2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe Review and Test Drive
Among compact luxury SUVs, the new Mercedes GLC 300 Coupe appeals with a sleek profile and rewarding driving character.
Jim Resnick
The coupe-bodied compact SUV takes the bones of a typical SUV and places them under a sportier, more raffish body. I reviewed the standard-bodied Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 SUV in 2023 and found it compelling despite being a little lackluster in the handling department.
The new 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe, with its plunging roofline, standard 4Matic all-wheel drive (AWD), and freshened GLC chassis, is even more compelling.
As a stylish, compact luxury SUV, the 2024 GLC 300 4Matic Coupe hits its staging marks well. Its rakish good looks will likely please those focused on fashion and presentation. The sloping roof does cause a loss in practicality, though, with poor rearward visibility and a smaller cargo area than the GLC 300 SUV-bodied version. That said, I found the updated chassis under the 2024 GLC Coupe put some real zip in the driving factor.
The GLC 300 Coupe starts in the high $50,000s, but its primary rivals are in that same neighborhood, with the Audi Q5 Sportback kicking off in the low $50,000s and the BMW X4 starting even higher than the Benz. Still, the new GLC Coupe is a strong contender — and for the price, it sure ought to be.
Jim Resnick
An Updated Platform and New Coupe Body Shape
The 2024 Mercedes GLC Coupe in GLC 300 4Matic specification employs a turbocharged hybrid 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that sends 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque to all four wheels. That hybrid assistance can also briefly deliver an additional 148 lb-ft of torque.
In my experience, most people in the market for the GLC Coupe are focused more on the dashing profile than performance. This Mercedes certainly delivers when it comes to style, with a sloped rear roofline, hunkered rear bodywork, and a near-flush rear fascia.
The GLC Coupe's body shape is not, however, a home run if you require utility. The design renders the cargo space largely incompatible with boxy items that would likely fit with ease in the standard GLC SUV.
The Coupe, which has 52.6 cubic-feet of maximum cargo space, offers 3.7 cu-ft less in storage than the SUV — but the shape of that cargo area is the more significant issue.
Jim Resnick
To illustrate this point, my medium-sized bass amplifier would not fit in the back of the GLC Coupe. The corners of the speaker cabinet contacted the back window about 7 inches shy of closing, but they fit fine in the cargo area of a smaller Volkswagen GTI, despite the cargo floor in the GLC Coupe being much wider and longer.
In passenger spaces, I thought the body style made the interior feel more cramped. I also found the rear seat bottom cushion shy on leg support. Compromised rear visibility marks another downside to the GLC Coupe's shape.
Otherwise, the GLC Coupe's interior is similar to the current GLC 300 SUV. It moves on from the old GLC Coupe's interior and dashboard, though. The middle row of aluminum switches from the old model's dash is gone, and those functions are now housed in the 11.9-inch infotainment screen menus.
Jim Resnick
The vehicle's sporty theme is amplified with bright accents running longitudinally on the dashboard and air vents perched at the top of the dash. It also adds a flat-bottom four-spoke sport steering wheel and aluminum pedals.
4Matic All-Wheel Drive and Surprising Fuel Mileage
I tested the GLC 300 4Matic Coupe in central and southern Arizona. It came with an array of options, including extra-cost paint, 20-inch wheels, AMG Line bodywork, a Night package, leather seats, the Driver Assistance Package, a Burmester audio system, and Pinnacle Trim. The manufacturer's suggested retail price was a hefty $69,930.
On the freeway, the GLC 300 Coupe offers a comfortable ride quality. But the new chassis and standard AWD also add some zip in the driving factor, thanks to tauter springs and shocks for a slightly sportier, more nimble ride. That makes for a steady partner when the roads twist and in slippery conditions.
Acceleration is rapid, reaching 60 mph in a claimed 6.2 seconds. And though powered by a mere four cylinders, the turbo engine delivers a stellar soundtrack.
