New Mercedes-Benz GLC range slashed

The upcoming second-generation 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC will be bigger, smarter and more fuel efficient than before, but will only be available in one flavour at launch.

Currently Australia’s top-selling mid-size luxury SUV (albeit by a slim margin), the outgoing GLC is offered in several different model grades including regular petrol engines in various states of tune and a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

But buyers will be thwarted for choice when the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLC arrives in Australia from March next year, with only the GLC 300 model offered.

It will be powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol powertrain that develops 190kW/400Nm and includes mild-hybrid assistance.

That means Aussies will miss out on the entry-level GLC 200 and, not least of all, one of several advanced new plug-in hybrid models including the GLC 300e and GLC 400e, the latter producing 280kW/650Nm and enabling an EV-only driving range of more than 100km (WLTP).

Pricing for the new GLC 300 is expected to start above $100,000 (before on-road costs are added), which would make it more than $23,000 more expensive than the current base-model GLC 200 (from $77,305).

Although official pricing for the new Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4MATIC hasn’t been locked in for Australia, the asking price looks set to rise by around 20 per cent, like for like, in a similar vein to the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan.

The GLC 300 is currently priced from $87,892 plus ORCs.

“It is a bigger car, it’s got more tech, and it will have a higher level of specification compared to today’s [GLC 300],” a Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesperson stated.

The GLC product strategy doubles down on the brand’s recent condensing of the C-Class sedan range, which now consists of just two model grades.

“It doesn’t make sense for use to offer the GLC 200 at a slightly lower price than the 300,” the spokesperson said.

Lack of demand for diesels has ruled them out too – including a high-tech new plug-in hybrid oil-burner – so with only one model grade on offer it begs the question, will GLC sales decline?

“No, we don’t think so,” said the Mercedes representative.

“We’ve had some early indications already with C-Class that the 300 is the preferred engine choice. Even though they’re not the same customer, we think those customers will either gravitate towards the 300 or a look at a GLB if it’s related to price.”

We’ve just driven the new-generation GLC at its international launch in Spain – not only in GLC 300 form, but with the new PHEV powertrains under the bonnet, just to see what we’re missing out on.

According to Mercedes, the decision not to bring in the PHEV models owes to the “increase in EV popularity and the expanding of our EV range”.

“We think in Australia the market is taking one or the other – which is either petrol or full-electric,” said the spokesperson.

“It would be great to offer it, for the small group of customers that might want that [GLC PHEV] vehicle, but we think it’s better to offer one or the other.”

Local equipment levels for the new GLC 300 haven’t been set in stone, but Mercedes says it will get a “significant” uptick in standard features.

Like the C-Class, expect an AMG Line package to be fitted standard, along with big alloy wheels, LED headlights and a power-operated tailgate.

Other standard spec should run to leather seat upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display and a new vertically-aligned 11.9-inch central touch-screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and a 360-degree parking camera.

Despite only one model grade on offer, buyers will be able to tailor their vehicles with a range of options, including various exterior paint colours, wheel designs and interior finishes.

The international GLC equipment list confirms high-end features like air suspension, rear-wheel steering and massaging front seats will be optional.

Mercedes-Benz Australia will bundle popular options into a number of ‘packs’ that deliver slightly better value than if the cost options were tallied individually.

There’s also an off-road engineering package that adds an extra 20mm of ground clearance and several other fittings such as underbody protection, but it’s yet to be confirmed for Australia.

Related: Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 2022 Review