2023 Mercedes GLC Coupé revealed
On sale July 2023 | Price from £52,500 (est.)
The Oscars ceremony is an incredibly glamorous affair, but there’s substance behind the style – it showcases the very best the film industry has to offer. Similarly, as well as having a stylish exterior, the new Mercedes GLC Coupé has been packed with new features the manufacturer hopes will make it stand out against rivals.
On the outside, this coupé SUV has been designed for a sharper look than its predecessor. The front end has been styled to match the new Mercedes GLC SUV (which it’s based on), and the rear lights are more angular than on the previous version.
The biggest new feature coming to the GLC Coupé’s exterior is the optional “Digital Light with projection” headlight technology. The system allows the car to project warning symbols, guidelines and other useful information on to the road ahead. We tested it in the Mercedes EQE electric saloon, and were so impressed that we awarded it second place in the Technology Award at our 2023 Car of the Year Awards.
The new GLC Coupé is also available with rear-wheel steering. At low speeds, the rear wheels turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels, reducing the car’s turning circle and making tight manoeuvres easier. At higher speeds, the rear wheels turn with the front wheels, to improve stability.
Mercedes has also made some aerodynamic improvements to this second-generation car, allowing it to slip through the air more easily, reducing fuel consumption.
Speaking of reducing fuel consumption, all petrol and diesel versions of the GLC Coupé come with mild-hybrid technology. They use a small 23bhp electric motor for an extra efficiency boost around town. The model's engine range consists of a 2.0-litre diesel, available with either 194bhp or 265bhp, and a 2.0-litre petrol, producing either 201bhp or 254bhp.
You can also get the new GLC Coupé as a petrol or diesel plug-in hybrid (PHEV). The petrol PHEV system combines a 2.0-litre engine with a 134bhp electric motor, to produce a total of 309bhp in GLC 300e Coupé versions, or 376bhp in the GLC400e Coupé.
The diesel PHEV, the GLC 300de Coupé, uses the same electric motor as its petrol counterpart, in combination with a 2.0-litre engine, producing a total of 330bhp.
The new PHEVs are fitted with a larger 31.2kWh battery (the outgoing model's has a 13.5kWh capacity), which officially allows the new cars to travel more than 70 miles on electric power alone. That's more than double the 33 miles of electric-only range that the Range Rover Velar P400e can officially manage with its 17.1kWh battery.
Unfortunately, if you opt for a PHEV, the batteries take up a lot of boot space. Plug-in GLC Coupés can only hold 390 litres in the boot, 155 litres less than non-plug-in variants.
If you steer clear of the PHEVs, the 545-litre capacity of mild-hybrid GLC Coupés is reasonable for the class – for comparison, the BMW X4 has 525 litres of boot space.
Mercedes has fitted the GLC Coupé with firmer front seats, which we tested in a pre-production version of the car and found more supportive than those in the outgoing model. The steering wheel is new, too, and is fitted with a combination of touch-sensitive and physical controls for the infotainment system and driving functions.
The updated dashboard incorporates the same 12.3in driver display and 11.9in infotainment screen as you’d find in the regular GLC SUV or Mercedes C-Class. The central display comes with the latest version of Mercedes’ MBUX operating system, and can be operated by touch, by voice, or using controls on the steering wheel.
When we tested the system in the GLC SUV, we found that it looked sharp, was quick to respond, and was surprisingly easy to operate accurately using voice control. Ultimately, though, we preferred the iDrive system fitted to the BMW X3 and X4, which has the added benefit of physical shortcut keys and a rotary controller.
Pricing for the new Mercedes GLC Coupé is likely to start at around £52,500 – similar to the £52,805 starting price of the BMW X4. If you like the coupé looks but want to make the switch to an electric SUV you can get an Audi Q4 e-tron from £49,930.
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