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It was in 2016 when Mercedes decided to launch the GLC 200 in India, slotting it right between the entry-level GLA and the successful GLE. The luxury SUV segment was already very crowded at that time with enough products in the Rs. 50-70 lakh segment, but Mercedes made a smart move with the…
It was in 2016 when Mercedes decided to launch the GLC 200 in India, slotting it right between the entry-level GLA and the successful GLE. The luxury SUV segment was already very crowded at that time with enough products in the Rs. 50-70 lakh segment, but Mercedes made a smart move with the Mercedes Benz GLC 200.
The GLC is bigger and more premium than the GLA but also more affordable than the large GLE. Competing against a variety of cars like the BMW X3, Volvo XC60, Land Rover Discovery Sport, etc., the GLC has had a decent enough run. But what we now have is the GLC facelift, with the SUV getting new clothes and a cleaner heart.
The overall body shape of the Mercedes GLC remains identical to the outgoing model. Though, a lot of things have been enhanced for better aesthetics and to make this SUV fit inline with Mercedes’ other newer cars. The headlamps get new inserts and the projectors have been replaced with LED beams.
The headlamp unit also gets an LED DRL which covers almost the entire border of the unit, unlike the C-Class facelift which gets a single LED DRL strip at the top. The taillights have gotten a similar treatment, with new detailing similar to the bigger GLS. The bumpers of the Mercedes GLC 200 now come with faux diffusers and overall I think the car looks so much more polished now. The front looks handsome, the side screams luxury and the rear looks sporty alright. The new 19-inch wheels do their part in improving the looks of this SUV too.
The interior of the Mercedes Benz GLC 200 always felt like a good place to be in and the facelifted model here has just made things so much better. Upfront, you get the same layout for the centre console and most of the controls but the most prominent changes are the new steering and of course the highlight of the Mercedes Benz GLC 200, the new MBUX infotainment system.
The new steering wheel gets two touchpads to control the infotainment and the instrument console. The cruise control buttons have moved up to the wheel as well. The instrument cluster gets the same layout as before but the MID has transformed, with a new 3D look and far better colours.
The MBUX system consists of a 10.25-inch touchscreen with an in-built Vodafone sim card. Functions like Apple CarPlay and navigation can be operated through touch but the downer here is that CarPlay isn’t wireless. With the in-built sim card, the Mercedes Benz GLC 200 now boasts of connected car technology and you can remotely lock/unlock your car, switch on the AC and even remotely switch off the engine if your car gets stolen. It also gets functions like vehicle tracking and geo-fencing.
The app also displays tyre pressures, vehicle’s health and fuel status, while there’s a version of the app compatible with the Apple Watch too. The MBUX also gets a Voice Assistant feature which does work quite well, but tends to be overly responsive.
Space at the rear is quite decent. You get enough knee room and headspace and the overall ambience is quite pleasant and airy. Mercedes is now offering manually retractable sun-blinds along with USB Type-C ports at the rear. The boot of the GLC has a good cargo capacity and stuff all your luggage for more than a weekend’s drive.
The front seats continue being as good as before with very good support for the back, lumbar and under-thighs. The driving position is indeed very good and offers a good view ahead but I’d have liked the Mercedes Benz GLC 200 to come with memory seats with this update.