Mercedes GLC India review, test drive

Mercedes finally plugs the only serious gap in its model range with the new GLC; an SUV that promises to the spoil Audi Q5 and the BMW X3’s party.

Published on May 25, 2016 08:30:00 AM

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What’s it like on the inside?

The GLC’s classy and premium cabin is very similar to that of the C-class, which completely blew our socks off back in 2014, and it comes with the same exemplary build quality. The wide, wooden centre console with the array of chromed vents, the metal-finish buttons, the beautifully layered dash and the plush doorpads with double-stitched everything just give the cabin an incredible lift. There are a few bits that don’t quite resonate at the same pitch as the rest of the cabin, though. The dials look very ordinary, there are some stray bits of cheap plastic around and Merc’s COMAND system, which though better than before, still feels a bit archaic. Making it worse is the small, seven-inch infotainment screen.

No such complaints with the seats though, which are large and generous all round. The front seats, which have a long back rest and squab, offer generous all-round support. Getting the right driving position is also a cinch; especially with the powered seats and powered steering adjustment, which is standard on the GLC 300.

Rear-seat space is where the GLC really scores and overall comfort promises to be the best in class. It’s more comfortable than the C-class too – you are sat higher, there’s good legroom and headroom for even large passengers, and the seats feel well cushioned. The only niggle is that the seat base is a bit too short and this compromises under-thigh support. The middle passenger is naturally not as comfy, but because the air-con vent doesn’t protrude as much and the generous footwells allow him to spread out a bit, he’s better off than in other SUVs.

Boot space is very impressive too. The GLC has 550 litres of it, and that’s expandable if you flip down the powered seat backs. The only problem is that much of the boot is taken up by the spare wheel, and getting a big set of bags on top of that is strenuous.