2026
Mercedes-Benz GLC 300

What Car Shoppers Need to Know

• The Mercedes-Benz GLC is a luxury compact SUV available with a traditional SUV roofline or a vogue fastback roof in what Mercedes calls a coupe.
• A 255-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is standard; plug-in hybrid and high-performance AMG versions are available.
• Pricing starts at $50,900 (all prices include a $1,350 destination fee).

The face of Mercedes-Benz in the U.S., the GLC luxury compact SUV is the brand’s bestselling product. It’s available in two body styles, including one with a traditional SUV roofline and one with a high-fashion sloped roofline that eats into backseat headroom and cargo space, yet costs more (because high fashion).

The GLC is available with a choice of four engines, including an efficient turbo four-cylinder, a PHEV with more than 50 miles of electric-only driving range, and two potent AMG powertrains.

What’s New for 2026?

There are no major changes to the GLC this year, though an all-new all-electric GLC is slated to arrive in mid-2026 as a 2027 model.

Pricing

The different GLC variants include much of the same standard equipment; their primary distinction is their drivetrains. The 350 and 350e SUVs are available with an Exclusive trim package and a Pinnacle trim package, while coupe and AMG versions get some of the Exclusive equipment standard. Their sole available trim package is the Pinnacle.

Pricing for the GLC below is correct as of June 2026 (manufacturers sometimes change a vehicle’s pricing over the course of a model year):

• GLC300: $50,900
• GLC300 4Matic: $52,900
• GLC300 4Matic Coupe: $61,000
• GLC350e 4Matic: $61,650
• AMG GLC43: $68,900
• AMG GLC43 Coupe: $74,800
• AMG GLC63 S E Performance: $88,100
• AMG GLC63 S E Performance Coupe: $94,800

Trims and Features

Standard safety features on the GLC include forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, a driver-attention monitor and automatic park assist. Available for $1,950 on every GLC, a Driver Assistance Package adds adaptive cruise control, lane departure steering assist with automatic lane change, blind zone steering assist, front cross-traffic alert, emergency steering assist and road-sign recognition.

GLC300 and GLC350e

The GLC is well equipped even in its base form. Standard equipment on the 300 includes 18-inch wheels, LED head- and taillights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, a power liftgate, and keyless entry and start. Inside you’ll find synthetic leather upholstery, heated and power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control and ambient lighting. Cabin tech includes a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and an 11.9-inch touchscreen with voice recognition and wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and smartphone charging.

The Exclusive Package adds upgraded ambient lighting, navigation, a 15-speaker Burmester sound system and a 360-degree camera system. The Pinnacle Package includes everything from the Exclusive, plus upgraded LED headlights, heat- and noise-insulating glass, augmented reality navigation and a head-up display.

In addition to the 300’s standard equipment, the 300 Coupe adds 19-inch wheels, a panoramic moonroof, navigation and the 360-degree camera system. The Pinnacle is the only trim package available on the coupe. The 350e is equipped similarly to the 300 but includes a self-leveling rear suspension and navigation. The 350e comes solely in the SUV body style; a coupe version isn’t available.

AMG GLC43 and AMG GLC63 S E Performance

The high-performance AMG trims come with sportier styling touches inside and out. A panoramic moonroof is standard in the 43, and both the SUV and coupe body styles also include an adaptive sport suspension with rear-wheel steering, 20-inch wheels, upgraded brakes, synthetic-suede seats and a heated steering wheel. In addition to its outlandish horsepower, the plug-in hybrid 63 S E Performance adds dynamic engine mounts and even heartier braking hardware.

Powertrains and Fuel Economy

Every GLC is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. In the 300, that engine is good for 255 horsepower and 295 pounds-feet of torque. In the 350e, the addition of an electric motor boosts output to 313 hp and 406 pounds-feet. Both employ a nine-speed automatic transmission. Only the 300 is available with rear-wheel drive; the 350e and 300 Coupe both come standard with all-wheel drive.

Despite its extra power, the PHEV 350e is a touch slower in the 0-60 mph run than its gas-only counterpart thanks to the added weight of its electrical components. It can, however, travel more than 50 miles on battery power alone.

In the AMG GLC43, the turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder gains an additional electrically driven turbocharger, cranking output to 416 hp and 369 pounds-feet of torque. Whereas every non-AMG GLC needs at least 6.0 seconds to accelerate from 0-60, the GLC43 can get there in just 4.7 seconds.

Take a GLC43 and add a 201-hp electric motor to the rear axle, and you’ve got the plug-in AMG GLC63 S E Performance, which is good for a total of 671 hp and 752 pounds-feet of torque. Its 6.1-kilowatt-hour battery is only good for a mile or so of electric-only travel, but the 63 does need only 3.5 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph.

And for the electrified versions, here’s how the figures look:

Interior

The GLC’s cabin is classy and well equipped, featuring a rich design, high-quality materials and lots of standard features. Both the front and rear seats are cushy but supportive, and while legroom is snug in back, there’s plenty of headroom in both rows even with the available panoramic moonroof — at least in the SUV. Adults will find the GLC Coupe’s rear seat to be rather pinched. The GLC’s vertically oriented infotainment display is easy to navigate, and its graphics are crisp and clear, but we wish the audio and climate-control systems had dedicated controls rather than being incorporated into the touchscreen. The touch-sensitive pads on the steering-wheel spokes can also be distracting to use.

Versus the Competition

The BMW X3 is a natural rival of the GLC; its base engine is also rated at 255 hp, but it has a slightly sportier character. The GLC’s AMG versions, however, outmuscle the X3’s optional 393-hp six-cylinder engine — and at the moment, BMW doesn’t offer a high-performance X3 M version. The Genesis GV70’s styling bridges the gap between the GLC’s SUV and coupe models. It’s only slightly less expensive than the GLC to start, but it includes most of the safety tech you pay extra for in the GLC as standard equipment. The gas-powered Porsche Macan is also a strong competitor, with more driving verve than the Mercedes can muster, but it rides less comfortably than the GLC — and it has less cargo capacity than even the GLC Coupe.

Do We Like the Mercedes-Benz GLC?

With its attractive — but not overwrought — styling outside and in, plus comfortable seats and powerful but efficient powertrains, the GLC is one of the most appealing vehicles in its class. While some alternatives — particularly the Macan and X3 — are slightly more fun to drive, no other vehicle in its class so deftly balances entertaining dynamics with smooth and serene ride comfort. No competitor offers a high-performance PHEV SUV like the AMG GLC63 S E Performance, either.