Another super-fast SUV
five-door but with a lower, tapered roofline.
The GLC 63 S is more comfortoriented than its C or E-class equivalents, which makes perfect sense for an SUV.
Comfort-oriented, but not entirely cushy: Mercedes-AMG has this thing about its top-line V8 models being just a little bit crackers, so the GLC 63 S has a slightly edgy ride even when the adaptive suspension is in Comfort.
If that really bothers you, go and buy the ‘‘other’’ Mercedes-AMG GLC: the six-cylinder 43. You’ll save yourself $66k.
The 63 is actually not that rowdy in around-town driving. Civilised even. But select a more aggressive driving profile and there’s a wicked V8 rumble under load that’s deliciously anti-social.
The nine-speed gearbox is a lot happier in max-attack driving. It can feel hesitant in light-throttle driving, but when you’re pressing on it slams between ratios in an incredibly quick and satisfying fashion.
The grippy tyres (21-inch wheels are standard) and clever 4Matic system ensure deeply impressive cornering pace. It’s a tallish SUV rather than a sports car, but there are few vehicles in the AMG range that can deploy that biturbo-power in corners better. It’s a hoot.
The choice between wagon and coupe will come down to style and space.
If you fall in love with the coupe Sync3 system, the Mazda’s is, shall we say, less than brilliant.
With fiddly, small icons on the touch screen, the unit was difficult and unintuitive to use. Adding to the irritation was the fact that it couldn’t maintain a reliable Bluetooth connection with my phone. on the basis of looks you’ll be happy to pay an extra $5000 and forgo that rear headroom (it’s not terrible though), rearward visibility and around 100 litres of rear loadspace.
Mercedes-Benz New Zealand expects the sales split to be 70/30 in favour of the wagon.
Why would I buy it?
It’s the top of the tree in terms of Mercedes-AMG SUV performance, so it’s really something special.
It’s also a Mercedes-AMG that has no direct rivals from the German competition – there’s no proper RS version of the Audi Q5 or full M-incarnation of the BMW X3. The Porsche Macan Turbo is nowhere this level of performance. Maybe Jaguar’s forthcoming F-Pace Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S Price range: $184,900 (wagon) to $189,900 (coupe). Powertrain: 4.0-litre biturbo-petrol V8 (375kW/700Nm). Nine-speed automatic, AWD. Body styles: Wagon or coupethingy. On sale: Now. SVR will give it something to think about.
Why wouldn’t I buy it?
Acceleration aside, this is still quite a lot of money for a medium SUV.
Those big wheels and tyres also bring some opportunity cost in road noise and ride. Mazda BT-50 GSX Special Edition Base price: $53,995 Powertrain and performance: 3.2-litre turbo-diesel four, 147kW/ 470Nm, 6-speed automatic transmission, AWD, Combined economy 10.0 litres per 100km. Vital statistics: 5365mm long, 1821mm high, 3220mm wheelbase, 17-inch alloy wheels. We like: Looks tough, but not overthe-top, comfortable and capable on the road and off it, big, brawny engine. We don’t like:
But mainly, the BT-50 is big. Big and comfortable, big and capable and big enough that you spend all the time you are driving it in an urban environment mentally sizing up gaps and things overhead, painfully aware of the sheer size of the thing.
You do get used to the size, but the modern ute is still something not well-suited to an urban environment.
Any other cars to consider?
Well, the obvious one is New Zealand’s best selling vehicle, the Ford Ranger.
But while the Ranger may look better, the Mazda is still a better deal, particularly the Special Edition, with its more gear for less cash.
At $53,995, the Mazda is cheaper than a Ranger XL double cab 4WD, which doesn’t have any of the exterior swag of the Mazda, nor is it as well equipped inside. It does have a far, far superior infotainment system though.
Of course, if you don’t mind swoopy-looking utes, then the Mitsubishi Triton is excellent value for money and while a GLX-R double cab would normally undercut a GLX BT-50, at $54,990 it actually doesn’t quite make it this time.
Which is understandable, because the Special Edition BT-50 is easily the best value for money ute currently available in the local market. Simple as that.