2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 Coupe First Test: Plush, Poised, and Somewhat Practical
How well does this SUV coupe handle the track, twisty roads, and a cabin full of toddlers?
Pros
- Helpful automatic lane changes
- Excellent adaptive cruise control
- Handles well
Cons
- Rides a bit firm
- Fiddly haptic controls
- Vague brake feel
Different for the sake of being different. This seems to be the appeal of many coupe-styled SUVs that have emerged over the past 15 years. They’re not necessarily more stylish than their traditional SUV counterparts, and no one will mistake them for the low-slung sports cars they hope to emulate, yet they’re unique from everything else on the road. After a week driving the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 Coupe, I gained an appreciation for the three-pointed star’s interpretation of the body style. Despite its sloped roof, it’s more of a family SUV than I expected.
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As I was installing two bulky car seats, I started to worry whether my family of five would fit in a small SUV with a raked roof. Clearly marked child seat anchors instilled hope that this was a family-friendly conveyance. Even though it was a snug fit, we were all comfortable inside the cabin, including my very patient mother-in-law in the middle seat. Unsurprisingly, the GLC Coupe has less cargo space than the regular SUV. But we still had no problem carrying all the essentials: a week’s worth of Costco groceries, bags, and a portable crib for a family weekend getaway with two toddlers.
Just like the playful exterior, the interior exudes youth. Bold ambient lighting flows through the cabin, creating a relaxing atmosphere as it cycles through a kaleidoscope of colors. Fine synthetic leather swathes the seats, which are a bit firm, a theme that will reveal itself in other ways later. Aluminum pedals, along with a mix of wood and woven metal trim, defy subtlety. The appropriately sized touchscreen is a commanding centerpiece, featuring stunning graphics and enabling an excellent 360-degree camera. The screen responds adequately to touch inputs, though it’s not lightning fast. We’ve had our issues with MBUX, but put on Android Auto, and all is well with the world.
Not everyone will appreciate the abundance of haptic controls over physical buttons. Instead of a traditional volume knob, there is a stylish sliding tool, effective in selecting the desired sound level if a bit unsatisfying to use. More irksome is the slider for the adaptive cruise control speed, which is fiddly when trying to adjust in precise 1-mph increments.
However, that’s just about the only unpleasant thing about the car’s driver assist systems. The adaptive cruise control made stop-and-go traffic down the 5 freeway a breeze, keeping a reliable distance from the car ahead and accelerating smoothly to keep up with changes in traffic. Deceleration was mostly smooth despite a couple of moments of more abrupt braking. The true showstopping feature, though, is the automatic lane change function.
More than just reacting to the activation of a turn signal, it can initiate a lane change based on the set speed or the navigation route. Say there is a slow-moving car in front, preventing you from achieving your desired speed, or you need to switch lanes to follow the navigation guidance. A chime will sound, and a visual notification will appear on the instrument cluster as a warning of the upcoming lane change. Then the GLC guides itself into the other lane, again without any intervention from the driver. A soft nudge of the steering wheel immediately cancels a suggested lane change, and you can also turn the feature off altogether in the vehicle’s settings. I kept the feature active because it initiated many desirable lane changes, eliminating some of the decision-making fatigue associated with driving.
The GLC300 delivers just the right amount of power for family needs. That is to say, plenty but not so much that you feel like you’re riding a rollercoaster when you hit the accelerator to merge onto the highway. A 2.0-liter turbocharged mild hybrid four-cylinder pumps out 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, enough power for every situation we encountered, even when the SUV was loaded to the gills.
At the track, our tester ran from 0 to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. That time puts it in good company with the GLC300 SUV, which made the run in 5.6 seconds, and the Audi Q5, which we clocked at 5.7 seconds. The GLC Coupe was a full second quicker than the similarly swoopy Infiniti QX55, yet it couldn’t compete with the 2024 Porsche Macan T, which zipped to 60 in 5.3 seconds.
More notable is the GLC’s braking performance. Although our tester exhibited some dive, it stopped from 60 mph in a remarkable 107 feet, a shorter distance than it took a GLA35 AMG we recently tested. This performance is on par with the GLC SUV’s 109 feet and better than the Macan T’s 116 feet. The GLC’s brakes are clearly effective, but the feel could use improvement; instead of providing a crisp bite, the brakes impart a vague sensation upon initial press.
U.S. customers don’t get an optional air suspension, which contributed to superb ride quality on a European-market GLC300 Coupe we drove. Shod in 20-inch wheels instead of the standard 19s, our U.S. test vehicle felt a little too firm. As if unamused by near-perfect pavement, the GLC seemingly finds texture to add to smooth roads. Over potholes big and small, however, body motions are well-controlled. Switching between Comfort and Sport settings doesn’t seem to have a big impact on ride. Some will appreciate the sporty character, but family buyers may prefer a softer setup.
Mercedes is also holding out on another feature offered in Europe: four-wheel steering. Luckily, the GLC Coupe feels sprightly enough without this feature. Despite weighing more than 4,300 pounds, our test vehicle proved light on its feet. Effortless steering and tight turning capabilities contribute to its carefree coupe allure.
The SUV also impressed in our figure-eight tests. Turn-in is exceptional, and steady hands carve a smooth arc. Steering weight in Sport mode is particularly praiseworthy. Clocking in at 26.6 seconds at an average 0.66 g, the GLC Coupe performed similarly to the Macan T (26.4 seconds at 0.64 g) and the Q5 (26.5 seconds at 0.67 g).
Priced more than $7,000 above the traditional SUV model, the Coupe commands a high premium for its style. While some SUV coupes have ungainly proportions, the sloped roof looks rather nice on the GLC’s small stature, especially when paired with an eye-popping paint color like Starling Blue Metallic. Mercedes says it sees a wide variety of customers for the GLC300 Coupe, including singles, couples, and families. After driving the SUV, I can envision smaller families finding this vehicle practical. Back to a midsize SUV for me, though I’m still missing that automatic lane change feature.
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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