Mercedes GLC Electric review

Meet the new Mercedes GLC. Not to be confused with the old GLC which, to muddy the waters further, is still on sale and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

You see, the car you’re about to read about is the Mercedes GLC Electric. It’s powered by batteries and sits on new bespoke electric vehicle (EV) underpinnings. The ‘other’ Mercedes GLC has similar proportions and is also a premium SUV, but it’s a completely different car underneath and is powered by either petrol or diesel.

If it’s the latter you’re interested in then head over to our Mercedes GLC review.

Hopefully that clears things up a bit. And since you’re still reading this review, how does the fully electric version stack up against its key rivals, including the Audi Q6 e-tron, BMW iX3 and Tesla Model Y?

How fast is it and which motor is best?

There’s only one version on sale right now: the GLC 400 4Matic. It has two electric motors, four-wheel drive and a massive 483bhp. So, it’s fast – it can sprint from 0-62mph in just 4.3sec.

That means performance is roughly on a par with the BMW iX3 xDrive50, if not quite up there with the ballistic Tesla Model Y Performance.

Less powerful rear-wheel drive versions will join the GLC Electric line-up in the future.

Is it agile and is the ride comfortable?

So far, we’ve only tried the GLC Electric equipped with optional air suspension. This is offered with AMG Line trim and above as part of the Refinement Package, which also adds rear-wheel steering for a tighter turning circle at low speeds.

In this form, ride comfort in the GLC is really impressive. It wafts along the motorway with a more relaxed gait than a BMW iX3 or Tesla Model Y, and while things can feel a little floaty on undulated country roads, this is easily resolved by switching the air suspension to its Sport mode.

With Sport mode activated, the GLC doesn’t just feel more tied down and controlled, there’s also less body lean through corners. It grips really well, too, even if it doesn’t feel quite as light on its toes as an iX3. Even the steering impresses, building weight consistently as you turn the wheel to give you a good sense of connection with the front wheels.

Is it quiet and how easy is it to drive smoothly?

We’ve only driven the GLC Electric in southern Portugal, where some of the roads are even worse than here in the UK. The craggy and coarse surfaces might be part of the reason there was a noticeable amount of tyre noise on the motorway.

That’s our only complaint, though, because you’re otherwise well isolated from the outside world; very little wind noise makes its way inside. It’s also easy to slow down smoothly, thanks to a consistent and well-judged brake pedal. 

Or if you select the ‘D minus’ regenerative braking setting, the slowing effect becomes so strong when you lift off the accelerator pedal that you’ll barely need to use the brake pedal at all. Some drivers will like this, but others will prefer a less aggressive regenerative braking setting with a more measured slowing effect.

What’s the range and efficiency like, and how quickly can it charge?

The only battery offered at the moment has a usable capacity of 94.5kWh. That gives the GLC an official range of up to 405 miles, although the exact figure varies slightly depending on trim level.

For context, the similarly priced BMW iX3 can officially keep going for up to 500 miles, the Audi Q6 e-tron for 399 miles and the much cheaper Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD for 383 miles. A longer range rear-wheel drive version of the GLC will be offered in the future and that should boost the official range to around 430 miles.

During our early drive in Portugal, we saw average efficiency of 3.0 miles per kWh across a 150-mile mostly motorway journey. That suggests a real-world range of roughly 285 miles, although expect to go a bit farther if you’re driving at slower speeds or the weather is warmer (it was roughly 12-17degC during our drive).

The GLC can accept a peak charging rate of 330kW, which is a lot – albeit not as much as the iX3 (400kW). In ideal conditions, you’ll be waiting 22 minutes for a 10-80% top-up.

“Granted, I’ve only tried the iX3 on huge 22in alloys, but the GLC I tested had a noticeably smoother and more relaxing ride.” Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

What does the interior look like and is it well made?

In some ways, the Mercedes GLC looks more like a cinema inside than a car. Even the cheapest versions have three big screens: one behind the steering wheel for the instruments, an infotainment touchscreen in the middle of the dashboard and second touchscreen for the front passenger.

If you go for AMG Line Premium trim or above, the three screens blend into one behind a single piece of glass to create a giant 39.1in so-called Hyperscreen. The effect is visually striking, even if there are some usability issues (which we’ll come to later).

Entry-level Sport trim has grey man-made leather seats, but you can switch to a fully vegan interior (certified by The Vegan Society) for no extra charge. You don’t have this option on the higher trim levels, although you can choose between grey, tan or ivory-coloured faux-leather upholstery without paying extra.

Either way, interior quality is a step up from the Audi Q6 e-tron. There are a few more hard plastics than in a BMW iX3 or Tesla Model Y, but nothing low-rent or unpleasant and everything feels solidly screwed together.

Is the driving position comfortable and is it easy to see out?

The elevated driving position makes you feel as though you’re behind the wheel of a proper SUV, and the position of the seat relative to the dashboard is more natural than it is in the Tesla Model Y. In that car, you almost feel as though you’re perched on a bar stool high above the dashboard.

Sliding the seat back and forth is done manually if you go for entry-level Sport trim, but other adjustments can be made electrically and you get adjustable lumbar support. All other trims come with fully electric front seats as standard.

On the left-hand-drive model we tested, the pedals lined up neatly with the seat and steering wheel. In short, the fundamental driving position is tough to fault, and all-round visibility is also impressive by class standards, thanks to relatively upright windscreen pillars and tall side windows.

