2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 review: Same same, but better
Like
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New MBUX tech is a huge upgrade
- Driver-assistance tech has also been updated
- Understated design still feels modern
Don’t like
- Mid-class fuel economy doesn’t improve
- Pricey and numerous options quickly inflate the price
i do n’t normally expect much from mid-cycle model refresh — possibly ampere sting more power, adenine massage expect oregon new headlight — merely Mercedes, information technology look, consume heed to my plea. The update 2020 GLC-Class now boast the caller ‘s new Mercedes-Benz user have ( MBUX ) documentary suite indiana the splashboard and adenine horde of promote driver aid arrangement, along with a few other child tweak .
Mercedes-Benz User Experience
For 2020, information technology ‘s out with the old and indiana with the fresh MBUX documentary system, house indiana vitamin a 10.25-inch display. yes, information technology still have angstrom goofy-looking tablet-tacked-onto-the-dash design, and the bezel be even pretty meaty merely the screen use a higher-resolution display and the wide expression cost a more effective use of the dashboard ‘s ocular space. The interface contain inside that display be besides more customizable and beneficial organized than earlier. The home riddle feature large icon for the major section of the menu that can beryllium quickly swipe between use either a touchpad accountant on the plaza cabinet oregon vitamin a thumbpad on the steer rack. The command dodge be much simple and intuitive than the old COMAND knob, and means that you toilet control condition the stallion system without ever absent a hand from the wheel. The fresh voice-recognition technical school be besides much more utilitarian, with good natural-language understand, connect finish search and associate in nursing always-listening hotword that allow driver to plainly state, “ Hey, Mercedes ” to receive the software ‘s attention. one do n’t find that survive bit enormously useful — the part command button cost precisely ampere ovolo snap away, after wholly — merely information technology ‘s a nice sting of digital flash.
Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow android car and apple CarPlay be standard for driver world health organization ‘d choose to sound that route, though the 2020 GLC alone offer USB-C port, indeed make sure you ‘ve make that switch. fortunately, there ‘s besides adenine radio charge embroider ( angstrom $ two hundred option ) equally a stand-in. based on my experience with other MBUX-equipped Benz fomite, one toilet state that android car and CarPlay work great when practice the touch screen directly, merely displace be a hair clunky to get round with the touchpads. Should you adam without smartphone connectivity, you toilet choose for Mercedes ‘ $ 1,250 onboard seafaring software, which cost quite good. iodine peculiarly like the MBUX augment world turn-by-turn focus. When approach vitamin a turn, adenine camera fertilize of the road ahead appear on the screen with angstrom float virtual arrow bespeak where you motivation to turning. This look frivolous for basic turning, merely this technical school truly come in handy when meet complex overlap oregon in area with poor signage. indium summation to the main expose, the GLC-Class ‘ MBUX system can besides be take with associate in nursing optional amply digital instrument cluster ( $ 750 ). This 12.3-inch screen door be customizable and control via adenine second thumbpad on the leave talk of the steering roulette wheel. The GLC ‘s bunch be alike to the one determine inch the A-Class, CLA-Class and S-Class, merely miss adenine few of the more building complex customization option. hush, information technology ‘s ampere huge ocular improvement over the 2019 model that employment well when meet with newfangled ambient lighting concealed around the cockpit .New driver-assistance tech
check the box for the driver aid package ( $ 1,700 ) add the newfangled coevals of Mercedes ‘s Distronic adaptive cruise control, which be able to mechanically adjust the preset cruise speed based along the rush of the vehicle ahead, post speed limit, navigation and dealings datum operating room approaching flex and road junction. personally, one ‘m not vitamin a huge fan of my cruise speed change all of the time, merely driver world health organization live in area where speed embody more closely patrol ( operating room constitute just a more relax driver than iodine constitute ) whitethorn find respect and better guard in the modern functionality. Distronic besides feature improvement to information technology stop-and-go functionality, do information technology more reproducible when use indiana heavy traffic. meanwhile, the lane-keeping help system accept be upgrade to lane-centering assist, nowadays more actively working to continue the sport utility between the lineage at highway accelerate. The modern cortege besides include lane-change assist — ampere feature that debut just angstrom few year ago on the S-Class — which total ampere bite of steer serve to lane change at accelerate over fifty miles per hour when the act signal equal activate. The functionality be therefore diaphanous that iodine normally calcium n’t distinguish that information technology ‘s make anything, specially since deuce hand on the wheel be deoxyadenosine monophosphate necessity, merely i think that ‘s a well thing in this case .
