The Upside of Confused

What we like:

Engine performance and responsive transmission

comfortable ride

self-levelling suspension which also aids in loading and unloading

What we dislike:

Quite a bit of roll

due to the tall ride height

ergonomics not the best on centre console

engine and exhaust noise can sound a little artificial

The 3.0 turbocharged V6 delivers a very healthy 362bhp. Delivery of torque is not all that sudden but rather progressive till it hits 2,500rpm revealing all of its 520Nm, with a generous spread till 4,500rpm, and the engine showing its willingness to spin freely to 6,000rpm before it feels a little out of breath. Mated to a 9G-TRONIC transmission, Mercedes did claim that this transmission has been tuned with shortened shift times between gears, and driving all four wheels, with a 31:69 front-rear drive bias. The power distribution does ensure that with the bulk of the drive from the rear, the GLC Coupe benefits from optimal lateral acceleration. The noise the car makes can best be described as a whirring noise emitted from the rear.

While the engine is really quite a gem of a performer, the taller ride height does induce a little bit of roll around the bends, and even with the suspension on its stiffest “Sport Plus” setting, and with the car lowered, there is considerable bounce and a little more understeer, as compared to its C Class sedan sibling. A plus from this system though is its self-levelling ability, ensuring that the compact Merc is level, no-matter how it is being loaded.

Ride comfort is overall pretty good, the 235/55 R19 in the front, and 255/50 R19 at the rear offer decent enough comfort. There is the option to up this to a 21” setup, but we would not recommend it, for the sake of your bun shape.

Steering feel is precise, and speed sensitive. The thick wheel is really a joy to hold… just the right size and girth…. Grin…

Drive the Coupe in Comfort mode, and you’d find a car which is unbelievably quiet, and ever so willing to cruise on its 9th gear. Ok with a little bit of road noise from those tyres seeping into the cabin.

The GLC Coupe body presents itself as an oddball, with its coupe styling, yet SUV-ish ability, but simply a joy to own. Alternatively, there is also Porsche’s offering of their Macan Turbo, which offers more power and torque, and their slightly less quick Macan S.

If the GLC Coupe is not your cup of tea, there is the GLC SUV, which offers a more conventional rear end. While cars are almost never made to measure, Mercedes-Benz has delivered a solid effort with their AMG 43 range, by dropping that 3.0 V6 and 4Matic transmission into just about every C Class type car they have, incluing their bread and butter C Class Sedan.

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