2027 Mercedes-AMG GLC 53 First Drive Review: New Engine, Who Dis?

• What's new: The Mercedes-AMG GLC is newly available with a six-cylinder engine.
• Why it matters: The GLC 53 is more powerful than the outgoing GLC 43 and more refined than the GLC 63, and it's better positioned to compete against rivals like the Audi SQ5 and BMW X3 M50.
• Edmunds says: The ride's a bit rough, and with an estimated starting price around $70,000, it won't be cheap, but the GLC 53 is nevertheless an improvement over its four-cylinder forebears.

Like many of Mercedes' other modern engines, the 3.0-liter inline-six has an integrated starter generator (ISG) — you might've heard this referred to as a mild hybrid system — which can provide little bursts of power to help with initial acceleration and to smooth out the operation of the standard stop-start system. The ISG can pump out as much as 23 hp and 151 lb-ft of torque, and this works with the straight-six engine to get the GLC 53 from 0 to 60 mph in 4 seconds flat. That's pretty stinkin' quick for a compact SUV.

As you can see in the table below, the 3.0-liter straight-six is a big improvement over the 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder used in the current GLC 43. But it doesn't quite pack the same punch as the plug-in hybrid four-cylinder powertrain in the GLC 63. Honestly, drive the GLC 53 and you won't really miss the extra grunt from the plug-in GLC 63. I never warmed up to AMG's 2.0-liter models; they were hard to drive smoothly and sounded like gruff hives of bees. The GLC 53 offers more than enough shove for the day-to-day needs of a compact SUV driver. 

The GLC 53 is swift but stiff

The GLC 53 isn't just quick; the 3.0-liter engine makes this SUV genuinely lovely to drive (mostly). In the standard Comfort drive mode, it's easy to manage the GLC's power delivery, so you won't accidentally be one of those obnoxious people who rockets away from every stoplight.

Of course, if you want to be that person, just turn the steering wheel-mounted drive setting dial an extra click or two to the right, where you'll find Sport and Sport+ modes. Here, the throttle gets a bit sharper, the steering adds heft, and the suspension's adaptive dampers stiffen up — plus, the exhaust comes alive with an authoritative bark. In these more aggro drive modes, the GLC 53 has no problems slicing its way along a winding road with poise and confidence, the staggered-width summer tires providing ample amounts of grip. 

The problem? This thing is super stiff. Driving a GLC 53 Coupe on 20-inch wheels in Comfort mode, I'm crashing over every little pavement imperfection while navigating the inner-city streets of Hamburg, Germany. I can't imagine being OK with this ride quality on the crummy freeways of Los Angeles. This was a common complaint with the GLC 43 and GLC 63, and I'm bummed that Mercedes didn't address this with the GLC 53.

The 53 doesn't have the next-gen GLC EV's tech

If you need proper seating for four (or five) adults and their things, the standard GLC 53 SUV is the way to go. Its more upright shape means there's enough headroom for 6-foot-tall passengers to comfortably ride in the back, and the cargo area has extra room for bulky items.

I'll admit I'm not normally a fan of the less functional SUV-coupe shapes, but I kinda dig the GLC 53 with its wide stance, fastback roofline and little ducktail spoiler, even if the back seats are harder to get in and out of and there's slightly less space in the trunk. A common gripe regardless of body shape: The liftover height to put things in the hatch is somewhat high. If you've got a heavy suitcase, be prepared to heave-ho hoist.

The AMG 53 is still based on the older-generation GLC-Class SUV, so it doesn't get the huge new tech suite found in the electric GLC. That said, the 11.9-inch central multimedia display is bright and colorful and responds quickly to inputs, and the standard 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster has reconfigurable screens. Sadly, the GLC's interior still uses Mercedes' old steering wheel design, with those annoying volume slider bars rather than the physical thumb rollers found in new cars like the CLA sedan.

The GLC 53 will be expensive, but better to drive than its rivals

The 3.0-liter straight-six engine will make its way to other cars in the Mercedes-Benz lineup. In addition to the CLE and GLC, the C-Class will soon get this powerplant; a new C 53 sedan is coming soon.

The GLC 53 arrives in the U.S. this fall, and while official pricing is TBD, I expect it to slot between the GLC 43 and GLC 63 — figure about $70,000. This'll make the GLC 53 slightly more expensive than its closest competitors, the Audi SQ5 and BMW X3 M50. But thanks to that sweet new straight-six engine, the GLC 53 is definitely the best-driving SUV of the bunch.