. Like a computer touchpad, it could also be used to select items on the tablet-like screen sitting atop the center of the dashboard.
While the touchpad did a good job of character recognition, I found it to be slower and less precise than the rotary controller just below it. Unfortunately there didn’t seem to be any way to disable the touch surface and I sometimes inadvertently triggered actions with my palm while using the other controller. I have no objection to giving drivers a choice of inputs to let them choose what suits them best, but frankly I didn’t think this one was well executed.
I preferred the rotary control knob to the touchpad
The screen however was excellent with great contrast, brightness and off-angle visibility. Even looking at it through my polarized sunglasses wasn’t a problem. When the backup camera came on the image was exceptionally clear during the day or night unlike many screens that look washed out. Aside from the touch controller, the rest of the cabin is a very pleasant place to spend time with very supportive seats and plenty of room in the second row as well.
All 2016 GLCs for the U.S. market get the same powertrain, a turbocharged, direct-injected 2.0-liter four-cylinder with a new 9-speed automatic transmission sending power to either the rear or both axles. The engine generates 241-horsepower and a stout 273 lb.-ft. of torque that stays flat between 1,300 and 4,000 rpm for excellent all-around driveability. With a curb weight 176-pounds less than the smaller GLK, the performance was more than adequate for a non-AMG variant.
The relatively loaded model I drove had all of the driver assist goodies like adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning and prevention. Automakers typically take one of two approaches to lane departure warnings, either an audible alert or a buzz of the steering wheel using the electric power assist. Personally I much prefer the latter since it’s much more discrete and that’s what Mercedes uses. The GLC will also apply some steering correction if you don’t respond to the alert and continue to drift out of the lane. I even had a chance to experience the automatic emergency braking and collision alert when an errant driver pulled in front of me with too small of a gap and it worked quite nicely slowing the GLC enough to maintain a reasonable gap.
The all-wheel-drive GLC300 is rated at 21 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and and 24 mpg combined. It’s equipped with automatic stop start that does an excellent job of killing the engine at stops without disturbing the peaceful environment in the cabin. Many earlier Mercedes-Benz implementations of idle-stop were roundly criticized for unruly behavior, unbecoming of a premium brand but this system is vastly improved. I averaged 23 mpg during some of the colder weather we’ve had so far this winter.
While the GLC300 I drove had a comparatively reasonable base price of $40,950, by the time all of the options were tallied up, the sticker had ballooned by nearly 50 percent to $59,130. The driver assistance and sport packages added $2,800 and $2,950 respectively. That’s a good 10 grand more than the Lincoln MKC.  The Lincoln is arguably better looking than the Mercedes but the reality is that it just doesn’t have the cache of any of the German brands. With a lighter touch on the options list, you can certainly drive off with a lower monthly payment but you’ll have to decide if you want the image or the features available on the American competitor.
