Distance: 1,082 km
Location: Ontario
Date: 24-25 February, 2023
Up front: I drove the version with a fully-loaded interior equipped with real leather seats, the premium plus package, and 64-color LED interior lighting. This was far from the first Mercedes-Benz product I’ve driven, so I knew exactly what to expect and where the controls were supposed to be. A long-time Mercedes owner could map out their muscle memory from nine years ago and know how to use the GLC. The capacitive touch buttons take a while to get used to, but they work. I just wished the computer’s reaction was real-time instead of a half-second delay. The mobile phone screen mirroring is unreliable, if a bump jiggles your cable it could disconnect while driving.
I had a problem with the piano black that collects dust, scratches and fingerprints. Opt for the open pore wood if you can afford the $250 upgrade. Most of the other materials feel soft and plush enough and fit an entry-level luxury crossover, this is clearly targeted at the young, childless, professional couple who wants the flashy three-pointed star and practicality for a growing family but doesn’t want ballooning lease payments—offers are available at dealers across the country.
However, dig a little deeper and you’ll be disappointed. This is a car for someone who likes flashy, not superior build quality. The bottom spoke of the three-spoke steering wheel is made of scratchy plastic, a far cry from the leather-wrapped steering wheel it’s installed on and the vanity mirror light is installed on the headliner instead of the visor so it doesn’t illuminate your face. I maintain what I’ve always said: the Germans don’t make it like they used to in the ‘90s.
In the back: I went on a 1,000-kilometre trip with four adults, so I got plenty of feedback from the two army corporals I had in the back. While head-, shoulder- and legroom is more than sufficient for two six-foot-tall people to sit one behind another and next to each other, the seats lack thigh support and recline adjustment. The Kia Seltos and Sorento can both recline. There are rear air vents, but it takes longer than the front rows to warm up. If you fall asleep, the stitching will imprint itself on your forehead. With two pairs of easy-to-find Isofix anchor points, I suspect the back seats are more suited for occupants in child safety seats.
Rear cargo space is sufficient for a car of this purpose and is well-proportioned. A family of four will have no problem fitting their luggage for a week-long trip. The button to fold down the rear seats from the trunk is useful, but pulling the button again won’t bring them back up—I expected more for $60,000.
Driving: Unfortunately, 300 no longer means a 3.0L straight-six that Mercedes offered for so many decades. Instead, the crossover is motivated by a 2.0L turbo with just 255 ponies. With a worse power-to-weight ratio than the 1980s six-cylinder Mercedes 190E, acceleration is sluggish and passing a truck feels like trying to wake a tween up for school on a Monday morning. The car handles well in the snow even with all-season tires, but it’s also part of the reason why the cabin felt so isolated that driving it is more sitting on the car and less sitting in it.
You’d think that a little 2.0L would mean savings at the pump, but this motor is no more efficient than Subaru’s 3.6L six-cylinder from ten years ago that puts out 10 more horses. It’s quiet and composed, but it lacks the character that would make me take the plunge to buy this over the BMW X3 or the Cadillac XT5. I could buy a better-driving Mazda CX-5 for half the money.
