Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe 2016 Review - International

International Launch Review
Aosta Valley, Italy

The SUV, the luxury car, and the sports car segments are three of the fastest growing in the Australian new car market. So why not build a car that combines all three? That's the thinking behind the new Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe, and whether you like them or not, these types of crossbred cars are here to stay. Expect to pay around $70K for the GLC Coupe when it arrives here in late 2016, and expect to be surprised by how practical as well as entertaining it can be.

Luxury car brands love creating weird and wacky cars, but every now and then a car that no-one in particular requested takes you pleasantly by surprise.

This was the case with our first drive of the new Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe, a vehicle the company claims is equal parts sports coupe and SUV, with its high-driving position, svelte design and engaging dynamics.

Like most SUVs, slotting into the captain's chair is nice and easy thanks to its elevated position and like its siblings, the C-Class and GLC-Class, interior presentation is a highlight.

It not only looks good – the clean, elegant central control panel curving up towards the high-definition information screen that cuts a vertical line through the leather-clad dash – but it's ergonomically sound too. Except, perhaps, for the column gear shifter stalk poking out of the steering wheel. It looks and feels like it's from a 1979 Ford Falcon XC I once owned.

There's plenty of high quality materials throughout and the GLC 250 Coupe (circa-$74K) we spent most time in during the global launch featured classy dark timber accents and two-tone diamond-quilted leather seats.

Up and running, the GLC 250 Coupe's 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is smooth and refined when cruising around at regular speeds. The engine marries well to the nine-speed auto (fitted standard on all variants) which exhibits a polished feel via fast, clean shifts. Go here for more on Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe pricing, specs, etc.

The ride is comfortable, making for a lovely cruiser; luxurious and quiet on the freeway as well as the paved roads of small Italian villages. It offers an impressively elevated view of the road ahead but the ride height is a disadvantage when the road starts to twist and turn.

Pitched as a sporty, athletic SUV, the GLC Coupe has different suspension and stability control settings from the regular GLC, designed to make it a more dynamic performer. But when push came to shove on some gorgeously twisting mountain roads, it felt a bit top-heavy. This holds the GLC 250 Coupe back from being truly engaging.

Together with a chubby 1785kg weight the car tends to wallow as it tips into corners when hustling along. It's no Porsche Macan and doesn’t feel as dynamically capable as its primary rival, the BMW X4.

The front end isn’t as confidence-inspiring when tackling tighter corners at brisk speeds and the brakes could use more bite. But given few owners are likely to go hammer and tong in one of these, hustling along at 70 per cent pace (as opposed to 95 per cent) is still fun. Despite the title of 'coupe' there's no denying this is tuned more for comfort than sport. Considering what it'll spend most of its life doing, that's a prudent move on Benz' behalf.

Smooth and sophisticated at nominal speeds, the GLC 250 Coupe's 155kW turbo-petrol delivers decent acceleration when you give it the beans. This particular model also features a unique valve system in the exhaust that emits a rather throaty thrum at full throttle. The way it audibly snarls between gearshifts in Sport mode adds a little machismo too.

We took the GLC Coupe off the bitumen briefly – it wasn't part of the launch route – and it's pleasing to note all models are 4WD. That said Benz is working on a 2WD version for some markets. Okay, so this stylish Benz is unlikely to cross the Simpson Desert yet it's got enough light duty aptitude to tackle dirt roads and climb a few hills between navigating the urban jungle.

Where the GLC Coupe should really excel is in day-to-day running. Apart from a tiny rear windscreen that's hard to see out of, it's a superb daily driver. It's not too big to park (and a cornucopia of parking aids helps) but not so small as to feel cramped inside. Indeed, front and rear seat room is surprisingly good.

While the sloped design of the rear end slices 10 per cent off boot space (550 litres in the GLC, down to 500 litres in the GLC Coupe), there's still a decent cargo area to work with.

Most of the lost luggage space is vertical, so if you've got taller objects you may need to play a little Tetris with how you pack. Or hit the auto-flip buttons accessible from the boot or rear seats and get easy access to an expanded loading bay. The rear seats flip down, increasing load space almost 200 per cent, from 500 to 1400 litres.

At 1785kg the GLC Coupe 250 is the lightest model of the bunch. The diesel models are up to 100kg heavier and the petrol-electric hybrid 350 e weighs in over two tonnes (2040kg)!

We had a brief drive of the 250 d (150kW/500Nm) and 350 d (190kW/620Nm) models and while the 250 d made far more noise at idle than its petrol sibling it was a smooth operator with plenty of pull. The beefy 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel propelling 350 d was more memorable, offering serious get-up-and-go and cruising past 200km/h with effortless ease.

We also tried the hybrid version, dubbed the 350 e, which has been earmarked for Australia later in 2017 and will work with the Mercedes-Benz wall-charging home battery system.

It's significantly heavier than the rest of the range but doesn't feel any less prompt. In fact, nail the gas and its 235kW and 560Nm outputs give it serious straight line pace. It's got a suitably high-tech feel with lots of colourful, animated telemetry that tells you how you're driving and whether you're being efficient.

In pure EV mode it can drive for up to 34km thanks to an 8.7kWh Lithium-ion battery pack (which also reduces boot space). While acceleration is roughly halved there's still enough torque to climb steep hills. Mercedes reckons it takes four hours to charge the battery, and overall fuel consumption is rated at 2.7L/100km.

All GLC Coupe models will have a three-year, unlimited kilometre warranty and the 350 e model's battery has a six-year warranty.

Despite misgivings around SUV 'coupes' and their relevance – and its visual similarity to the larger GLE Coupe – I really warmed to the GLC Coupe. It's the first of the genre that, for mine, has held appeal and even the provocative styling grew on me.

In practical terms it makes a very good first impression, plus it's loaded with safety features, the latest tech gadgets and plenty of luxury to boot. Despite the name it's no apex predator but give it time. After all, the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 and 63 Coupes are still to come…

2016 Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 Coupe pricing and specifications:
Price: $80,100 (Full pricing details)
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 155kW/350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel: 7.3L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 170g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: TBA

Also consider:
>> BMW X4 (from $70,815 plus ORCs)
>> Porsche Macan (from $91,900 plus ORCs)
>> Jaguar F-PACE (from $74,340 plus ORCs)