2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC

The Mercedes-Benz GLC is a five-seat compact luxury crossover SUV that arrived in the US for the 2016 model year as the replacement for the boxier GLK. It shares its underpinnings with the C-Class sedan and competes directly with the BMW X3, Audi Q5, and Volvo XC60. The volume model throughout its run has been the turbocharged four-cylinder GLC 300, offered with rear-wheel drive or 4MATIC all-wheel drive, with plug-in hybrid and Mercedes-AMG performance versions broadening the lineup in most years.

The GLC has been one of Mercedes-Benz's best-selling models in the US, valued for its comfortable ride, quiet and upscale cabin, and current infotainment technology rather than outright sportiness. It appeals to small families and commuters stepping into the luxury segment, as well as Mercedes loyalists downsizing from larger SUVs. Because the nameplate spans two generations across the 2016-2026 model years, shoppers will find meaningful differences in size, technology, and powertrains depending on the year they choose.

The 2023 model: Redesigned for 2023, the X254 grew slightly in length and adopted sleeker styling, a portrait-oriented 11.9-inch MBUX touchscreen, and a fully digital instrument cluster. Every version uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder: the GLC 300 adds 48-volt mild-hybrid assist, and the GLC 350e plug-in hybrid joined for 2024 with an EPA-rated 54 miles of electric range. AMG models returned for 2025, with the GLC 43 and the plug-in-hybrid GLC 63 S E Performance replacing the previous V6 and V8 powertrains with electrified four-cylinders.