Meet the Merc C-Class on stilts
WE CAN’T blame anyone for failing to keep up with the alphabet soup of names and abbreviations in the motor industry, and just when you’re getting used to one thing the names tend to change again.
In an attempt to cut through the confusion Mercedes-Benz has introduced what it hopes is a simplified new naming strategy for its ever-expanding line up of SUVs.
Every Benz built for the dirt now starts with a G badge, which stands for geländewagen (German for offroad vehicle) and alludes to the long-running G-Wagen. This is followed by the letter L that acts as a linkage with the third letter, which denotes what car this particular SUV is based on. Therefore, the GLE (formerly known as the ML) is based on the Mercedes E-Class sedan while the GLC (formally called the GLK) is the SUV equivalent of the C-Class, and so on.
Make sense so far? Good. In that case you’ll recognise the newlylaunched GLC as Merc’s compact new SUV offering, the first time the German brand’s had a competitor to the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 in South Africa (the GLK it succeeds wasn’t sold here).
For local buyers who have a seemingly unquenchable appetite for SUVs, the GLC offers yet another option to the ever-expanding list. This Mercedes spin on the midsized softroader theme comes with the high-class interiors and hightech of other modern Benzes.
Mercedes-Benz SA tried its best to portray the GLC as a true offroader when it hosted the media launch in the dunes and canyons of Namibia last week, but at the end of the event the number of cracked bumpers and damaged belly protectors on the vehicles suggested that this is no ‘African Expedition’ SUV – at least not in standard trim with its modest 181mm ride height. The GLC does have a very competent allwheel-drive system that maintains traction in slippery and bumpy offroad conditions, but if the bumps get too big it simply doesn’t have the ground clearance or entry- and departure-angles to cope with them.
Unless, that is, you pay R9 500 extra for an Off-Road Engineering package which raises the ground clearance by 20mm, adds downhill descent control, and offers several offroad driving modes which alter the throttle response and gearshift points to suit the turf.
Spend another R14 000 and you get air suspension which is able to further lift the body to 227mm to help clear bigger obstacles. Back on smooth tar the air-suspension lowers the ride height for sharper handling, and as an extra bonus it can be used to conveniently lower the vehicle when packing the boot.
As standard the GLC features steel springs with variable damping that softens and stiffens to adapt to varying road condtions, but the ride height’s not adjustable.
All versions of the GLC have a 9G-Tronic automatic transmission, feeding both axles through 4Matic full-time four-wheeldrive. The four engine derivatives start with the GLC 220d which is powered by a 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel with outputs of 125kW and 400Nm.
A more powerful 150kW/500Nm version of the same 2.1 engine is used in the GLC 250d.
There are also two petrol versions using differently-tuned versions of the same 2-litre fourcylinder turbo engine: the GLC 250 gets outputs of 155kW/350Nm and the GLC 300 brings 180kW and 370Nm to table.
Later down the road, the range will be joined by the GLC 450 AMG as the high-performance flagship.
The GLC 220d derivative I drove on the launch proved satisfyingly smooth and gutsy with its 400Nm of twisting force, tackling steep offroad hills without complaint and cruising effortlessly on the long dirt road back to our Swakopmund base. Its official figures are given as 0100km/h in 8.3 seconds and a top speed of 210km/h, while combined town/freeway fuel consumption’s a claimed 5.5 litres per 100km.
The cabin’s sufficiently roomy for four adults and the comforts are plentiful, with the same high-quality trimmings as found in the CClass sedan.
Beneath those classy surfaces are no less than seven airbags, which make up part of the GLC’s formidable safety package. Apart from ABS and stability control, standard driver assistance systems across the GLC range include Collision Prevention Assist Plus, Crosswind Assist, Headlamp Assist and Attention Assist. For extra money you can buy features that keep the car at a safe following distance and helps steer it in its lane, among others.
The infotainment system comes with a high-res 7” colour display and audio streaming can be done via Bluetooth or USB connectors.
Along with a vast range of optional toys and safety gizmos, the GLC can be personalised with a choice of several design and equipment lines including Exclusive, Off Road, Night Package and AMG.
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PRICES: GLC 220d - R602 260 GLC 250d - R622 260 GLC 250 - R609 620 GLC 300 - R660 748 Like all Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, the GLC 4Matic comes standard with a 6-year/100 000km Premium Drive maintenance plan.