Mercedes-Benz GLC electric mixes retro styling and cutting-edge EV tech - The Straits Times

Behind the shiny LED grille is a posh luxury sport utility vehicle with serious electric-vehicle tech.

SINGAPORE – After a fleeting romance with bulbous, jellybean silhouettes that left fans wondering where the three-pointed star was going, Mercedes-Benz has abandoned the standalone EQ design. The new GLC electric marks this return to form as a clean-sheet electric vehicle (EV) that looks and feels like a luxury Mercedes-Benz sport utility vehicle (SUV).

The SUV is the first of a range of models to use the brand’s new electric-only platform, different from the modular system underpinning the recent smaller models like the CLA and GLB. Those allow for both petrol-hybrid and electric powertrains.

The petrol-hybrid GLC remains on sale, but the two models do not share any components, let alone the design. This is a similar approach taken by BMW, where the electric iX3 is nothing like the engine-powered X3.

An EV-only platform tends to be more energy-efficient, can be charged up faster and has better battery packaging. So the GLC, despite being a fair bit bigger than the GLB, is almost as efficient and goes farther on a single charge.

The retro-styled nose on the GLC electric will be instantly identifiable as a Mercedes-Benz. The lines of LEDs make it look like the distinctive chrome radiator grille of the brand’s best work in the past, like the old 280S from the 1970s.

The profile is typical of SUVs, with generous windows and relatively clean flanks. The haunches under the back windows are quite pronounced, giving the GLC a muscular and rear-biased look.

Just like in other recent Mercedes-Benz designs, the three-pointed star appears everywhere on the car’s exterior – from the daytime running lights to the insides of the tail lamp clusters. Open the door and the car projects a very large logo on the floor.

The three-pointed star is a dominant design motif that extends to the tail lamp cluster.

But it is in the cabin, specifically the space above the occupants’ heads, where the lighting designers really let loose with the Mercedes-Benz logo stamp. The panoramic roof has 162 illuminated three-pointed stars and the colour depends on the ambient light settings.

More usefully, the glass roof can turn partially or fully frosted to keep the sun out. With a tap of the touchscreen, the bright afternoon sun turns into an orange egg yolk.

Speaking of screens, the one in the GLC400 electric AMG Line Sport, which is the topmost version of the EV for now, is a single unit which measures 39.1 inches. It stretches nearly the entire width of the cabin. In other versions of the GLC, the space is occupied by three separate screens, connected by thick black bands.

The screen resolution is vivid and Mercedes-Benz flaunts it with various animated backgrounds and matching ambient lighting. Other than being an absolute magnet for fingerprints, the presentation certainly has a wow factor.

The integrated camera allows for Zoom calls, in-cabin photos and biometric driver identification. Meanwhile, the screen display ahead of the front passenger has a dedicated infotainment menu to use.

Naturally, the system comes with wireless connectivity for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

The wide 39.1-inch screen screams tech, lesser versions get three smaller displays.

The materials and heft of the physical switchgear in the GLC genuinely feel a notch up from the smaller Mercedes-Benz models’.

The cabin is also really spacious. Thanks to the flat floor, and a wheelbase that is stretched by 129mm to reach 2,972mm, the rear cabin of the GLC electric is practically as comfortable as the large GLE’s, although having a separate air-conditioning control would help the case further.

The AMG Line Sport version of the GLC400 electric tested has the same 360kW power output as the regular non-Sport GLC400 electric. However, it does wear 21-inch wheels, which are an inch larger, has adaptive air suspension and four-wheel steering.

With the rear wheels turning as much as 4.5 degrees in the opposite direction from the front wheels at low speed, the four-wheel steering system reduces the car’s turning radius from 12.1m to 11.2m, matching the much smaller CLA saloon’s.

The steering can feel almost unnaturally pointy in urban speeds, but this uncanny agility enables the big SUV to slip into narrow parking spaces with aplomb.

Point that shiny nose down a sequence of challenging bends and the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive GLC delivers unflappable traction. Commit to a hard and fast direction change though, and the car’s mass seems exaggerated by the soft air suspension, revealing quite a bit of body roll. Treat the car like an executive grand tourer and the GLC excels with its well-insulated cabin and plush ride.

The GLC certainly has the legs for a lengthy road trip as its 94kWh battery is good for 687km.

The car was posting an average energy consumption rate of 17.3kWh/100km over the multi-day test. This translates to a real-world range of more than 640km – sufficient to reach Ipoh on a single charge or at least a round trip to Melaka with plenty to spare. Like the electric CLA and GLB, the GLC has a two-speed transmission, which allows it to cruise more efficiently without sacrificing acceleration.

Direct current charging speed maxes out at 330kW, which is fast, if not quite matching the BMW iX3’s 400kW. Still, a 10-minute charge yields just over 200km of range on the GLC400, assuming you can find a plug capable of dispensing electricity at the maximum rate – most public chargers are rated in the 120kW range for now.

The GLC400 electric AMG Line Sport is a dazzling showcase of what Mercedes-Benz is capable of without alienating fans. This extends beyond the looks to the chassis set-up, which prioritises comfort over sporty handling. Yet, the sweet spot is quite likely the single-motor GLC250.

Power is down by 100kW and the battery by 10%, but it will likely yield identical real-world range while pocketing the buyer a $55,000 in upfront savings and slicing the annual road tax bill ($6,730) by more than half. It seems that Mercedes-Benz is back on solid electric ground with this one.

Price: $417,888 with certificate of entitlement (COE)Motor: Permanent magnet synchronous with 94kWh batteryTransmission: Two-speed, all-wheel drivePower: 360kWTorque: 800Nm0-100kmh: 4.3 secondsTop speed: 210kmhPower consumption: 20kWh/100kmCharging capacity: 22kW AC; 330kW DCRange: 687kmAgent: Cycle & CarriageRating: ★★★☆☆

The second-generation iX3 is a ground-up transformation from Munich. The car debuts the brand’s latest design language, a snazzy new digital user interface and more power-dense battery technology. The EV boasts an operating range of 805km and can be charged at up to 400kW direct current. It also undercuts the GLC on price.

Encroaching uncomfortably close to the German benchmarks with its finishing and airy interior is the 7X. The flagship twin motor boasts an extravagant 475kW, and with all that firepower, an eye-watering annual road tax bill of $6,918. As with the Mercedes-Benz, the more sensible money is on the single-motor, rear-wheel-drive version.

The bold, concept car design makes a statement among premium electric SUVs. Besides its luxurious finishing, the Avatr 11 features cutting-edge driving assistance systems, including walkaway self-parking. The brand may not have the provenance of the Mercedes-Benz brand, but it looks and feels convincing enough to draw support.