Used 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 350e 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric plug-in hybrid 7A) Consumer Reviews
Used GLC-Class for sale
Comfortable, Quiet, Safe - and Complex
Ralph, Tuckahoe, NY, 01/03/2019
updated 10/11/2024
Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 350e 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric plug-in hybrid 7A)
15 of 15 people found this review helpful
Updated review after 6 years of ownership now. Everything stated below remains the same. However, unlike some other owners, I purchased the extended warranty as there was no way I would want to own this vehicle without that. So, despite some items that did require repair/replacement by the dealer, I have only been responsible for wear and tear items. The one major disappointment that wasn’t covered via warranty or extended warranty were the Pirelli OEM tires. I am now on my third set, which should not be necessary. But, these run flat tires have ridiculously short tread life and - even worse - make noticeable road noise well before their (short) tread life wears out. MB would be well advised to find another supplier for their OEM tires because it damages MB’s reputation to be installing such inferior OEM equipment on their vehicles. I have leased a 2018 GLC 350e for almost 4 months now, and here are my early impressions. If you are looking for an incredibly comfortable, safe, and quiet SUV/Crossover for 1-4 occupants, look no further. First, this is a great looking vehicle on the outside, particularly in the Selenite Grey in my humble opinion. Second, the interior (as per almost every review) is executed perfectly, not only in ambiance, design and materials, but in fit and finish as well. The driver’s seat is the most comfortable I have ever experienced and the lumbar support is truly exceptional. Lengthy trips on the highway are effortless behind the wheel. Seating position and visibility are outstanding. Road noise is low, although I agree with one of the earlier reviews that wind noise around the windshield (while minimal) is noticeable at highway speeds. The sound system is superb, especially once you have adjusted the audio controls to find surround sound and equalizer/balance/fade settings that suit you. The climate control system is extremely quick to reach the temperature you desire, on both hot and cold days. Once you have acquired the muscle memory for the controls in this vehicle (which admittedly takes a while), the entire driving experience exudes quality and control. The 350e is a relatively rare model, as it is the plug-in hybrid. This is not for everyone. If you take very short trips on most days, and occasional long trips, then it might be a good fit. Otherwise, you might prefer to stick with the gasoline-only version (for reasons that are too numerous for this review.) The EV-only mode is delightful: silent and smooth and propels this extremely heavy vehicle (almost 4,700 pounds) with little effort even at highway speeds. However, the battery will only provide a precious few miles in that mode. In Hybrid mode, you get very good gas mileage (especially around town, as you primarily use the electric motor), and extend the battery life somewhat as the gas engine kicks in when needed. I am averaging 27 to 28 mpg overall, between city and highway driving, which is pretty good (although far from exceptional) for a all-wheel drive SUV of this capability and weight. The transition between electric motor and gas engine is fairly seamless and likely noticeable only to the driver. If you really want to optimize your mpg, you can manually adjust between modes (EV-only, Hybrid, E-Save, and Charge) during your trip. You can also adjust your driving mode between Economy, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ which impacts handling and mpg. Things get fairly complicated if you continuously adjust all of the above settings, but there is no need to do so as you can just set-and-forget and let the vehicle do its thing if you wish. So far, I have found zero quality defects, other than extreme frustration over the remote access systems (Mercedes Me and the mBrace My Mercedes Electric, neither of which work as advertised). If you do decide the 350e is for you, I would highly recommend leasing rather than purchasing for multiple reasons. Finally, while I do agree with other reviewers that some of the technology “gizmos” are rather complicated in this vehicle, on balance I am willing to accept that given the outstanding fundamental qualities offered in the GLC 350e.
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Horrible car
Peter G, 04/14/2023
updated 04/17/2025
Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 350e 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric plug-in hybrid 7A)
8 of 8 people found this review helpful
I bought a new 2018 GLC 350e which had serious problems covered under warranty and many more serious problems shortly after it came off warranty. This car had about 50,000 kms and $9000 in repairs when I ditched it. This is a terrible, horrible car.
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Issues - Crankcase ventilation failed
Al Gauthier, 07/10/2021
Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 350e 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 7A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
We bought the GLC-350e new. We got our first major breakdown at 14,000 km or 8700 miles, the crankcase ventilation failed, an extremely common issue with all GLC series Mercedes Benz, and other models too. The repair is $2000 for parts and labor. The part is a dealer item only. The repair takes 5 hours. The motor mount has to be removed to replace the crankcase ventilation. Again at 50,000km or 31068 miles, the crankcase ventilation has failed. These two major repairs were covered under warranty but should such a high-end vehicle fail so soon, so often, and be so expensive? What happens when the warranty runs out? You trade in the vehicle for a gold old Chevy to save yourself some money because it will happen over and over again, non-stop? This repair is not for most handymen. See this YouTube video of the part: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIwxTKcuk6g I will not buy any Mercedes Benz ever again. I babied this SUV but still, it had major breakdowns.
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A comfy ride with creaky technology
Nancy Jones, Bar Harbor, ME, 11/20/2019
Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class GLC 350e 4MATIC 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric hybrid 7A)
2 of 4 people found this review helpful
Very impressive interior with a fabulous comfortable seat. The technology is not intuitive & is old