Mercedes-Benz C300 4Matic: Innovation, Sophistication and Gratification

Mark Maynard
Mon, 19 Dec 2016 21:00:00 -0800
Lifestyle

Mercedes-Benz started over for the redesign of its second-generation SUV crossover and renamed it GLC from GLK.

What was once a five-passenger utility vehicle with blocky styling to appeal to an American audience is now a sleek evolution. It integrates all the luxurious filigree that Mercedes can muster for its passenger vehicles.
Updated: Tue Dec 20, 2016

Mercedes-Benz started over for the redesign of its second-generation SUV crossover and renamed it GLC from GLK.

What was once a five-passenger utility vehicle with blocky styling to appeal to an American audience is now a sleek evolution. It integrates all the luxurious filigree that Mercedes can muster for its passenger vehicles.

The GLC is now a midsize vehicle by European specifications, but it's considered more of a large compact vehicle in North America. The GLC has a larger footprint than the GLK on a wheelbase stretched 4.6 inches. The body is 2 inches wider with 2.2 inches more front shoulder room and elbowroom. There is another 2.2 inches of back-seat legroom, and there is more second-row entry space.

Weight has been reduced by about 176 pounds by using more aluminum and high-strength and ultra-high-strength steels throughout. Aluminum is used in such areas as the front fenders, the hood and the roof, as well as the suspension and body parts underneath. With 4Matic all-wheel drive, the curb weight was held to 4,001 pounds.

The GLC300 is sold in rear-wheel drive or 4Matic all-wheel drive with a 241-horsepower, turbocharged and direct-injection 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a nine-speed automatic transmission. There's also the high-performance AMG GLC43 ($56,000) with a 362-horsepower turbocharged V-6.

Pricing for the GLC300 starts at $40,075, including the $925 freight charge from Bremen, Germany. The GLC300 4Matic, today's tester, cost $57,575, which included about $16,500 in options and accessories. Among them was the gorgeous $720 Lunar Blue metallic paint. The two-panel panorama sunroof added $1,480. The Burmester audio upgrade added $850. And the Premium 3 package, which costs $7,200, contains a lot of driver-assist technologies, including Distronic Plus with Steering Assist (a semi-autonomous lane-keeping system), cross-traffic assist, active blind-spot assist and active LED headlamps with adaptive high-beam assist.

The four-cylinder engine for the GLC300 gives an unhesitating V-6 performance with choices for comfort, eco and sport. Sport sharpens shift points and suspension and adds eager aggressiveness to guard your line during the daily commute. With 273 foot-pounds of torque from a low 1,300 to 4,000 rpm, Mercedes cites zero to 60 mph acceleration in 6.4 seconds. With auto stop-start at idle, fuel economy ratings are 21 mpg city, 28 highway and 24 mpg combined on premium fuel. I worked up to an average of 25.5 mpg over nearly 300 miles.

The steering is comfortably weighted for easy maneuvering at all speeds. The turning circle is not unwieldy at 38.7 feet. Braking is secure and easily applied with the large 13.5-inch front discs and 12.6-inch rear discs.

The interior is a showpiece of attention to detail and precisely color-matched materials. The textures and trim elements of wood and metal are immaculately presented and will not soon be dated. The assembly and alignment of panels has a handcrafted appeal. Not a stitch was out of place.

The designers made the most of interior space. The front-door panels have generous capacity for three bottles and stash space. The padded armrest has more storage with two USBs and an SD card slot. And the shifter console has two cup holders that can be removed as a unit to make room to lay a phone. There's even an actual ashtray with a lid and a 12-volt plug. The closed lid makes another flat shelf. Or just remove the tray for more nook space. Then the whole area closes to the hide the clutter.

The driver position has authority and control, as communicated with the fit of the steering wheel and the open sightlines. Operation of the iPad-like touchscreen for navigation, radio, media and phone will take a few days to figure out before it becomes logical. Fortunately, there are switches for easy adjustment of fan, temperature and air conditioning.

The front seats are well-bolstered. The seat bottoms are firm — you can feel it after a couple of hours on the road. The seats are heated but not ventilated.

The second row feels spacious with the dual-pane moonroof. The window seats are fully supportive with good footroom and legroom of 37.3 inches, which is adult-class even with tall front-seat occupants. The center seat is a mere suggestion — footroom is squeezed by a tall transmission tunnel. Amenities include a fold-down armrest with cup holders, reading lights, grab handles and coat hooks.

From the cargo area, electric seatback releases manually spring the seatbacks flat for cargo. And if the folding seatback bumps into the front seat (with no occupant), the front seat powers forward to allow the back seat to lie flat. How many times in a parking lot have we had to stop to go around and move the front seat forward to fold the back seat?

The cargo area has a low entry height of 29 inches and a length of about 5.5 feet. There is generous basement storage, a left corner pocket with a net, a rollershade and a 12-volt plug.

There are many choices of more utilitarian crossovers to toss around and bang up with bikes, boards and baggage. The GLC is more car than cargo, but it is also quite possibly the most elegant and sophisticated car or crossover in the $50,000 segment.

2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 4Matic

—Body style: compact, five-seat SUV crossover in rear- or all-wheel drive (4Matic)

—Engine: 241-horsepower, turbocharged and direct-injection 2.0-liter four cylinder with auto stop-start at idle; 273 foot-pounds torque 1,300-4,000 rpm

—Transmission: 9-spd automatic

—Zero to 60 mph: 6.4 seconds

—Fuel economy: 21 mpg city, 28 hwy, 24 mpg combined; premium fuel recommended

SPECIFICATIONS

—Fuel tank: 17.4 gallons

—Cargo space: 19.4-56.5 cubic feet

—Front head/leg/shoulder room: 37.8/40.8/57.3 inches

—Rear head/leg/shoulder room: 38.5/37.3/56.5 inches

—Length/wheelbase: 183.3/113.1 inches

—Curb weight: 4,001 pounds

—Turning circle: 38.7 feet

FEATURES

—Standard equipment includes: smartkey locking and push-button ignition, 14-way power driver seat, power liftgate, rearview camera with guidance lines, central controller and 7-inch color display, and LED running lights and taillights.

—Safety features include: seven air bags, Collision Prevention Assist Plus, crosswind stabilization and trailer stabilization.

PRICING

—Base price: $41,075, including $925 freight charge; price as tested $57,575

—Options on test vehicle: Sport package, $1,550, includes AMG body styling, performance brakes and topstitched MB-Tex upper dash trim; Panorama roof, $1,480; Leather upholstery and power front-passenger seat, $1,900; heated rear seats, $620; heated steering wheel, $250; heated front seats, $580; Burmester audio system, $850; Premium 3 package, $7,200, which includes DISTRONIC PLUS with Steering Assist, BAS PLUS with Cross-Traffic Assist, PRE-SAFE Brake with Pedestrian Recognition, PRE-SAFE PLUS, Active Blind-Spot Assist, Active Lane-Keeping Assist, speed limit assist, cabin fragrance system, cabin-air purification system and active LED headlamps with adaptive high-beam assist.

—Assembled in Bremen, Germany.

—Warranty: four years/50,000 miles basic with roadside assistance.

—Competitors include Lexus NX, BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Jaguar F-Pace.

There is a steely potential beneath the luxurious filigree of the Mercedes-Benz GLC.

Mark Maynard is online at mark.maynard@sduniontribune.com. Find photo galleries and more news at Facebook.com/MaynardsGarage. To find out more about Mark Maynard and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.