The Mercedes GLC is the perfect base for a more sporty and stylish GLC Coupe variant, and it was only a matter of time before Merc took note of its German challenger and built a BMW X4 rival. The swoopy Mercedes GLC Coupe is that car - a great smaller sibling to the GLE Coupe with a less imposing look that actually makes it more desirable.
It’s sharper to drive than the standard GLC, too, but remains a comfortable and refined cruiser. It’s not a true driver’s car in the vein of the Porsche Macan, although the BMW X4 may have met its match. The engine range at launch may be limited, but at least the ones on offer have a strong blend of performance and efficiency.
You have to make sacrifices in terms of practicality, as the boot is smaller and the Coupe is not as roomy in the back as the standard GLC. It’s a bit pricier, too, but for some buyers the extra cash will be worth it for the looks alone. Happily, the classy and solidly built cabin design of the GLC is carried over to the Coupe.
It’s easy to see what Mercedes is doing with the GLC Coupe in terms of design. Perhaps it's less shocking since BMW kicked it all off with the X6 and X4, but it’s pretty much another case of grafting a coupe-like roof line and a wider body onto a GLC.
The curvaceous end result isn’t as brash and imposing as the GLE Coupe, that’s for sure. That’s probably due to the GLC Coupe’s dimensions: it’s significantly less tall and wide than the GLE, but it’s longer, wider and lower than the GLC.
It looks a bit more squat and purposeful than the standard car as a result, and although from some angles the rear-end is a little awkward, it’s preferable to the ungainliness of the BMW X4. Our biggest problem is that the regular GLC isn’t an unattractive car, so the GLC Coupe is solving a problem that doesn’t really exist. Still, AMG-line variants look smart with the extra visual trinkets and larger alloys.
Inside, the GLC Coupe borrows its cabin design almost wholesale from the GLC. That means it’s one of the nicest places to sit in its class, with luxurious materials, a good mix of colours and a high quality feel. Top models get a vast array of gadgets to play with, too. The driving position is a bit lower than the GLC’s, which may not be to all tastes but it helps the car feel like a sportier SUV. The Porsche Macan has a more solid feel to its cabin trim, however, and the switchgear is more logically laid-out.
Buyers can add Premium and Premium Plus packages to the GLC Coupe to make things even more upmarket, bringing kit such as memory seats, a Burmerster hi-fi, panoramic glass roof, keyless entry and ambient lighting.
Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment
The GLC Coupe uses the same ‘Comand’ infotainment and navigation system as the GLC. That means base cars come with a seven-inch tablet-style dash mounted screen, while an upgraded 8,4-inch unit with online connectivity can also be specced.
The system is clear and the mapping is intuitive, but the mass of sub-menus combined with the fiddly mix of a scrolling dial and a touchpad means it isn’t as easy to use as rival systems from Porsche and BMW. Still the 590W Burmester stereo offers crystal clear and powerful sound, although the standard set-up is fine for most.
When Mercedes launched the standard GLC we found it offered a comfortable and refined drive, but lagged behind the BMW X3 and Porsche Macan for handling and agility. It seems Merc has tried to address that with the GLC Coupe, which gets a thorough re-engineering in search of a sporty feel.
Every Mercedes GLC Coupe comes as standard with retuned sports suspension, including Mercedes’ Dynamic Select system with adaptive dampers and five driving modes. As is usual with Mercedes, there is also the £1,495 option of air suspension with continuously variable damping and adjustable ride height. Mercedes has also given the GLC Coupe a wider track than the GLC, plus a retuned steering rack for more directness.
The result is an SUV that handles much better than you might expect. Body control is very good, grip is excellent (particularly on models fitted with all-wheel drive) and it’s more enjoyable to steer down a twisty road. However, despite the steering being more responsive to inputs than that of the GLC, it lacks any sense of feel or engagement.
The GLC Coupe manages to ride with much of the regular GLC’s smoothness, but that can be sensitive to the spec of the car. Models fitted with air suspension offer a good blend of comfort and handling, but on standard springs with larger wheel choices it can be unsettled at low speed.
In any mode, the Mercedes is comfortable but lacks the agility and playfulness of a Porsche Macan. It is extremely refined, with wind and road noise mostly blocked out even on the largest wheel options. The ride height is lower, though, so it won’t be as capable off-road as the normal GLC.
Engines
The GLC Coupe’s engine range initially kicks off with the familiar 2.1-litre four cylinder diesel engine in two states of tune: the 168bhp 220d or the 201bhp 250d. Mercedes won’t be using the brand new 2.0-litre diesel you can buy in the latest E-Class in this car for a while, which is a shame. Still, in both GLC’s it’s more refined and smooth than it used to be, with only the tell-tale diesel clatter evident at high revs or around town.
The engine is also pleasantly punchy for a four-pot. Part of that is due to the excellent nine-speed automatic gearbox, which always keeps you in the sweet spot of the power band. The base 220d manages 0-62mph in a decent 8.3 seconds, while the 250d manages the same sprint in 7.6 seconds. The former is more than adequate for most needs, but the extra 100Nm of torque of the 250d may appeal given the GLC’s sportier aim.
