Mercedes-Benz GLC. 2nd generation 2022
The Mercedes-Benz GLC is a popular mid-size Mercedes-Benz SUV. Introduced in 2015, it underwent a scheduled restyling in 2019. In June 2022, the manufacturer released the 2nd generation. However, one should not expect revolutionary solutions from it, as the SUV is even more popular than the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, so the manufacturer decided not to experiment with the design. On the other hand, the new GLC switched to electrified powertrains and was the first in the segment to acquire steering rear wheels.
It is already known that the Israeli market will offer the second generation Mercedes-Benz GLC at a price of 470,000 shekels. The deliveries were announced by Colmobil Company, an importer of Mercedes-Benz models in Israel. In 2023, we expect a plug-in hybrid version of the GLC 300e with an electric range of 119 km and two gasoline models: the GLC 200 and GLC 300 with 4MATIC all-wheel drive.
Exterior
The vehicle comes with the new head optics, ‘merged’ with the radiator grille. There are optional Digital Light headlights that can project driver tips (arrows and various symbols) onto the road. Each such headlight has three diodes and a matrix of 1.3 million micromirrors. The radiator grille has changed its shape and content, and there are more chrome elements in the decor. Another fundamental change is the reduction of the drag coefficient, which is now 0.29 instead of the previous 0.31.
The new Mercedes-Benz GLC has stretched 6 cm in length, the distance between the axles has increased by a modest 1.5 cm, and the track has become wider both front and rear. Overall dimensions are now as follows: length – 4,716 mm, width – 1,890 mm, height – 1,640 mm and wheelbase – 2,888 mm. The GLC closest competitors: the BMW X3 and Audi Q5. And they are all included in the top 10 best luxury SUVs sold in Israel. The trunk volume has also been increased to 620 liters for gasoline models and 470 liters for plug-in hybrids. The new SUV will come with the wheels ranging in size from 18 to 20 inches. The AMG Line package with 20-inch wheels and sporty bumpers is available as an option.
Interior
The interior of the new Mercedes-Benz GLC is almost completely copied from the top versions of the C-Class: the same 12.3-inch virtual dashboard screen and an 11.9-inch vertical multimedia touch screen. Mercedes' latest MBUX system includes voice control, OTA updates, a fingerprint sensor for security and quick activation of each driver’s personal profile, wireless connectivity to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. In addition, there is a head-up display.
Finishing materials are of high quality and expensive. There are multi-contour front seats with a massage function, all-round cameras, and the back of the backseat is divided in a ratio of 40:20:40, while the fifth door is equipped with an electric drive. The equipment includes four-zone climate control, a panoramic roof, a Burmester sound system with 15 speakers, and improved sound insulation.
Trim levels for Israel
- Premium: Synthetic leather upholstery, power front seats with three memory settings per seat and heating function, 64-tone ambient lighting, split climate control, power sunroof, power tailgate, power handbrake, LED lighting with automatic high beam, navigation system, wireless charging and much more.
- Platinium: In addition to the above, 20-inch wheels, leather-wrapped dashboard and doors, 4-zone split climate control, contactless tailgate opening, air suspension, 360-degree camera, full-steering chassis with steering rear wheels, Burmester sound system with 15 speakers, adaptive digital headlights and more.
Safety
The 2022/2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC is based on the same modular MRA platform with a double wishbone suspension at the front and a multi-link suspension at the rear. The entry-level SUV has amplitude-dependent shock absorbers. You can optionall order an air suspension and a sports chassis or an Offroad Engineereing package, which provides an additional 20 mm of ground clearance. The plug-in hybrid models come standard with the rear air suspension.
For the first time, there is an optional all-wheel-drive chassis: the rear wheels can turn up to 4.5 degrees, which reduces the turning circle from 11.8 to 11 meters, and at speeds above 60 km/h, all wheels turn in one direction, which makes the vehicle more stable. Mercedes-Benz emphasizes that a steering rear axle is offered for the first time in the segment.
The list of electronic assistants includes adaptive cruise control, an automatic braking system, a ‘transparent hood’ function (the front camera transmits an image of the space in front of the car at speeds up to 8 km/h) and a parking assistant. In addition, there is active lane departure warning and lane keeping assist, traffic jam detection, passenger side collision protection, active blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic monitoring and more.
Powertrains
With the generation change, the Mercedes-Benz GLC has no non-electrified versions left: there are either mild hybrids or plug-in hybrids. You can choose from 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engines with 204 or 258 hp, as well as a diesel engine of the same volume with 197 hp, all of which are complemented by a 48-volt starter-generator, which briefly adds 23 hp during the first seconds of acceleration. The gearbox is a 9G-Tronic 9-speed automatic gearbox. The model is all-wheel drive (in the USA there will also be a rear-wheel drive modification with the GLC 300 index).
There are also three plug-in hybrids with powertrains based on the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder units: two gasoline options, GLC 300 e (313 hp) and GLC 400 e 4Matic (381 hp), and one diesel GLC 300 de (335 forces). All the engines come with a battery with a capacity of 31.2 kilowatt-hours, offering the electric driving range of 117-120 km according to the WLTP cycle. The declared fuel consumption for rechargeable hybrids is 0.5-0.8 liters per 100 km.
Modifications for Israel
In Israel, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC will at this stage be sold as one GLC 300e plug-in model and two GLC 200 and GLC 300 gasoline models, all with 4MATIC all-wheel drive.
- The GLC 300e 4MATIC plug-in hybrid has a total output of 313 hp. It takes 6.7 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h, the maximum speed is 218 km/h, and the electric driving range is 119 km. Fully ‘electric’ driving at speeds up to 140 km/h is possible. There is a hybrid Battery Hold mode, in which the electronics save the battery charge so that it is guaranteed to be enough for the ‘last mile’. The battery can be charged from a wall outlet: AC device power - 11 kW, DC - 60 kW.
- The GLC 200 4MATIC mild hybrid comes with a 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine with 204 hp. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.8 seconds, the maximum speed is 221 km/h, and the fuel consumption in the combined cycle is 13 km per liter.
- The GLC 300 4MATIC mild hybrid uses the same 2.0-liter gasoline engine, but with 258 hp, so it takes the vehicle 6.2 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h, while the maximum speed is 240 km/h, and the fuel consumption in the combined cycle is 13 km per liter.
