Mercedes GLC review - Practicality, comfort and boot space

Since all versions of the Mercedes GLC come with heated sports seats, you’re sure to be comfortable in the driver’s seat. The driving position isn’t as good as in the BMW X3 or Jaguar F-Pace, and the seats themselves aren’t quite as plush as the ones in a Volvo XC60, but the Mercedes’ luxurious cabin is a great place to spend time.

Kit such as the 360-degree parking camera that comes on top-spec models will help you to park the GLC without issue, but on lower-spec cars the sheer size of this SUV might be an issue for some drivers. Visibility isn’t great, but that’s the same case in pretty much all similar SUVs – you sit high up and with small windows and a lot of bodywork in between you and the ground, it can be a bit daunting to drive until you get used to the size. A reversing camera is standard, though, and there’s even a function that lets you see ‘through’ the bonnet with a camera feed on the display on higher-spec cars.

There are plenty of storage spots in the cabin including a large central bin with a second in front of it that incorporates cupholders – thanks to the gear selector being a stalk behind the wheel instead of a lever on the centre console.

Size

The latest GLC has a longer wheelbase than the previous model – although not by a huge amount. It’s 15mm longer, while the track has been widened by 6mm as well. This means that in total, the GLC is now 4,716mm long, 1,890mm wide (excluding the mirrors) and 1,640mm tall.

This means it’s a little longer than a BMW X3, although that car is a bit taller (and only 1mm wider). You’ll find that most cars in this class are a similar size. The closely-related GLC Coupe retains the same width, although it’s a little lower at 1,605mm and longer at 4,764mm.

Leg room, head room & passenger space

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There’s more legroom and headroom inside the new GLC than before and it was already a spacious family car. Kids and adults alike will have no issues sitting in the back seats, and the GLC’s upright shape and roofline means there’s a good amount of headroom too.

Boot

Normal petrol and diesel versions of the GLC have a healthy 620 litres of boot space, which is more than the 550 litres you get in a BMW X3 petrol. This expands to 1,680 litres with the rear seats folded, which again is more than in the BMW (1,600 litres).

However the plug-in hybrid versions have a battery pack under the boot floor, which reduces the available luggage space to 470 litres (seats up) or 1,530 litres (seats down). A like-for-like BMW X3 plug-in has 450 to 1,500 litres of space, so the Mercedes is still a bit more practical than its main rival.

Towing

The GLC 220d and GLC 300d diesel models are best for towing, as they have a capacity of 2,500kg with a braked trailer. The GLC 300 petrol is also a good option, at 2,400kg, but it’ll be rather expensive to run with a trailer or caravan attached. The plug-in models are less ideal if you tow often: their maximum towing capacity is 2,000kg. This is still impressive for a plug-in car, though, and could be more than enough for some people.