Item: Used Mercedes-Benz SLC 2016-present
Rating: 2
Author: What Car? Team

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/tt/coupe/used-review/n814">Audi TT</a> consistently wins at our , and it’s easy to see why. It’s stylish, comfortable, brilliant to drive, has a stunning interior and is refined with the roof up or down. There are plenty to choose from on the used forecourts, too.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/z4/sports/used-review/n788">BMW Z4</a> is an old-school roadster that is great to drive, with a range of interesting and efficient engines, as well as excellent handling. Like the TT, there are plenty to choose from.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/mercedes-benz/slc?used=true&amp;amp;nearlynew=true">Find a used Mercedes-Benz SLC in the What Car? Classifieds here</a>

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What is it like?

Ownership cost

Advice for buyers

Our recommendations

Alternatives

Sports

Mercedes’ line-up is vast – ranging from the A-Class family hatchback through to staple saloons such as the C-Class and E-Class, and onwards towards multiple SUVs, luxury saloons and even sports cars. Coupés and convertibles are thrown into the mix as well.

As one of the ‘big three’ German brands, Mercedes most often finds itself competing with Audi and BMW but more recently has found itself fending off Jaguar and Volvo, too.

Mercedes models are known for comfort. One example of this is the E-Class, because while the Audi A6 has a plusher interior and the BMW 5 Series handles better, the E-Class is probably the most comfortable for a long motorway journey.

MERCEDES-BENZ

The two-seat, open-top Mercedes-Benz SLC – a refresh of the SLK model – is refined and well equipped, but not much fun to drive

Used Mercedes-Benz SLC 2016-present

All SLCs are petrol-powered, so fuel economy is not their strongest point. The SLC 180 is on paper the most efficient, with a claimed average fuel consumption figure of 48.7mpg and CO2 emissions of 132g/km. Tax for cars registered before April 2017 will vary according to CO2 figures, while cars registered after that date will pay a flat rate that's currently £140 per year. Make sure the new cost of your SLC doesn’t rise above £40,000, though, or you’ll be paying an annual surcharge on top, too.

Mercedes runs a number of servicing options for its cars, of varying cost, that allow you to budget for future services and spread the cost of the payments.

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The two-seat, open-top Mercedes-Benz SLC – a refresh of the SLK model –  is refined and well equipped, but not much fun to drive

You’ll need about £21,000 to buy a 2016 SLC with a low to average mileage, a full history and bought from a franchised dealer. Healthy discounts are available on new SLCs and this tends to drive down the used prices; so although the SLC is an expensive car new, there are reasonably priced ones to be bought on the forecourts.

The SLC 200, being slightly quicker and nearly as economical as the SLC 180, it’s the one we’d look for. We’d try to find one in AMG Line, because it brings a number of goodies that will prove useful, although we would look for one that’s had the optional sat-nav fitted.

Our favourite Mercedes-Benz SLC 200 AMG Line

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Ride comfort shouldn’t be sacrificed at the altar of handling sharpness</li> <li>Plenty of power from a melodic engine</li> <li>Handling that doesn’t come at the expense of a back-breaking ride​​​​​</li> <li> Practicality is not essential but nice to have </li></ul>

Driving fun is right at the top of any sports car buyer's priority list, and every one of our award candidates has backroad entertainment coded into its DNA.

The Mazda MX-5 embodies sports-car spirit without wearing an exotic price tag, and has deservedly gained a strong following over the years. Much newer to the scene is the mid-engined Alpine A110. It may carry a name from the past, but this potent, mid-engined sports car was designed with the very latest lightweight thinking.&nbsp;

Rounding off our shortlist, though, is a name that'll be familiar to even those to whom sports cars hold little interest. The Porsche 911 was born an icon in 1964, and the latest generation bridges the gap between sports car and supercar. Yet, somehow, it manages to preserve a distinctly civilised character.

Visibility to the rear of the admittedly short car can be compromised by the roof, so check the extremities for any scuffs and dents picked up in car parks. Look at the alloy wheels for any kerb damage, too, and also check the electrical operation of the roof.

Reported problems are few, although there have been issues with electrical gremlins, mostly relating to the sat-nav and the minor controls.

In our most recent reliability survey, the SLK – the forerunner to this SLC – scored a 74% rating, finishing in the second half of the table in the convertible class. Mercedes as a brand finished a disappointing 23rd place out of 32 manufacturers.

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The SLC is a mildly facelifted version of the third-generation SLK, a successful two-seat roadster that has brought enjoyable open-air motoring to those desirous of low-cost fun but still want a premium badge.

Like the SLK, the SLC looks the part; pert, pretty and suitably sporty, as much at home outside the casinos of Monte Carlo as the supermarkets of Macclesfield.

You can choose from a range of mildly sportive or supremely powerful engines, with the entry-level petrol being a 154bhp 1.6-litre in the SLC 180. Then there’s the slightly more lusty 181bhp SLC 200, a very lively 242bhp SLC 300 and a wonderfully quick 362bhp SLC 43.

There are only two trims: AMG Line and Sport. The latter is handsomely equipped, while AMG Line models cover all the basics, including air conditioning, cruise control, sports seats and 18in alloy wheels, although you’ll still have to pay extra for sat-nav or heated seats.

On the road, the SLC 180 can propel you to 62mph in 7.9sec and on to a top speed of 140mph. It can also return a claimed 48.7mpg; although you’ll struggle to get close to that in real-world conditions. Even with those rather brisk performance statistics, this SLC doesn’t feel especially fast, though. Choose the standard six-speed manual gearbox rather than the swish automatic option and it can also feel a little ponderous. The SLC 200 is a little quicker and a bit smoother in its response, while those after performance above all else will find it in the SLC 300 and SLC 43 versions, but they will also find spend a lot of time and money at the fuel pumps.

In corners, the SLC grips well, but it’s not quite as pleasant to drive as you might hope. Its steering is quite heavy, with the handling safe, secure and predictable. However, it doesn’t have the levels of fun offered by rivals such as the Audi TT and BMW Z4 or even, for that matter, smaller and cheaper roadsters including the Mazda MX-5. On top of that, like the SLK, the SLC rides badly and struggles to remain decently composed across potholes or broken asphalt at low speeds, no thanks to its standard-fit sports suspension and 18in alloy wheels.

Wind and road noise are fairly well contained with the roof up, but there is a certain amount of shake and shimmy and the odd creek from the bodywork.

The driver is treated to a comfortable sports seat – although taller drivers will find it simply doesn’t go back far enough – and there’s a neat sporty steering wheel. The SLC's buttons and rotary climate control dials don't feel that nicely damped and a lot of its dash plastics neither look nor feel very plush.

The SLC’s infotainment system is also looking very old next to more modern Mercedes models. Mercedes' Comand set-up offers neither the intuitiveness nor graphical slickness of rival systems from BMW and Audi, and is clunky and irksome to use in places.

The boot is a healthy size, though, and should hold enough luggage for a week away for two. The only problem is that the space available drops considerably with the roof down.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/mercedes-benz/slc?used=true&amp;amp;nearlynew=true">Find a used Mercedes-Benz SLC in the What Car? Classifieds here</a>

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Used Mercedes-Benz SLC 2016-present review

Alternatives

What alternatives should I consider to a used Mercedes SLC sports?