Also available is a smooth six-cylinder diesel in the GLC 350d Coupe. With 253bhp and a thumping 620Nm of torque it feels brisk, although not light and day faster than the 250d and the extra weight at the nose is noticeable in corners. It’s more expensive and less efficient, too, so it’s only for those who really need to pulling power.
The GLC Coupe is too new to feature in our 2016 Driver Power survey’s top 200 models, as is the GLC on which it’s based. Still, a 12th place showing in the manufacturer as a whole is respectable and shows the improvements the brand has made in the last decade in terms of quality and reliability.
All of the engines used in the GLC Coupe are tried and tested, particularly the 2.1-litre diesel that has been used in several Mercedes models over a number of years without big problems emerging. However, it’s a bit of a concern that the C-Class, which shares much of its underpinnings with the GLC, finished in a disappointing 113th place in Driver Power for reliability. Hopefully these are minor niggles that Mercedes has ironed out with later models such as this.
The GLC Coupe gets an impressive amount of safety kit as standard, including seven airbags, collision prevention with autonomous braking, ESP with crosswind assist, and a drowsiness detection system. Adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous steering, throttle and braking, lane keep assist and traffic sign reading are also optional.
The standard GLC scored five stars in its Euro NCAP crash test with particularly impressive scores for adult occupancy protection, and we expect the GLC Coupe to be much the same. It surpasses the BMW X4 for safety as the new tests are more stringent, and it has more tech included.
Warranty
Every GLC Coupe comes with a three-year/unlimited mileage warranty, which is no better or worse than most rivals offer. As usual, you can pay to extend the warranty period.
Servicing
Mercedes offers a plethora of servicing plans you can buy (or bargain into the sale) to ensure your GLC Coupe is maintained at a main dealer for just one year or up to four years. Service intervals will likely be pretty standard for the class.
It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to work out that if you make an SUV look like a coupe there will be some practicality compromises. Indeed, the lower roofline of the GLC Coupe means it’s not as accommodating for rear seat passengers. It is on a par with the BMW X4 in terms of space, however, both for passengers and in the boot.
Cabin storage is reasonable: the door bins and glovebox are a decent size, the centre console armrest flips up to reveal a deep bin, and rear seat occupants get cup holders in the armrest. The driving position is adjustable for all shapes and sizes – plus most models get electric steering wheel adjustment – and front visibility isn’t too bad. Rear visibility is lacking, however, thanks to the sloping roof and thick pillars. Best to rely on the standard-fit rear view camera to help you out of tight spots.
Size
The GLC Coupe is 4.73m long, 1.89m wide and 1.6m tall. That makes it longer and wider than the GLC on which it’s based, and therefore slightly less easy to park despite Merc’s clever 360-degree birds eye view camera system on the screen. It’s also slightly longer and wider than a BMW X4.
Legroom, headroom and passenger space
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The Mercedes GLC Coupe offers plentiful room for front seat occupants –despite a large centre console - but the rear seats are adequate rather than exceptional in terms of space. Legroom is pretty good thanks to the 2.87m wheelbase, but six-footers will find their heads brushing the roof and there’s really only space for two in comfort thanks to the large transmission tunnel.
Boot
The GLC Coupe’s boot is 50 litres down on the GLC’s with the seats up, and 200-litres down with them folded. That’s something to consider when comparing the two bodystyles, although the Coupe is still no worse than a BMW X4. The loadspace is long and wide enough, but it’s not very deep (even with underfloor storage) and you have to lift items high to load them in. A Porsche Macan has a more practical loadspace.
Mercedes, once again, has chosen to launch a new model without a single petrol engine choice in the UK line-up. While that may be a possible hindrance given public perception of diesels right now, it at least means that most GLC Coupes are frugal and fairly cheap to tax for SUVs.
The GLC 220d Coupe claims 56.5mpg combined – whichever trim level you have it in – which is exactly the same as the regular GLC. Interestingly, the more powerful 250d unit achieves exactly the same combined MPG figure, so could be the one to pick. Both are said to emit 131g/km too in base spec, although the AMG-line add ons bring that up to 143g/km. By comparison, a BMW X4 20d SE manages just 52.3mpg and emits 142g/km combined.
The 350d hasn’t been officially launched over here yet, so it only has provisional figures showing it’ll emit around 155g/km and do 47mpg. That’s quite an impressive figure given the performance on offer, though, as ever, you’ll struggle to get near it in the real world. You can also expect a significant price premium over the 250d. It’s a shame that there’s no plug-in hybrid option available, to offer something with extreme tax benefits that company car buyers will want. That’s still a couple of years off.
Insurance
Specific insurance groups for the Mercedes GLC Coupe haven’t been released yet, but expect them to be only narrowly higher than that of the standard GLC. It’s expected to start from around group 29 for the GLC220d, but that’ll rise to about group 40 for the more powerful 350d. That puts it on a par with the BMW X4 and Porsche Macan.
Depreciation
Unlike Mercedes’ bigger SUVs, which depreciate heavily, every version of the GLC Coupe is predicted to retain over 50 per cent of its value after three years. That figure will worsen if you go heavy on the options, of course, but that’s as good as a BMW X4.