2027 Mercedes-AMG GLC 53 Tested: A Major Improvement With One Caveat

This sporty SUV is a charmer — if you can get past the brittle ride

written by Steven Ewing
edited by Kirk Bell
9/13/2026
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What's new: The Mercedes-AMG GLC crossover gets a new turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine for 2027.
Why it matters: With 443 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, the GLC 53 is a lot more powerful than rivals like the Audi SQ5 and BMW X3 M50. Of course, with a price tag above $70K, it's also more expensive.
Edmunds says: The GLC finally gets the powertrain it deserves. Now, if it could just be a little more comfortable.

The Mercedes-AMG GLC got a heart transplant, and this compact performance SUV is all the better for it. A sweet and smooth turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six engine finds a home under the hood of the GLC 53, replacing the punchy-but-unrefined turbocharged four-cylinder that powered the GLC 43. The plug-in hybrid GLC 63 is also gone, but I'm not too sad about that either.

This is a story of two GLC 53s. We brought the standard SUV variant to our track in Southern California for the full gamut of instrumented testing, and I drove the rakish GLC 53 Coupe on a road trip from Detroit to Hilton Beach, Ontario, Canada, just across the border from Michigan's Upper Peninsula. (Shout out to the Tilt'n Hilton, where I drank the absolute best Caesar and absolute worst margarita of my life.) On road and track alike, the GLC 53's new engine is a honey, but one big caveat keeps this sporty SUV from being wholly superb.

2027 Mercedes-AMG GLC 53 action front 3/4

By the numbers

The GLC 53 uses the same turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six engine as the CLE 53 coupe and convertible; this is not the plug-in hybrid powertrain used in the E 53 sedan and wagon. With 443 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque on tap, the GLC 53 always has more than enough chutzpah to pull away quickly from stoplights or to pass slower cars with authority. But those numbers tell only half of the story. The inline-six also uses mild hybrid electric assist, with a small integrated starter-generator (ISG) that can provide up to 23 hp and 151 lb-ft of power. The ISG is mainly used for closing power gaps while the engine's turbocharger spools up, and it also smooths out the operation of the GLC's stop-start system.

At our track, the GLC 53 needed 4.1 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph, a 0.6-second improvement over the outgoing GLC 43. Stopping from 60 mph was accomplished in a scant 108 feet with excellent stability. Around our skidpad, the GLC 53 pulled an impressive 0.96 g — the same as a Volkswagen Golf R hot hatch. All of this speaks to the GLC 53's athleticism; it's an excellent performer, so much so that I genuinely do not miss the extra grunt of the old 671-hp GLC 63.


2027 Mercedes-AMG GLC 53 SUV	Edmunds test results
Engine	3.0-liter turbo inline-6
Power	443 hp
Torque	443 lb-ft
Driveline	all-wheel drive
Transmission	nine-speed automatic
Weight	4,659 pounds
0-30 mph	1.6 seconds
0-45 mph	2.7 seconds
0-60 mph	4.1 seconds
0-75 mph	5.9 seconds
Quarter mile	12.3 seconds @ 110.7 mph
60-0 mph braking	108 feet
Lateral grip (200-foot skidpad)	0.96 g
Sound at idle	42.4 dB
Sound at 70 mph	65.9 dB
Price as tested	$86,490

The ride's too rough

Proficient as the GLC 53 is at our test track, my road trip in the Coupe is more demonstrative of where this SUV excels — and falls short. Once again, the new inline-six engine with mild hybrid assist is a peach. Where the four-cylinder GLC 43 and 63 often felt high-strung and buzzy, the straight-six settles into a low hum and keeps chugging along. I really do love this engine. Of course, it's not exactly efficient; I saw 24.5 mpg over 800 miles of mostly highway driving.

Dynamically speaking, the GLC 53 steers, stops and handles better than its key rivals from Audi and BMW. The steering is more direct with better weight, and there's less body roll while cornering. But those rival SUVs make up ground in their ride quality. There's no way around it: The GLC 53 is harsh, even in its standard Comfort driving mode. Sure, the GLC 53's large 21-inch wheels with low-profile tires don't help. But the minute you're driving on anything other than a glass-smooth surface, the GLC is rough, and the firmly bolstered sport seats transmit every little jostle right up your spine.

Form or function?

The GLC 53 uses Mercedes' older connected interior technology with an 11.9-inch center screen and a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. Honestly, I prefer this setup to the screen-heavy design of the company's newer cars; when it comes to digital real estate, I firmly believe we've reached the point of overkill. Plus, the current GLC's tech suite looks good and works well. The interior as a whole might be a few years behind Mercedes' latest and greatest models, but it's still quiet, comfortable and stylish. I could personally do without the faux carbon-fiber trim, but hey, you do you.

I'm not normally a fan of swoopy SUV coupes that sacrifice function for a bit of style. But I'm weirdly into the GLC 53 Coupe. You don't lose a ton of cargo space by going for the Coupe either. I managed to fit a large checked bag, two carry-on suitcases, two backpacks, and a big box of wine (as in, one box with many bottles, not a giant Franzia or something).

The 2027 Mercedes-AMG GLC 53 starts around $70K and can climb to the upper $80,000s with options. Spec for spec, you'll pay a little bit less for an equivalent Audi SQ5 or BMW X3, but the Mercedes has a nicer interior and it's a lot more entertaining to drive. And isn't that why you bought a sporty SUV in the first place?

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by Steven Ewing

Steven Ewing is Edmunds' director of editorial content. An automotive journalist for more than half of his life, Ewing's been on staff at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog, Motor1.com, CNET, and he was the U.S. correspondent for Top Gear magazine. He's also contributed to publications like Automobile magazine, Car and Driver, The Drive, Jalopnik, Porsche Panorama, and more. Ewing has worked in the automotive industry since 2003. From testing prototype cars in the Arctic Circle to spilling a beer on a Formula 1 driver at the 24 Hours of Le Mans (oops), he's always got an interesting story to tell.

edited by Kirk Bell

Cars have been an important part of his life since Kirk learned to identify them by their headlights as a toddler. He grew up helping pit crew for his dad’s highly unsuccessful drag racing escapades, and he turned his knowledge of the car culture into a career when he became an editor at Scale Auto Enthusiast magazine starting in college. Kirk has been writing about full-scale cars for more than 20 years and was named to the North American Car and Truck of the Year jury in 2014. He was most recently senior editor at Motor Authority, where he specialized in luxury and performance cars. Kirk also authored and edited several car books, including the award-winning Hot Rod & Custom Chronicle and NASCAR Chronicle when was managing editor at Consumer Guide Automotive. Kirk enjoys nothing more than a track day, but he’s also a Wisconsin sport fan and he enjoys spirited drives in his 2006 Porsche 911 Carrera S.

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