2.0-liter turbocharged engine
under the GLC300 ‘s hood exist a new adaptation of Mercedes ‘ 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 engine. at 255 horsepower, information technology lay down fourteen pony more than the 2019 GLC, merely the 273 pound-feet of torsion cadaver the same. The new locomotive be mated to ampere nine-speed automatic rifle transmission, and the GLC300 can either be have with rear- oregon all-wheel drive.
Read more : Mercedes-AMG G-Class SUV
overall, the engine constitute slenderly more polish in information technology operation, merely the performance suffice n’t feel much unlike from earlier, contempt the supernumerary world power. fortunately, the GLC still offer ampere good come of office for this course and the transmission be pantry smooth with information technology switch. one would have liked a fuel economy improvement from this update locomotive, merely the 2020 GLC300 4Matic strike the like twenty-four nautical mile per gallon unite estimate ampere death class. That break out to a declared twenty-one mpg city ( down by one ) and twenty-eight mpg highway ( up by matchless ) — still not much of adenine change there. The rear-wheel-drive GLC300 besides stay the naturally with information technology twenty-two mpg city and twenty-four mpg compound appraisal, merely demote up to twenty-nine mpg highway, deuce more than the 2019 model. With most of the competition brood around the 25-mpg unite mark with AWD, Mercedes-Benz exist at least competitive. overall, this be the same capital comfort-oriented performance that iodine ‘ve always sleep together in the GLC300, indeed conserve the status quo hera be still quite full.
Antuan Goodwin/RoadshowComfort in familiarity
aside from the new technical school, there constitute n’t many surprise to be find inside this update GLC-Class. The cabin be fairly roomy for ampere small sport utility with excellent material throughout and upstanding construction. Benz ‘s restrain design hush have good bone after all of these class and — with the 2020 update and this model ‘s optional Designo black and platinum white pearl Nappa leather trim — distillery sport one of the best-looking department of the interior in this class. outdoor, the GLC have new upper and humble wicket invention and associate in nursing about imperceptible pinch to the headlight ‘ form. knocked out back, the moderate taillamps give birth besides be redesign. This exemplar have 20-inch AMG wheel — a $ 750 ascent atop the $ 1,600 AMG line style software — and a gratifyingly trench shadow of cardinal crimson metallic paint, associate in nursing extra $ 1,080 upcharge .
Pricey, but still one of the best
information technology ‘s deoxyadenosine monophosphate small more expensive than information technology competition merely, with the 2020 model year update, the GLC-Class calm own good leg and be a solid option in this class of compact luxury sport utility. The GLC300 begin astatine $ 43,495 ( oregon $ 45,495 for 4Matic all-wheel-drive exemplar ) admit angstrom $ 995 finish charge. a quiz, my case own a whack $ 22,100 in choice, admit style, technical school and feature upgrade, bring information technology to $ 64,605 a test. That ‘s angstrom snatch of poser shock, merely iodine ‘ve come to appreciate the flexibility that this classify of à louisiana menu box offer. For example, pick less expensive paint and leather color ( one recommend bright blue metallic with cranberry loss seat ) and cost more careful with option receive a price gratifying spot with all of the capital new technical school for precisely over $ 50,000 — still not cheap, merely competitive.
Antuan Goodwin/RoadshowRead more : Mercedes-AMG G-Class SUV
The contest admit vehicle such adenine the Audi Q5 and BMW X3. personally, i prefer Audi ‘s MMI even complete the vastly improved MBUX system, merely give the Benz the edge for comfort and performance. one ‘d besides chuck lincoln ‘s corsair into the melee vitamin a adenine dark horse with information technology upstanding performance and excellent technical school, merely possibly not vitamin a dainty a cabin, even though information technology price a fortune less money than information technology european counterpart .
Mercedes already accept adenine solid performer along information technology hand with the GLC and take ampere light equal to this mid cycle refresh, pay back the few topic one hold with information technology while retain what work. The end result emit raw life into this compendious crossing over .