2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class AMG® GLC 43

[MUSIC PLAYING] MARK TAKAHASHI: Guten tag from Germany, the birthplace of Mercedes-Benz, where I'm driving the refreshed 2020 GLC-Class. The GLC-Class is currently our top-ranked SUV in class for good reason. It drives great. It has a wide range of performance, depending on which model you go for. And the interior is impeccable. It is under mounting pressure from BMW, as well as Audi. So it was due for a little update. Before I get into this review, do me a favor and hit Subscribe below. We have a ton of great content coming your way. On the outside, well, there's not a whole lot different. It has new headlights, new bumpers in the front and back, as well as new tail lights. There's also a slightly revised grill. That really doesn't add up to much when it comes to refreshes. Under the hood is a new 2-liter turbo-charged 4 cylinder, replacing the old 2-liter, 4-cylinder, turbo-charged engine. You get a boost of 14 horsepower, which really doesn't add up to much either. There is a 48-volt mild hybrid system, though. But here's the bummer. We won't get it in the US for some reason. We do get the bonkers GLC 63 AMG, as well as, later in the year, a plug-in hybrid. Indeed, the bigger changes are on the inside. But first, let's go for a drive. [MUSIC PLAYING] There aren't a lot of big changes for the GLC for 2020 when it comes to driving dynamics. And that's a good thing. I mean, it's our top-ranked luxury SUV in its class. You get 14 more horsepower this year. But honestly, you're not going to feel that difference. What is different is there will be standard adaptive dampers across the lineup. You can also upgrade to an air suspension, which is also really good for the off-road package. It gives you added right height when you need it. These adaptive dampers-- well, they're individually controlled. So if one wheel needs to soften up or stiffen up, it can do that. Power from this 2-liter 4-cylinder engine is more than adequate. I'm cruising along at highway speeds on the Autobahn right now, and passing really isn't a problem. In fact, let's find out now. There's a good, quick response from the transmission, knocking you down a few gears. And there's no real lag or tip-in coming from the engine. It just kind of whooshes you right along, just as you'd expect. Even better, it doesn't sound bad when you floor it. It doesn't sound rattly or raspy, as some 4-cylinders do. It doesn't sound like you're hurting anything. In a lot of ways, it reminds me a lot of some 6-cylinders. At the moment, I'm on an unrestricted speed zone on the Autobahn. And I'm hearing a little bit of wind noise coming off the mirrors. But honestly, if you're driving this fast in the states, you have much bigger problems to worry about. Further adding to the comfortable environment in the GLC is it's quiet. I'm not getting a whole lot of road noise or wind noise, or even a lot of engine noise. That means on a long road trip, you'll have a little less fatigue to deal with. The steering is light, which is pretty much what you'd want from a luxury SUV like this. It's effortless, especially when you're making tight multipoint turns. That lightness really pays dividends. The brakes are moderately soft, which is also what you want from a luxury SUV. And it's easy to modulate. It's easy to come to a really nice, smooth limo stop. Outward visibility is excellent. Now, this roof pillar might be a little thick when you're looking at it. But it's pushed back in your field of view. So you don't really have to bob your head around to see. And rear visibility is excellent. You get a good view of what's following you. And the mirrors are well placed and large enough to give you good situational awareness. Another feature new for 2020 is some low-level automated driving systems with full range, start and stop cruise control. That's particularly good if you're in areas that are prone to heavy traffic. It takes that burden of driving off of you just a little bit. And it takes some of the stress off of your daily commute. In bumper-to-bumper LA traffic, it's something I use a lot. The seats are the same as last year, and that's also a good thing. They're supportive. They have plenty of side bolstering to keep you well centered when you're taking turns. And over several hours of driving, you're not going to feel any hard points. It just kind of cradles you in nicely. On a hot day like it is here in Germany, ventilated seats are also a really good bonus. It's funny. I keep checking my mirrors to see if there's a cop, even though there's no speed limit. There's no speed limit. There's no speed limit. There's no speed limit. Oh, oh. OK, that's 200 kilometers. That is a ticket in LA, for sure. (SINGING) Bad boys, whatcha want, whatcha want-- MARK