Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe 2017 Review

The new GLC Coupe joins the larger but similarly minded GLE Coupe in the three-pointed star’s battle for supremacy against the uncannily similar BMW X4 and X6. But does being sporty come at a price?

To paraphrase self-indulgent Kim, the lead character from Aussie satirical comedy Kath and Kim:  “sometimes, glamour hurts”.

That has typically been the case with the latest generation of coupe-shaped SUVs, now de rigeur among manufacturers from Japanese origins right through to sought-after European marques.

Yes, it’s one thing to have a sporty profile on a high-riding cross-over, but then it’s another to endow that same vehicle with comparable levels of practicality (read: passenger room and boot space) as found on a conventional wagon-style SUV.

Enter the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe. The three-pointed star’s own version of the BMW X4, and a smaller sibling to the GLE Coupe, the GLC Coupe aims to dismantle the theory that you can’t look good and still pack plenty of junk in the trunk (possibly another Kimmy-ism).

The GLC Coupe plays on the same basic formula as other coupe-shaped SUVs: take the donor model – in this case the regular GLC SUV – dramatically sculpt its rear profile, add sportier suspension, some distinctive styling features, and, voila.

In Australia the GLC Coupe commands a circa $10,000 premium over the regular GLC for the privilege. The entry level GLC 220d starts from $77,100 (plus on-road costs), moving up to the petrol-powered GLC250 at $80,100 (plus ORCs) and topping out at the GLC 250d at $82,100 (plus ORCs).

Standard equipment is fairly comprehensive, comprising dual-zone climate-control, keyless entry and start, a 7.0-inch tablet-style media screen with sat-nav, Bluetooth, a WiFi hotspot and digital radio. The GLC Coupe misses out on smartphone interfaces like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Safety is first rate. You get nine airbags, a pop-up bonnet for pedestrian safety, plus the latest driver aids including automated emergency braking, radar cruise control, active lane keeping assistance and a 360-degree camera with front and rear parking sensors.

There’s a long list of sport features that help capture the GLC Coupe concept: adaptive dampers which bring more sportiness than the donor car’s regular single-rate set up, 20-inch wheels, an AMG body kit and a sports steering wheel with paddle shifters.

Speaking of sporty, there’s also a hi-po variant further up the food chain. The GLC 43 AMG features a twin-turbo V6 that produces 270kW and 520Nm, and is priced from $108,900 (plus ORCs).

In time you can expect a V8-powered GLC 63 AMG variant.

If we’re honest, it’s a bit of both.

The cabin offers similar spatial proportions as the donor car. That is, adequate space up front and a rear seat that is best suited to kiddies but could easily cater for moderate adult two-ups. The high-set middle seat, in particular, is bested reserved for occasional use; it strays closest to that heavily raked rear roofline.

The boot is also a slight squish compared to the regular GLC SUV. At 500 litres, it measures about 50 litres smaller than the donor car. The boot area itself is broadly accommodating, though, with a flat floor, but as expected the raked rear windscreen quickly impedes on real estate inside. Did we mention it has no windscreen wiper either?

What you do get split-folding seats, rear air vents that can be accessed via buttons in the second row and boot area. There’s also a 12-volt outlet in the boot, but no spare tyre.

Bottle holders are located in different door pockets around the cabin, flanked by ample USB and 12-volt power outlets.

From the driver’s seat the GLC Coupe’s level of compromise becomes more apparent. Small side mirrors and thick C-pillars impose considerably on rear vision. There are some other minor foibles, like the strip of LED lights that line the rear window reflecting directly into the rear view mirror when applying the brake at night.

But thanks to its suite of cameras, and the fact it is only 4700mm long, the Coupe is still easy to place on the road.

Anchoring the range is the diesel-powered 220d not driven here. Its 2.1-litre turbo-diesel engine offers up 125kW and 400Nm, while consuming a claimed 5.8L/100km.

The mid-range model 250 is fitted with the same 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol offering as the more conventional GLC sibling, offering up 155kW and 350Nm. Like all standard GLC Coupe models, it is mated to a nine-speed automatic that sends drive via all four wheels.

The diesel-powered GLC 250d is the fuel miser of the bunch, bringing a considerably more eco-savvy claim (5.8L/100km, shared with the 220d) over the petrol equivalent (7.4L/100km) despite larger 150kW and 500Nm outputs. We saw 6.3L/100km in the diesel against 9.0L/100km in the petrol during mostly highway driving.

The GLC 250d’s 150kW and 500Nm are delivered more coarsely than the petrol’s outputs, with some audible clutter at idle and some lag, but a strong and useable mid-range.

The oil burner’s surfeit of useable torque makes it an easy proposition to live with. And like the petrol, it works well with the accompanying nine-speed automatic transmission, pushing barely 2000rpm at 100km/h.

The petrol, by comparison, is smooth and tactile, but requires rev to move the GLC’s heft with any extra urgency.

Happily, the ‘Benz pleases with its overall poise, grip and agility – in the context of a 2000kg SUV – during our road test, without setting any new benchmarks.

The steering is nicely weighted across different driving modes and the car feels unflustered in faster driving.

Riding on Michelin Latitude rubber, the GLC grips well through the corners, but there is no mistaking it as a sports car. In this class, it cannot emulate the same level of agility as the Porsche Macan and doesn’t harness its mass as well as BMW’s X4, but it is still a nice accomplice through the bends nonetheless.

By the same token the GLC Coupe doesn’t recover from road imperfections as swiftly as the Macan and feels stiff in any setting other than comfort on the adaptive suspension. There is an ever-so-slight juddering through the chassis reflecting rippling road surfaces beneath – but on the whole the car’s handling balance is sustained and strong.

That said, the car’s ride comfort isn’t one-dimensional, either. The car resists any temptation to crash or jar occupants over bumps, while tyre roar is well insulated from within its sumptuous cabin.

The GLC pulls up nicely, so long as you really stand on its brake pedal.

Carrying its $10,000 premium over the regular GLC SUV, the coupe might hurt the hip pocket, but it is a satisfying (and glamorous) proposition nonetheless.