All versions of the GLC have front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, with the latter upgraded to a 360deg camera if you go for AMG Line Premium trim or above.

Are the dashboard and infotainment system easy to use?

The car we drove was fitted with the Hyperscreen dashboard, and its prominent position and sheer size makes it easy to see and reach. Both touchscreens respond quickly to prods (apparently the system is powered by a ‘supercomputer’) and the operating system is reasonably intuitive.

There are some issues, though. Firstly, there are no physical controls to adjust the air-conditioning, a gripe we also have with the BMW iX3 and Tesla Model Y. And while the interior temperature icons are permanently visible at the bottom of the screen, they’re tiny and tricky to hit accurately while driving.

More positively, the AI-powered voice control function can help with this as well as other tasks and, in our experience, it behaves more reliably than many other voice control systems.

The front passenger touchscreen allows the person sitting next to you to play games or even watch films while you’re driving. This can obviously relieve boredom on longer journeys, but the fact that you can see (and hear) it from the driver’s seat is obviously quite distracting. If a small camera on the dashboard detects you’re looking away from the road for too long the screen is temporarily disabled, but it’s still far from ideal from a safety point of view.

“I’m pleased to see Mercedes doing a better job of interior quality. The GLC feels better screwed together than some of the company’s other recent models or an Audi Q6 e-tron, for that matter.” WIll Nightingale, Reviews Editor

How much space does it have for people?

The GLC is a fairly large SUV, so you’re hardly going to struggle to fit four adults inside. Indeed, there’s plenty of head and leg room in the back for a couple of six-footers. Even three taller folk sitting side-by-side won’t feel too squeezed, and the rear floor area is almost flat with only a tiny hump in the middle.

Rear space is roughly on a par with the BMW iX3, although unlike that car the GLC doesn’t have reclining rear seats. You can’t slide the rear seats back and forth either, although you can’t in other key electric SUV rivals, either.

How much room does it have for luggage?

The main boot (the one at the back) officially matches the BMW iX3’s to the nearest litre. That means it’s a great size, especially when you slot the height-adjustable floor into its lowest position. 

We haven’t had the chance to do our carry-on suitcase test yet, but given the iX3 managed to swallow nine cases below its load cover, it’s likely the GLC will hold a similar number. And when you don’t need maximum capacity and you raise the floor up, there’s only a small lip at the boot entrance.

Folding down the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats is a doddle because you just pull switches on the walls of the boot and seatbacks drop automatically. And as long as the floor is in its highest setting there’s no step up to the folded seatbacks.

Even better is the huge 120-litre front boot under the bonnet. This is bigger than the equivalent in an iX3 or Tesla Model Y, and can easily hold a carry-on suitcase, let alone the GLC’s charging cables.

“I’m just over six-feet tall and found the rear seats really comfortable. The tall side windows give a good view out, too.” Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

How much does it cost and what equipment do you get?

The GLC Electric is vastly more expensive to buy than an equivalent Tesla Model Y, and also has a slightly higher starting price than the BMW iX3 and soon-to-be-launched Volvo EX60. So, it’s hardly a bargain – but then you wouldn’t expect any Mercedes to be.

Although it’s a fully electric car, the GLC is far too expensive to qualify for the Government’s EV grant and all versions are stung by the annual luxury car road tax supplement (only EVs priced below £50,000 avoid that).

You do get plenty of standard equipment, though. Even entry-level Sport trim comes with heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charging, 20in alloys and a clever panoramic sunroof with electronic shading.

Upgrading to AMG Line adds sportier front seats with fully electric adjustment and an AMG bodykit. Meanwhile, AMG Line Premium brings the Hyperscreen, a more powerful Burmester sound system and extra visibility aids. It does push up the price quite a bit, though, and AMG Line Premium Plus trim, which adds yet more goodies, is even more expensive.

Is it reliable, and how long is the warranty?

The GLC Electric is so new we don’t have any reliability data yet. However, Mercedes as a brand placed 22nd (out of 31 manufacturers) in the 2025 What Car? Reliability Survey, which obviously isn't brilliant. In fact, it was way below BMW (sixth) and Tesla (seventh). 

Every GLC comes with a three‑year, unlimited-mileage manufacturer’s warranty on most components. The drive battery is covered separately for eight years or 100,000 miles (whichever comes first), with a guarantee it retains at least 70% of its original capacity during that time.

How safe is it, and is it easy to steal?

At the time of writing, no Euro NCAP safety report is available for the new GLC Electric. There are loads of active safety aids to stop you having a collision in the first place, though, and going for AMG Line Premium Plus trim adds yet more, including a system that can detect if you’re drifting towards something in your blind spot, and then apply the brakes on the other side of the car to steer you out of harm’s way.

All trims come with an alarm featuring ultrasonic sensors to detect movement inside the car when the doors are locked, plus Emergency Key Deactivation. That means if you lose your keys, you can remotely deactivate them using a phone app so they can't be used to start your car.

AMG Line Premium models and above can also take photos using the 360deg parking camera if your GLC detects it’s hit when parked up. That way you’ll have the evidence and (hopefully) the offender’s registration number.

“I’d stick with Sport or AMG Line trim. You’ll still get plenty of standard equipment without the GLC’s price creeping into the territory of more luxurious electric SUVs, such as the BMW iX.” Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

Buy if…

– Ride comfort is a high priority

– You love big screens in your car

– You need to carry lots of luggage

Don’t buy if…

– You want the longest range possible

– You want the best value for money

– You prefer a traditional interior with lots of physical controls

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