TAKAHASHI: For the most part, the interior of the GLC remains untouched. And I love it for that. Along with the related C-Class sedan and coupe, it's the first interior that was designed by Mercedes in their Italian design offices just outside of Lake Como. What a fantastic place to design cars. It has this wonderful sweeping waterfall-like center stack that's so graceful. And at least with this model, we have the open-pore wood, which I think is the best choice. There's just enough visual interest to make it feel special. And in typical Mercedes fashion, materials quality is excellent throughout. The big change-- and I contend the most important change for the 2020 refresh-- is the inclusion of the MBUX Infotainment system. We love this system in pretty much any car they've put it in so far. It gives you four different ways to control everything. You have these little touch pads here on the steering wheel, which control both the instrument panel as well as the main touch screen. And of course, as I just said, it's a touch screen, which lends itself to easy control for things like Apple CarPlay. You also have this trace pad here, which functions way better than any other trace pad in a car, because you kind of swipe up and down, left and right, rather than having to move a cursor around the screen. Cars like Lexus-- that cursor is bouncing around like a fly in a box. It's really irritating. But it works perfectly in the MBUX system. You also have the best voice recognition system in the industry. You just say, hi, Mercedes, and it wakes up and asks you what you want. You can control the temperature. You can control all of the navigation, radio, everything else. It's fantastic. It even has a few Easter eggs built in. Quite honestly, it is the best and more than enough reason why you should get the 2020, instead of the 2019. From the back seat of the GLC, I have more than enough room. I'm 5 foot 10 sitting behind the front seat that is set for me. I have a ton of space underneath that seat and way more knee room than I'll ever need. There's a good amount of lateral space as well. And even with the panoramic sunroof, I have tons of headroom. It's a nice, padded center armrest here, with your typical overengineered German cup holders, and two USB ports right here in the back of the center console. The problem is, at least for me, is their USB-C, which means for a lot of people, you might need an adapter for the regular USB cable. Not that big of a deal. There is a feeling of airiness and spaciousness that is really quite nice back here. These windows are big. This pillar right here is kind of in my periphery. But the little cutout behind makes it feel less claustrophobic. There is the coupe version. And honestly, I have a real problem with coupe-like SUVs. Because the reason you buy an SUV is for cargo space and rear passenger headroom. And it cuts into both with the coupe. But if you really want performance, maybe the coupe makes sense for you. When it comes to cargo, the GLC also excels. A power lift gate, obviously, and a really good amount of space. There is more than enough space for several large suitcases, and quite a bit of space underneath, where a spare tire would normally go. On top of that, you also have these electric releases for the seat backs, so you don't have to reach in and pull them down, which is also really nice. And you'll notice that the rear seats are 40-20-40 split, which means you get just a little more flexibility when it comes to cargo versus passengers. As another added bonus, if you opt for the available air suspension, you also get the variable load height. That means the switch right here will drop it down, making it easier to load much bulkier objects into the back. All in all, the GLC easily meets the needs for families who want that flexibility of passengers versus cargo. Another addition for 2020 is some added offroad abilities. We had the chance to put it through its paces on a really challenging offroad course, and it handled everything with ease-- steep grades, steep descents, water, mud, weird inclines, even getting the wheel stuck way up in the air. It was impressive. And that translates to a little more reassuring ride on water, snow, and ice. Even though the changes are slight for the GLC-Class for 2020, they do add up to just enough updates to keep it on the top of our list. In particular, the MBUX system is the best in the industry-- so good, in fact, that we gave it an award. The price goes up for 2020 by a little over $2,000. Starting price is right around $43,500. But honestly, I think that increase in price is well-justified on the MBUX system alone. For more information on the GLC-Class, as well as its competition, head on over to edmunds. com. To see more videos like this, hit Subscribe. [MUSIC PLAYING]