“Dear Mikaniki,
I am in the market for a SUV to haul my wife, 2 kids and 5 year old giant of a Labrador around town, long road trips and wears a badge that sets me above the average Jamal. It would be great if you can recommend a car that fits the above – yours truly habibi, Above Average Ahmad”
It’s a great thing you asked, Ahmad. Because when we’re not goofing about and going at each other. We at Mikaniki would like to think we can provide some proper consumer advice.
And to answer the above question, Gargash Motors handed over the keys to the spanking new 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4Matic.
So what is the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300?
Mercedes-Benz has quite a few SUVs these days ranging from the super-compact GLA, all the way to the big boy G.
The GLC is Mercedes’ mid-size SUV that sits in between the compact GLB and the grown-up GLE. If the GLA is the baby SUV in their line-up, this makes the GLC the rebellious teenager.
And the GLC 300 sits just above the GLC 200 and the GLC 43. The range tops off with the mighty GLC 63S.
Specs that matter
We start with one that is most crucial when reviewing an SUV – it seats 5 full-size adults with ample legroom and headroom.
It has a massive 600L of boot to match too. There will be no trouble loading it up with a few suitcases and travel bags. Should you need more space, the rear seats do fold down flat to give you enough room to live in for a few days – although we hope you would never have to.
To pull all this weight along, you have an inline-4, 2.0L, turbocharged engine up front which makes 258hp.
All those ponies go to all 4 wheels, all the time, through a 9-speed automatic gearbox.
0-100kmph time? Quick. We don’t care and neither should you. This is no slouch, but we don’t think you’ll be taking this one to the dragstrip anytime during your ownership.
Top speed is a respectable 240kmph, if you really feel like spending some time with the popo.
All the things we loved!
The interior – we can live in this.
For years, rivals like Audi and BMW have been beating Mercedes at the luxury automotive game. Well, it’s great to see how that’s changed. The interior in this (and all) Mercedes-Benz models of the late 2010s have been nothing less than fantastic.
The materials are top notch. It’s design is clean, it’s elegant and it’s got ample storage inside (we particularly loved the roomy center console). The seats are comfy – although at this price point we would’ve expected heated/cooled/ventilated seats.
Leg-room and head-room would be the last of your worries in the GLC.
Mercedes has also come a long way with infotainment systems. We love the MBUX – it’s brilliant and easily among the best in the market. The 10.25 inch screen can be worked with your finger or using the touch pad in the center console.
To avoid an all-out iOS vs Android family feud, the MBUX now supports Apple Carplay and Android Auto.
The GLC has also embraced the move to USB-C ports which is a step in the right direction.
The ride is good for a family SUV too. Its firm enough to put the ‘sport’ in Sport Utility Vehicle and soft enough to be kind to your back. There will be no complaints about a bumpy road in this one.
The 2.0L turbo in the GLC 300 never felt like it lacked power either – put the pedal to the floor and the GLC will go! It’s got enough oomph to help you overtake on highways or if you just want to punch it around the city.
And last, look at this color – the Designo Hyacinth Red Metallic.
What we did not love as much
Mercedes have done a phenomenal job with the GLC, but no car is not without its nitpicks.
Let’s start with the brakes! It does require a little bit of an effort to bring this thing to a complete stop. The cross-drilled rotors (really necessary, Mercedes?) could have you fooled there.
The GLC isn’t as nimble as its rivals in the handling department either. You may be pressed to find the Porsche Macan and the BMW X3 to be better handling SUVs – but do you really want to carve corners in an SUV?
While moving to USB-C is a move towards the future, it wouldn’t hurt to have a USB-A port in the interior until all devices have made the move to the C.
Did we mention you can control things like the aircon by just using your voice? Just yell “Hey Mercedes, I’m cold”. But this is more of a gimmick for now and has a long way to go.
We would’ve loved to see it do more things like close/open windows, the sunroof etc. An in-car assistant is pretty cool but there’s a long way to go before it’s actually useful.
Should I buy the 2021 Mercedes GLC 300?
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you need a lot of interior room?
- Are you the kind that prioritizes comfort over handling?
- Want a great interior to spend a lot of time in?
- Do you need the best that modern technology can offer?
- Do you need a badge on the grill that sets you apart from the average plebeian?
If your answers to the above was a solid YES, the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 may just be the car for you.
After messing about town and having taken long roadtrips in the GLC, we absolutely loved our time with it. The handling was good around town, the comfort was excellent on long road trips and we did manage a respectable 10.4 l/km (combined – city + highway).
It blows the competition apart with class-leading interior, an exterior to match and comfort.
Well done Mercedes – well done.
Want to know more about the GLC 300? Click here.
