MOR E THA N ME ETS THE EYE The GLC 250, Mercedes-Benz’s newest luxury SUV, exceeds expectations. By Sunitha Thayaparan.
Your basic instinct when picking up a crossover SUV like the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 4MATIC for a review is to get some miles on what is going to be a really sweet drive. The idea of cruising up to your favourite east coast spa resort, classic Malaysian pastoral vignettes flashing past, is pretty appealing. However, you also have to get past your own preconceived stereotypes. Well, I had to, anyway. My first impression when I saw the SUV was, “Gorgeous, yes, but is it just a glorified – albeit incredibly sexy – mummy mobile?” The Mercedes-Benz owner is a very specific animal. Male or female, they are always buying into the idea of position, luxury, of having “arrived”, so I was curious to discover how this would translate. In the end, my schedule didn’t permit a road trip where Twenty One Pilots would be blasting through the speakers. Plan B was to test the daily practicalities of the newest baby from the German marque, and that’s just what this journalist did – with city and suburban drives.
HEY, GOOD LOOK I N ’
But first, her looks. Moving beyond the masculine, the GLC 250 is all curves. Aesthetically, this mid-range SUV works the precise, pure lines you’d expect from a Mercedes-Benz – characteristic succinct overhang, striking LED Intelligent Light System headlamps, and a long, elegant profile. The model I had was in Polar White, possessing the flashy signature of a Louboutin heel. The horizontal orientation of the contour lines in this beaut’s rear and split LED rear lamps boast a distinctive night design that’s sure to turn heads. So yes, I was sold on the exterior. It had enough height and presence that appealed to my feminist sensibilities, and yet, the right hint of sensuality to seduce my feminine side. Vis-à-vis the interiors, the usual sophistication of