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Special thanks to Remax: 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class Starting at $ Highs: Posh cabin environs, looks appropriately upscale for the price, relatively quick acceleration. Lows: Comfort-focused road manners won't satisfy enthusiast drivers, numb steering, overly complex infotainment interface. Verdict: The GLC-class gets high marks for luxury, and its SUV shape provides more practicality than its sedan sibling. Overview While it shares its underpinnings with the C-class sedan, the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC-class SUV serves a slightly different type of driver. The GLC300 is still fairly athletic, but if you're someone who values maximum driving fun, the C-class—or one of the AMG-tuned GLCs (reviewed separately)—is a better choice. What the GLC does best is cradle its occupants in a cabin outfitted with luxury features and plenty of tech, including an infotainment system with an screen that rises upward from the center console in easy reach of the driver's right hand. All GLC300s are powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 255 horsepower; a nine-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive are standard, but all-wheel drive is available as an option. The cargo bay behind the rear seats is more voluminous than what you'll get in the C-class, but the same could be said of many of the GLC's rivals, including the BMW X3, the Jaguar F-Pace, and the Volvo XC60. Still, the GLC's a well-rounded package that is worthy of a 2024 Editors' Choice award. What's New for 2024? The GLC-class was freshly redesigned just last year, so Mercedes-Benz has made only minor changes for 2024. SiriusXM satellite radio is now standard, and three new colors are available for the GLC's exterior: Moonlight White Metallic, Patagonia Red Metallic, and Graphite Grey Magno. A fastback GLC coupe and a high-performance AMG variant both launch this year, and both are reviewed separately. Pricing and Which One to Buy The price of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC-class starts at $ and goes up to $ depending on the trim and options. Premium: $48,600 Exclusive: $50,600 Pinnacle: $52,850 Engine, Transmission, and Performance All 2024 GLC300s are powered by a smooth-running turbocharged four-cylinder engine. A 48-volt hybrid system helps augment the powertrain, which is good for 255 horsepower. A nine-speed automatic transmission is standard, as is rear-wheel drive, and Mercedes’s 4Matic all-wheel-drive system is optional. The all-wheel-drive GLC300 we tested hit 60 mph in a respectable 5.6 seconds, which is slightly quicker than the last BMW X3 xDrive30i we tested. The GLC's road manners, however, are less engaging than the BMW's, with a focus on smoothness and isolation rather than athleticism. The steering lacks feel, but when pitched into a corner, the Mercedes can come out the other side just fine; it just doesn't entertain in the same way some of its rivals do. Interior, Comfort, and Cargo The GLC-class’s cabin wears nicely chosen upscale materials and a modernized design with more interestingly shaped air vents on the dashboard and heavily digitized control of the infotainment and HVAC systems. A new steering wheel features touch-sensitive control buttons, which didn’t work particularly well in the C300 sedan, and all models come standard with heated front seats with memory settings and adjustable lumbar support. Ambient lighting, a power-operated sunroof, and a power rear liftgate are also standard. Like other Mercedes models, the GLC-class can be heavily optioned with a host of luxurious features, including a panoramic sunroof, illuminated doorsill plates, ventilated seats, a heated steering wheel, and leather upholstery. Read More
