Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 2016 Long-term Review - 1

Mercedes-Benz GLC 250
Long-Term Test (Introduction)

The Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 is the only petrol model available in the new three-strong GLC family and it's also the latest SUV to hit the motoring.com.au long-term test fleet. In coming months we'll put the model through its paces over a wide range of roles and conditions to see how it fares as it finds its place in the cut-throat SUV market. The $67,900 (plus on-roads) GLC 250 is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol said to produce 155kW and 350Nm, with the power fed to all four wheels by a nine-speed automatic transmission.

Long-Term Tests
motoring.com.au aims to make your choice of vehicle easier. Our Editorial section does this via our mix of news, international and local launch reviews as well as our seven-day tests.

From time to time we also take the opportunity to spend more time in a vehicle. These longer-term tests can be as short as a couple of weeks, but more recently we've settled on a six-month period as indicative of 'normal' ownership.

Long-term tests give our staff writers and contributors a chance to get to know a car as an owner would. While the car is with us, we pay for fuel, pay for the servicing and generally use and live with the car as a new owner would.

We believe long-term tests give car buyers an added insight into the vehicle on test, but also the qualities behind the brand and nameplate. The extended period also allows us to touch base with the dealer networks in question.

It comes as no surprise that manufacturers tend to have a love-hate relationship with long-term tests. Six months is plenty long enough to fall out of love with the latest and greatest, and start to nitpick – just like real owners do.

Mercedes-Benz GLC 250
As motoring.com.au's commercial vehicles editor, Christmas came early when I was handed the key to the Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 in mid-December. More used to focussing on workhorses and load-lugging ability, the refinement and features of Benz's new medium-size luxury SUV came as a very welcome change from my usual fare.

The step up was also noted by my seven-year-old son, whose appreciative 'ooohs' and 'aaahs' aren't usually elicited by the normal take-home diet of utes, vans and trucks.

Better yet, he and I sampled the GLC's charms at length over an interstate run from Melbourne to Bathurst (NSW) to visit friends and family, while the vehicle also served as general transport in and around Melbourne – a role in which my wife and other son, five, soon became accustomed to its many creature comforts.

With 550 litres of boot space, packing for the interstate run was simple; the hands-free tailgate system was also appreciated and there's a rear 12-volt socket for a portable fridge. The 40:20:40 rear seating folds flat to provide a cavernous 1600 litres of space if required, while the boot's privacy screen can be removed in a flash.

The front seats boast an impressive range of electric adjustment and the leather upholstery and Black Ash dash and centre console add to the luxury feel. The leather seating is standard in the GLC 250, as are the 20-inch rims, keyless entry, tinted windows and a Driver Assistance Package PLUS (more on that later).

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine produces 155kW and 350Nm; it's bookended in the GLC range by a 2.1-litre turbo-diesel in two ratings: 125kW/400Nm (GLC 220 d) and 150kW/500Nm (GLC 250 d).

The turbo-petrol engine is a willing and spirited performer that revs freely and develops healthy urge from just off idle to its 6250rpm redline.

The power is fed to all four wheels via a nine-speed automatic transmission, which flicks smoothly and rapidly through its ratios either of its own accord, or via paddle shifters on the leather-wrapped steering wheel.

Highway overtakes are accomplished with impressive pace, while the brakes wash-off speed with plenty of power and feel at the pedal.

Life in the cabin meanwhile is remarkably quiet, with only the distant, muted roar of the four-cylinder engine encroaching when the revs rise.

A range of driving modes is available to alter shift points and steering response, but we found ourselves in Comfort mode for much of our time behind the wheel.

The standard suspension affords a plush and compliant ride but we noted with some surprise a tendency for the front springs to bottom out over big impacts. It's a little harsh over small but sharp road imperfections too – a fact not helped by the 20-inch rims – but generally speaking the GLC delivers a comfortable and capable ride and it hangs on nicely through the bends.

An Air Body Control package ($2490), an air suspension system that automatically adjusts comfort and ride height levels, will become available for the GLC shortly, while firmer sports suspension is available as part of an AMG Line package ($2990).

Speaking of options, our test vehicle was also fitted with the VISION package ($3990), comprising panoramic sunroof and head-up display, along with the COMAND multimedia package ($2990), with 21.3cm TFT display, CD/DVD, sat-nav, Bluetooth interface, voice command and surround sound system.

There are the usual rear three-quarter vision limitations you'd expect in an SUV and the broad B-pillars don't help either. Fortunately the GLC comes with blind-spot assist and a brilliant camera setup as standard. When parking the 360-degree camera comes into its own, offering a bird's-eye view of the whole vehicle and its proximity to gutters, cars and other objects. Front and rear cameras also offer a broad, wide-angle view, while predictive guides and a park assist feature add an extra layer of protection for those classy rims and colour-matched bumpers.

Safety is a strong theme in the 'Benz stable and the GLC 250 doesn't disappoint. Apart from the nine airbags, the blind-spot assist and collision-prevention assist, this mid-spec model's Driver Assistance Package PLUS adds automatic steering and radar cruise control. The auto steering actively guides the vehicle back into its lane should you start to drift over a lane marking, while the radar cruise control allows the SUV to follow the vehicle in front at a set distance up to a set maximum speed. Both are superb features on a long interstate run, while autonomous emergency braking stands ready to intervene should a rear-end collision loom.

Rear passengers are well catered for with comfortable, supportive seating and a centre fold-down armrest with storage compartment and flip-out cup holders. There are two HVAC vents on the rear of the centre console but there's no 12-volt outlet, meaning the power cord for my son's DVD player had to stretch either to the socket up front, or the one in the boot.

The climate control was well up to the task through some sweltering summer days and all the various controls, located on the centre console, were easy to reach and use. It took me a little while to familiarise myself with the COMAND multimedia system and its touchpad and wheel interface but once I had I found it easy to use. The sat-nav and voice command systems are slick affairs and pairing a phone is simple.

With a frugal ADR combined cycle figure of 7.2L/100km I was keen to see what the GLC 250 would achieve in the real world. After a total trip of just over 2200 kilometres the computer was reading 8.9L/100km, that figure backed up at the bowser. That seems pretty healthy for the GLC 250's size and performance, and it equates with a safe touring range of over 700km.

A hatchback and a sedan currently reside in our family's garage but it's hard to resist the inexorable pull of the SUV. With the GLC 250, Mercedes-Benz has produced a vehicle with all the usual SUV benefits, but one injected with a strong dose of 'Benz style, safety and performance. After two weeks and a couple of thousand kilometres, the GLC 250 seems like a lot of SUV for the money – and a very real threat for its prestige rivals.

2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 pricing and specifications:
Price: $74,880 (as tested, plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 155kW/350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 168g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

Also consider:
>> Audi Q5 (from $73,315 plus ORCs)
>> BMW X3 (from $71,403plus ORCs)
>> Lexus RX (from $81,766 plus ORCs)