2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC teased again

The all-new 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC has been teased again ahead of its unwrapping on September 8 at the Munich motor show. For now, the German premium brand has given us a glimpse of the production car’s large, fully illuminated front grille.

Thought to feature on the battery-powered Mercedes-Benz GLC (badged ‘with EQ Technology’), the new picture shows how the third-generation mid-size SUV will score hundreds of small LEDs that will light up what looks like a fresh take on the firm’s traditional upright grille. There’s even a white silver star emblem.

Primed to eventually become Mercedes’ best-selling EV, when the GLC launches in Australia in the second half of 2026, it will share the brand’s most advanced EV tech with the latest CLA sedan.

Mercedes-Benz’s boss Ola Källenius has already revealed that the inbound BMW iX3 rival will have a range of up to 650km and be capable of being topped up at 320kW, thanks to its 800-volt electrics.

In markets like Australia where 800-volt fast-chargers aren’t exactly plentiful, Benz offers a 400-volt converter, although that pulls charging speeds down to around 100kW.

Plug it in and Källenius says that up to 260km of range can be added in just 10 minutes, a little way off the 325km of range that’s added in the closely related CLA sedan.

Soon after its launch the German brand will roll out its mild-hybrid versions of the GLC that will feature a small turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder that will be combined with a dual-clutch transmission and an electric motor.

Available with front- or all-wheel drive with 100kW and 200Nm, 120kW and 250Nm, and a flagship version with 140kW and 300Nm.

Fresh tech destined for the GLC includes the brand’s latest Airmatic air suspension, plus new rear-axle steering that can pivot the rear wheels by up to 4.5 degrees.

In the earlier tease Mercedes revealed the new GLC will be bigger in all dimensions, compared to the current GLC, with the new all-electric SUV based on the carmaker’s latest MMA architecture.

Benefitting space within, the new GLC gets a wheelbase stretched by up to 80mm compared to the last model, while boot space has grown to 570 litres, with a further 128 litres of stowage space up front.

Other takeaways include the GLC being able to tow up to 2400kg – 400kg more than the Porsche Macan EV.

Performance also hasn’t taken a back seat, with the battery-electric GLC said to offer acceleration on par with the Mercedes-AMG GT sports car, suggesting a 0-100km/h sprint of less than four seconds. More teases of its all-new look are expected ahead of the 2026 Mercedes GLC’s launch.

Join the conversation at our Facebook page
Or email us at editor@carsales.com.au