Jim Resnick
On a 200-mile highway run, my GLC 300 Coupe logged 34.7 mpg, far better than the official rating of 30 mpg on the highway. My standard loop of mixed driving netted 28.6 mpg, compared with the EPA's combined figure of 26 mpg and the official city figure of 24. Better-than-rated fuel efficiency is always a pleasant surprise.
The drivetrain is not faultless, however. In everyday stop-and-go suburban driving on light throttle openings, responsiveness at very low speeds proved sluggish. This trait occurred despite the hybrid assistance of an extra 148 lb-ft of torque on tap. I overcame this by selecting the transmission's Sport mode (over the default Comfort mode) to yield a slightly snappier response. Testing the GLC 300 Coupe in Arizona coincided with several days of heavy rain, mud, and slippery conditions. With opportunity knocking, I took the dirt road less traveled to test the vehicle's standard 4Matic AWD.
While soft-roading on unpaved sandy, muddy, and gravel surfaces, the GLC 300 4Matic Coupe kept a firm grip in slippery conditions. Rain, soupy mud, loose gravel, and even sleet at higher elevations revealed a sure-footedness hampered only once by the summer tires.
This light off-roading excursion also showed me that the 4Matic system has virtually no downsides. For example, the steering didn't stiffen or fight a lot of input at full lock in extremely tight quarters.
Jim Resnick
Safety Features Aplenty, but Most Are Optional
With the optional Driver Assistance Package, there were quite a few advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) on my test vehicle. That said, I was disappointed to learn that many of these ADAS features are optional instead of standard on this SUV, especially given its lofty base price.
Regardless of the cost, the ADAS performed exceedingly well. Confusing road lines or signs never flummoxed the lane-keeping and lane-centering systems, and the adaptive cruise control quickly latched onto vehicles entering the same lane ahead.
One noteworthy part of the Driver Assistance package I found is the ability to use the central infotainment screen to engage or defeat the lane-change-assist system. The graphics creatively depicted what was happening.
Jim Resnick
The excellent MBUX infotainment system is standard and uses an 11.9-inch touchscreen as its focal point. Through a user-friendly menu of tiles, all the vehicle's settings, ADAS features and adjustments, comfort and climate controls, phone, media, driving information, and navigation data appear. In addition, the automaker offers over-the-air software updates.
I had no trouble connecting my iPhone to the system via Bluetooth. The voice recognition software worked well for me, too. A vocal prompt of "Hey, Mercedes" awakens the digital assistant, and you then state what you want in plain language.
Jim Resnick
Is the New GLC 300 Coupe a Good Choice?
The 2024 GLC 300 4Matic Coupe delivers just about everything it promises regarding driving dynamics, appearance, and driver comfort for long-haul road trips. Thanks to 4Matic AWD, it is still capable even when the weather turns foul.
It falls short, however, on cargo space, overall utility, rear-seat comfort, and price. A window sticker nearing $70,000 is a boatload of cash for a compact SUV, even a high-style Mercedes.
That makes the GLC Coupe's rivals more appealing in terms of value. In addition to the Audi Q5 Sportback, which comes standard with many of the active safety features Mercedes charges extra for, other stylish rivals with lower base prices include the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Genesis GV70, Infiniti QX55, and Range Rover Evoque.
However, if panache is your prime motivator and you need more practicality than a conventional two-door coupe or four-door sedan, the GLC 300 4Matic Coupe is a fine, if expensive, choice among some serious competition. It's especially good if you're planning to travel sloppy desert roads after a rainstorm.
Mercedes-Benz provided the vehicle for this 2024 GLC Coupe review.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Jim ResnickFrom racing exotic sports cars, to ranking new cars, to peeling back layers of cover up in an exhaust emissions scandal, Jim has chronicled the automotive sector for decades. Jim has also worked inside the corporate headquarters of three carmakers, and therefore understands how the automotive sausage is really made. But Jim’s affinity for vehicles takes a back seat to finding the truth and the cultural implications of modern transportation. He has also lectured at universities to engineering and policy students and faculty on the industry’s relationship with legislation in the wake of the diesel exhaust emissions scandal several years ago. Put simply, Jim reports on autos, mobility, tech, car culture, and the traffic jam of topics within.
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