2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class: Trickling Down the Tech

Competes with: Acura RDX, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Audi Q5, BMW X3, Lexus RX, Lincoln Corsair and many more …

Looks like: A baby Mercedes-Benz GLS or GLE

Drivetrain: 258-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas-electric hybrid engine; nine-speed automatic transmission; rear- or all-wheel drive

Hits dealerships: TBA

Mercedes-Benz has taken the redesign pen to its popular compact SUV and has shown the world the new 2023 GLC-Class. An evolution of the old model in terms of exterior style, the new GLC is more of a hybrid than before, too, with an updated powertrain. The bigger changes come inside, where the brand’s push towards touch-sensitive screens and complicated multimedia systems has sadly arrived in its latest SUV.

Related: 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class: 6 Things We Like (and 5 Not So Much)

Subtle Style Changes

From the outside, the changes to the ‘23 GLC are subtle but substantial. Most noticeable might be from the rear three-quarters view, where new slim taillights bring the GLC in line with the rest of the new Mercedes-Benz lineup. The body sides receive different sculpting and character lines, and the front features new headlights and two new grilles, depending on whether or not you go for the standard model or the AMG Line Package that flips the grille upside down and adds some additional sporty styling elements to the overall look of the SUV. Wheels will again be available in sizes from 18 to 20 inches, depending on options. The styling changes add up to a design that looks like a continuation of the aesthetic seen on the mid-size GLE and full-size GLS.

Now More Electrified

The only powertrain available on the GLC (for now) is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 258 horsepower and 295 pounds-feet of torque. It is mated to a 48-volt integrated electric starter/generator, which can add an additional 23 hp and 148 pounds-feet of torque when called upon. This represents a more powerful role for the hybrid system, delivering 22 pounds-feet of torque more than the outgoing system in the 2022 model, according to the automaker. Everything runs through a nine-speed automatic transmission driving either the rear wheels or all four of them using the optional 4Matic all-wheel-drive system. Mercedes-Benz says this powertrain is good enough to get the GLC 300 from 0-60 mph in just 6.2 seconds on its way to a limited 130-mph top speed, which is plenty quick for a compact family SUV.

Curiously, Mercedes-Benz is making some hay about the off-road chops of the new GLC, a place few owners are likely to take it. Opting for 4Matic also brings an Off-Road mode to the car that includes a “Downhill Speed Regulation” function and a special screen showing inclination, gradient, topographical altitude and geocoordinates. An optional “transparent hood” function is also available that shows the view “under the vehicle,” including the position of the front wheels, stitched together from the cameras included in the 360-degree-camera Parking Package option. At speeds under 5 mph, the center console display shows this view as if the hood were transparent; at 5 to 12 mph, it shows the view ahead.

Big Interior Changes

The biggest and most obvious updates come to the interior, which adopts an entirely new look that was first seen in the new S-Class flagship sedan and has since filtered down to the new C-Class sedan, as well. Gone is the side-by-side single-pane look that Mercedes-Benz introduced in the last go-round of interiors, replaced by a single, freestanding 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster behind the steering wheel and a large portrait-oriented 11.9-inch screen in the center console. This new central screen houses the latest version of the MBUX multimedia system and also includes touch controls for things like climate controls.

The new layout necessitates some changes to the interior design of the instrument panel, as well, with the central air vents now relocated atop the dash and the screen a lot closer to hand. A head-up display is optional, bringing a lot of the display’s functions to the direct line of sight of the driver and includes new augmented reality functions. Standard equipment gets a bit of a boost, as well, with the GLC now featuring a standard leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel and heated front seats that include memory function and lumbar support. Missing from the GLC entirely is leather upholstery — the only leather available is on the steering wheel. Regardless of trim level, every GLC gets MB-Tex faux leather on the seats, dash, doors and console.

All the Tech for Fun and Safety

With the revisions to the GLC-Class, Mercedes-Benz has brought a lot of new technology to the model, both for entertainment and safety purposes. The MBUX system features advanced voice controls through the “Hey Mercedes” prompt and can also be had with optional Augmented Video, which adds augmented-reality functions to the live-action camera displays via the navigation system. You can even program a new “Newsflash” feature for MBUX, allowing you to tailor a short, on-demand news update to the driver profile. A fingerprint scanner is also part of the center console, allowing further personalization upon entering the vehicle; a quick swipe will identify the driver and adjust settings to their stored presets if desired. Streaming music services are supported, as are wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it can all be played over an optional Burmester 15-speaker premium audio system.

The safety side of the equation has not been forgotten either, but like most German luxury brands, the advanced systems are all extra-cost items lumped into a package. The Mercedes-Benz Pre-Safe system with forward collision alert and autonomous braking, blind spot assist, attention monitor and active brake assist is standard. You’ll have to spring for the Driver Assistance Package to get things like adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go assist and route-based speed adjustment, lane centering, automatic parking assist features and a lot more.

Pricing and availability of the new 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC will be revealed closer to the vehicle’s on-sale date sometime later this year. 

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• Shopping for a 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class? Research One, Here
• Find a 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class for Sale Near You, Now
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