2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 4MATIC SUV
Price: $74,085 CAD
Colour: Obsidian Black Metallic
I drove the Mercedes C300 last year and really enjoyed that vehicle. It struck me as a car you could drive everyday and not hate yourself for making the decision to buy it. It felt well made, drove well and didn’t destroy your bank account. Given the demands of the market at the moment, nobody wants a nice, sensible sedan so Mercedes also manufactures that cars twin as an SUV. Specifically, the GLC 300. The GLC 300 isn’t the smallest SUV on offer from the 3-pointed star, but it’s the best place to start.
Power & Performance
Across the more entry-level models offered by Mercedes, the 2.0L 4-cylinder 48V mild hybrid system has become the standard offering. It’s a near guarantee you’re going to encounter this power plant and on the GLC 300 it’s the only option you’ve got. It’s a perfectly fine engine. It’s not great nor is it terribly electric to drive regardless of how hard you pin it. It delivers 255hp and 295 lb/ft or torque. This is fine too. It’s all fine. You get Mercedes 4MATIC AWD system in the GLC 300 and it’s an excellent feature. It keeps the GLC pointed straight (not that you’re fighting that much power, but I digress) and gives you confidence when things get slippery.
Exterior
Considering how many SUV’s there are of various sizes I often find myself struggling to readily identify what car I’m looking at. I know cars look as homogenous as they do for a variety of reasons outside the control of manufacturers. That’s fine. It is what it is. The result are SUV’s that look like the GLC 300. It’s not ugly (thank God) but it’s not terribly distinctive. It bears a strong resemblance to a lot of other Mercedes SUV’s and many offerings made by other manufacturers. It makes it hard to get excited about this car.
Interior
Mercedes seems determined to turn the interiors of their cars into night clubs. They’re full of neon lighting, flashing lights and shiny surfaces. It’s not all bad as some of it looks quite good. Mercedes are a leader in cramming ambient lighting into every corner of their cars and it certainly makes their cars more interesting at night.
Mercedes MBUX system is a curious thing. I like the size of the screen, and the functionality, while a little cumbersome, is useable. Yes, I very much wish the environmental controls weren’t embedded in the screen and I’d kill any number of people for a proper volume dial. It’s redeemed in many ways by the clarity and fidelity of the screen. It’s a beautiful thing to behold and matched to the excellent camera system gives you great visibility around the vehicle when you’re trying to jam the GLC into a parking spot that’s clearly too small.
The GLC 300 features something called ARTICO Man Made Leather. I’ll admit, I had to dig deeper for details. Turns out this is Mercedes’ synthetic “leather-like” product. Designed to make you feel classy while not having to bear the cost of real leather nor the uncouth humiliation of fabric seats. Okay.
Value
My public housing upbringing rears its ugly head whenever I talk about the pricing of German cars. They’re expensive, there’s no getting around it. All hope is not lost however if you’re willing to be discerning with the options list. The GLC 300 starts around 58k CAD. That’s not too bad at all for what you get at the base trim. The GLC 300 as tested here is $74,000, which isn’t so good. This test vehicle comes equipped with many redundant and unnecessary trim packages that you can skip if you want a GLC 300. You still get most of what makes the car worthwhile but you’re not paying thousands of dollars unnecessarily.
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking to drive a badge with a little extra shine the GLC 300 is a worthy choice. It lacks the exotic fun stuff that typifies some of the more high-end Mercedes offerings, but this car will get you where you need to go in immense comfort and you get to rock the 3-pointed star as you head to soccer practice. Be sure to skip the endless optional extras and you’ll be quite happy with your GLC.
