Introducing the second generation of the Mercedes-Benz GLC, a premium SUV first launched back in 2015 which defines the Benz concept of elegance in motion today.

To many, it may seem that Mercedes-Benz is playing a ‘me too’ game regarding the marque’s development of SUVs and spin-off coupe-style variants.

With every luxury brand moving with the times and supplying the market with similar vehicles, one would have to ask what makes one brand any different from its competition, barring the badge.

The lines of difference are blurry at best, but for Mercedes-Benz, each of its SUVs focuses on a hero characteristic demonstrated in its traditional saloon concepts at one point or another in time.

In the case of the second generation GLC where the GL denotes an SUV and the last letter corresponds to the saloon/sedan, this is the SUV answer to the C-Class, a car which embodies technical innovation, efficiency and space as a future focus and the scaled-down brilliance of the S-Class.

While other Benz SUVs have their strengths – some of which are extraordinarily dominant – the GLC is – in my humble opinion, an all-encompassing package of clearly defined parameters of excellence.

Technical innovations include the MBUX AI driver/vehicle integration, the adoption of a 48-mild hybrid engine assist system, and a digital cockpit with ergonomically efficient and angled displays.

One shouldn’t dismiss the cabin ergonomics so quickly. Taking centre stage is the portrait-style touchscreen which is perfectly integrated into the organic look of the centre console and it’s impressive how the screen seems to just happen to be right under your hand when you want it to be.

Efficiency and space extend to a well-balanced exterior which has grown from its predecessor making for a more comfortable and roomier interior as well as an extended cargo carrying capacity with provision for a full-sized spare tyre onboard.

This isn’t the be-all and end-all of the exterior design, however. The 6-model GL range is made up of distinctive designs which go some way to defining a pair of specific models – though not the pair-ups you might have thought.

The GLC for example, pairs up with the GLE Coupe, sharing a similarity in silhouette and front-end face with a single chrome bar across the grille, the Mercedes-Benz star in the centre.

Just for reference, the GLS goes hand in glove with the GLE and the GLB aligns most with the G-Class.

Of all of them, however, the GLC has the most well-balanced – this generation is slightly larger than its predecessor – and contemporary look and, I suspect, many will find it the most appealing.

Well, they should do. Mercedes Benz has opted to upgrade the SUV and bling it up with an AMG line exterior treatment as standard and if you thought a cosmetic upgrade doesn’t make all that much difference, put GLC up against any other Benz SUV and you’ll soon see what a difference it makes.      

It goes further than just good looks, however, with the GLC’s petrol engine and helper hybrid delivering smooth, strong, and sophisticated power, reducing fuel consumption while delivering more torque.

The engine’s performance contributes to the improved agility of Mercedes-Benz’s most popular SUV and delivers greater accuracy in on (and off) road placement than its predecessor.

Yes, the GLC is off-road capable and not just through the 4MATIC drivetrain. The GLC is equipped with Mercedes-Benz ‘transparent bonnet’ a representation of the front of the vehicle displayed on the angled tablet screen, showing not only the angle of the wheels but also objects which drivers may not see through the windscreen.

The GLC 300’s interior is all new and both simple and sophisticated with cossetting leather seats allowing the driver and front seat passenger to become fully immersed into Mercedes-Benz’s most contemporary cabin to date.

This is the same cabin which also accommodates the most technically advanced version of the AI-powered, voice-activated MBUX driver/vehicle interface system.

What really sets the GLC 300 apart is the lack of options available. The reason for this is simply because, with the 2023 model GLC 300, Mercedes-Benz has broken its own rules and loaded the SUV with everything it possibly could, from tapered step guards to the gloss roof rails which bracket the super sunroof.

As far as the driving experience is concerned, the word ‘sublime’ springs irresistibly to mind. The GLC is breathtakingly balanced thanks to its slightly larger dimensions, making the GLC the perfect long-distance driving companion and the ideal everyday around-town runabout.